Cold-process soapmaking equipment

1. Stainless steel pot to heat the solid oils in and to mix the soap in.
AN ALUMINIUM CONTAINER MUST NOT BE USED.
It will ruin both the container and the soap.

2. Container to mix sodium hydroxide and water. Plastic is OK but not a fragile plastic.
A 2L icecream container is perfect.

3. stick blender

4. spatula. Can be wood, plastic or rubber.

5. safety glasses

6. rubber gloves

7. thermometer

8. vinegar (for dabbing on your skin if you touch the dry or liquid sodium hydroxide)

9. old blankets or similar to cover the soap in the moulds

10. old clothes. If you splash yourself with sodium hydroxide you will get holes in your clothes.

11. Something to use as a mould. CP soap needs to create heat to make the saponification process work, so block moulds are best, not individual moulds.
The following work well: cardboard milk cartons, icecream containers, plastic cake boxes.
The sides need to be flexible so the soap won’t stick to the mould. If in doubt, line the mould with baking paper.

12. scales

13. stove to melt oils. Could use a microwave and therefore the container would need to be plastic.


NB: Sodium hydroxide, lye, lye water
This chemical is very caustic and must be treated with great caution at all times.
It will burn skin, blind eyes, remove paint and play havoc with everything it touches.
If it touches your skin, you will know. Your skin will sting. Dab with vinegar and flush with running water until the stinging stops. Keep it away from everyone, especially children and animals, at all times.
If you spill it in its dry form, put on your gloves and sweep it up. Dispose of it in your usual rubbish bag.
If you spill it in its lye (liquid) form, put on your rubber gloves and mop it up with towels or rags (the towels will become rags!) and dispose of it in your usual rubbish bag.