Soap making in a box - great education

Here's a great resource about soap making. Basicall, it tells you everything you wanted to know about making soaps, including:

Soap: What is it and where did it come from?
Animal versus Vegetable based soaps
The Soap Process
Preservatives
Equipment
Soap Moulds
Rebatching
Cautions
Testing for pH
Soap Making: Cold Process Method

..and more!

Soap: What is it and where does it come from.

Until the early 1900’s, much of the soap used was made at home. Fats from cooking and butchering were saved until there was enough to make a batch of soap. This all changed in 1916 when a shortage of fats (a main ingredient in soap) occurred during World War I. As an alternative was needed, enterprising companies developed the first synthetic soaps called detergents.

Click here to read the rest:

http://www.cranberrylane.com/soapmaking.htm

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