I use a slotted stainless steel spoon to stir the soap. I like the quiet, slow, meditative process.
Digital kitchen scale from Walmart.
Disposable medical gloves.
Safety goggles.
Good quality lye. Use food grade. Not the industrial lye from the hardware store.
Distilled water. Any brand.
I keep supplies on hand, in case the urge to make soap inspires me. My staple oils are olive, castor, coconut. Then I have some extras from experimenting, such as MCT oil, sweet almond oil, shea butter, etc.
Sometimes I render animal fat, and make soap from that. One time, a neighbor gave me a can of bacon drippings. I rendered it, and it made lovely soap.
I use the bottoms of quart-sized milk cartons for molds. I wash them and let them dry. Then I clean them with a paper towel and 91% rubbing alcohol.
For some people, I smear the molds with petroleum jelly.
For others, I line the molds with freezer paper. A labor of love. Some people's bodies cannot tolerate even traces of petroleum jelly.
I use various plastic containers for measuring oils and lye granules.
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After the soap has hardened enough to peel off the milk carton molds, I sometimes break or cut up bars and dissolve them in water to make liquid shampoo. Easy peasy liquid shampoo.