Lye is a chemical with many uses ranging from curing food to making soap. Lye used in soap comes in two forms: sodium hydroxide used for solid bar soap and potassium hydroxide used for liquid soap. Lye is tricky to use because it can cause serious skin irritation and burns. However, it is possible to make your own liquid soap at home without lye by using simple ingredients. Making your own liquid soap lets you decide which ingredients to put in and even puts you in control of how the soap smells. Use your homemade liquid soap yourself, or make up enough to share with your family and friends.
Instructions
1. Add 1 tbsp. of the dried herb of your choice, 1 tbsp. yucca root, and 1/3 cup water to a cooking pot and bring to a boil.
2. Boil the herbal mixture for 15 to 20 minutes, then remove from heat.
3. Pour the mixture through a strainer into a mixing bowl. Discard the strained herbs and add 2 tbsp. vegetable glycerin to the mixing bowl with the herbal water. Set the bowl aside.
4. Add a grated bar of soap and 1 1/2 cups distilled water to the large cooking pot. Bring the mixture to a boil until all of the soap has dissolved. Remove from heat.
5. Add the herbal water from the mixing bowl to the large cooking pot. Stir to thoroughly combine ingredients.
6. Add 15 to 20 drops of your choice of essential oils to the soap. Stir again to combine.
7. Carefully pour the liquid soap into a soap pump and use as you would use any other liquid soap.
Tags: liquid soap, mixing bowl, from heat, herbal water, hydroxide used, large cooking