Simple Homemade Olive Oil Soap

This morning we were very excited to see beautiful, light green bars of our very first batch of homemade soap turn out of our mold.

Mommy had made the soap last night at bed time, and as it was the first time, she made us keep far back.   We did get a close look when the soap started to "trace" and it was time to pour into the large container we were using as a mold.

It was so easy, mom says she might let some of the girls help next time, and the boys when we try to make "re-milled" soap.

The recipe was really easy and simple.  This Olive Oil Soap is great for dry and cracking hands.


Olive Oil Soap (Simple)
In a large stainless steel pot (not aluminum), pour in 3 cups of water (room temperature). While wearing gloves, add 1 1/2 cups of sodium lye slowly into the water, stiring contantly.  Stand back to avoid the fumes, and stir until the steam is gone, and the lye is completly mixed.  The pot will become very hot!  (LYE INTO WATER ONLY, the other way (water into lye) can cause explosive results)

Slowly add olive oil to the pot.  I started with 1/2 cup at a time, and then slowly increased till I got the entire 11.8 oz of Olive oil into the pot.

Switch to an electric hand mixer, and place it completely into the soap before turning on (or turn off before remove from the soap to avoid lye splatters).  Mix the soap with the hand mixer until "trace".  This is when a trail, or trace is left in the soap when a spoonful of soap is dripped back back into the pot.

Then we poured the soap into a large greased container (we used a clean cat litter box, with shortening as the grease).   Cover with a lid, and heavy blanket.  Let sit for 2-3 hours.

When the soap is still soft, but not a liquid, used a knife (a butter knife would work), to cut the soap into squares right in the pan.  Cover with the blanket and let it sit until completely hard.(overnight)
Turn over the mold and tap the bottom until the soap falls out.  Most of the soap will fall apart into bars.  Gently place your knife in the score lines that didn't break, and your soap will separate.

Set your soap out to dry for 2-3 weeks before using to burn off the lye.

30 bars/batch = $0.65/bar

TIPS
Keep vinegar close by, to splash on any lye burns.  Keep a set of soap making supplies separate from your cooking supplies.  (large pot, wooden spoons, hand blender, spatula,)   A trip to value village or a garage sale will work for this.