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LovelyMalia

LovelyMalia

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What do you find to be necessary when you are making soap?

I'm a beginner and would like to hear the things you all use for soap making. I've been doing some shopping lately and wanna make sure I have all of my bases covered before my lye & ingredients come in the mail!

Thanks in advance! :D
 
You need a digital scale, a couple of thermometers, and a stickblender is helpful. Also rubber gloves and some construction goggles to protect your eyes. A pile of plastic containers, some of which have a handle and spout (but that's just a luxury). Find yourself something that will serve as a mold, like a Pringles can. a couple of stainless steel pots (no aluminum). The rest you can probably scrounge up in your kitchen cupboard.
 
Thrift shops and ebay are your friends!

I use mostly heavy duty HDPE plastic containers, many of them recycled for measuring and mixing. Pyrex is bad - ongoing contact with lye solution can cause micro fissures and the container could eventually shatter. Aluminum is a big no-no around lye (can produce explosive gas).

As Esther said, an accurate digital scale, stick blender, goggles and gloves are the most essential tools in my soapmaking kit.

Good luck and let us know how your first batch goes.
 
Actually, its funny...I raided a thrift shop today! Took a doubler boiler, a large stainless steel pot and a small stainless steel pot.

I also found this stainless steel steamer with a basket that I took-mainly because of the spout and it had measurements going up the side of it.

I have the scale and a thermometer is on its way. I don't think I have safety goggles, but isn't that what men are for?! I'll raid his tool chest :D

And on a random note, I bought an awesome vintage trunk at the thrift store today, too...psyched to clean it out!
 
Just to add my 2 cents - I like lard in my soap and I've bought several 4 lb buckets of it at Walmart. When empty, those buckets are very handy for making soap and they're HDPE. I like stainless steel or silicone spoons - I've found silicone at Dollar Tree stores. Lye weakens nylon and, even though I keep the majority of my soap making stuff seperate from kitchen stuff, I don't like the idea of wooden spoons that have been exposed to lye laying around. I just last night built my first real mold (thanks to they sweet guy at Lowes who cut the wood for me!) - you can get by for a good while with sturdy cardboard boxes, plastic containers, PVC pipe, etc.

I think the top 3 musts for a beginner are goggles, gloves, and a thermometer. You may not measure temps forever, but you learn a lot by doing so.
 
I'd be useless without my digital scale and stick blender. I can make do with anything except those two items. I certainly can't guess at weight like I can temperature, and though my upper arms could use a serious workout, I have no intention of hand stirring my batches to trace. :lolno:
 
Stick Blender for sure, digital scale (make sure you have spare batteries around), plastic buckets for mixing your soap in, plastic measuring cups for your lye water, patience (okay strongly suggested but seldom used), gloves and eye protection. I also wear a mask when I'm mixing my lye because the fumes get me coughing even in a well ventilated room.
 
I would recommend a mask for your nose/mouth. You want to block the lye fumes from invading your lungs as much as possible, and also if you'll be working with micas a lot they release tiny particles every time you open the container, which you can breathe in.
 
Good advice from everyone. How about if I contribute what you don't need?

You don't need expensive oils & butters like macadamia, emu, kokum, illipe, etc. You can make lovely soap with just oils found in local stores like olive, coconut, sunflower, soybean, castor and if you're not opposed palm, tallow and lard. You can use additives like cream, yogurt, eggs, sugar, oatmeal, table salt, coffee grounds, tea, cornmeal, etc and use paprika, parsley, turmeric and other spices for colorants.

You don't need dozens of fragrance oils. Yes, I said you don't need them! Want is different from need and no, we're not discussing how many bottle of FOs I have.

This Fragrance Oils Chart is very helpful for reading info on FOs from different suppliers if you haven't already seen it.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...UVFTXY5M2o4MVRMZm4wdFE&authkey=CMTEtswL#gid=0
 
Lindy said:
Stick Blender for sure, digital scale (make sure you have spare batteries around), plastic buckets for mixing your soap in, plastic measuring cups for your lye water, patience (okay strongly suggested but seldom used), gloves and eye protection. I also wear a mask when I'm mixing my lye because the fumes get me coughing even in a well ventilated room.
Click to expand...

think they sell patience at WalMart? hahaha! I'm so anxious to start that patience isn't on my list once I do! Guess I'll have to suffer and practice that little thing called "self control"
 
When you get that patience thing down pat come back and teach me! :) And welcome to the forum and your new addiction.
 
I am a social worker by day when I am not crafting..ok so I pretty much work all the time and I am sad that I must return to work tomorrow...but I work for Goodwill Industries to help people with disabilities find work in the community. We are able to provide this service because of the storefronts we have. So to make a long story short, thank you for supporting your local thrift store! Mot only are you getting a deal, but your money spent is probably funding a great program!
 
If someone already mentioned it, forgive me, but it's good to have plenty of ol' towels. I use them to insulate my molds, and to facilitate cleanup without wasting a whole lot of paper towels.
 
NO Girl...all they sell at Wal-Mart is frustration and p*ssed-off!
I know an infrared thermometer is a luxury when you're just getting started, but I LOVE mine.
 
lizflowers42 said:
I am a social worker by day when I am not crafting..ok so I pretty much work all the time and I am sad that I must return to work tomorrow...but I work for Goodwill Industries to help people with disabilities find work in the community. We are able to provide this service because of the storefronts we have. So to make a long story short, thank you for supporting your local thrift store! Mot only are you getting a deal, but your money spent is probably funding a great program!
Click to expand...

I shop as frequently as possible at thrift stores. An organization in my town is in the process of opening a HUGE thrift store on the main drag...it takes up 4-5 of the store fronts and I drive by regularly, in anticipation of seeing that "OPEN" sign!

cerelife said:
NO Girl...all they sell at Wal-Mart is frustration and p*ssed-off!
I know an infrared thermometer is a luxury when you're just getting started, but I LOVE mine.
Click to expand...

I got an infrared thermometer on Amazon for a good deal...fortunately for me, it was one of those "daily deal" type things, so I got it for $25 instead of $60. The reviews are great and the best part is, people that make soap reviewed the item!

So, I need lots of paper towels, huh? That's gunna be a tough one since I have an issue using paper towels...they are for "special occasion" messes-haha...don't ask!

I have plenty of rags, though...I will dedicate some "soap rags" for that purpose!
 
I haven't used a single paper towel in two years of soaping. Try it without if you're hesitant about using them.
 

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