{"id":20642,"date":"2021-11-09T21:31:43","date_gmt":"2021-11-09T21:31:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/?p=20642"},"modified":"2021-11-09T21:33:46","modified_gmt":"2021-11-09T21:33:46","slug":"diy-healthy-soap-from-scratch-with-wood-ash-and-fat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/diy-healthy-soap-from-scratch-with-wood-ash-and-fat\/","title":{"rendered":"DIY Healthy Soap From Scratch With Wood Ash And Fat"},"content":{"rendered":"

Knowing how to make soap from scratch with hardwood ash lye and fat might mean the difference between your family\u2019s health and some terrible food poisoning or infected wounds.\n

This isn\u2019t a complicated process, but it is a time-consuming one. Fortunately, making a big batch of soap in one go will generally provide enough to last several months. If you make extra, you can trade it with your neighbors.\n

The Basics: Lye and Fat\n

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The most basic soap you can make from scratch is with simple lye from wood ash and some kind of fat.\n

If you want to get all fancy, you can add some herbs or essential oils into the mix later on, or experiment with different herbs and flowers infused in the fat you\u2019ll be using.\n

But for now, we\u2019re just making basic farmhouse soap.\n

Choosing a Fat\n

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As mentioned in the ingredients section, you can use pretty much any fat or oil to make your soap from scratch. Really fancy ones will use a mix of things like olive oil, apricot kernel, coconut oil, etc.\n

For the sake of homestead soap, we\u2019ll assume we\u2019re working with things like leftover bacon grease, beef tallow drippings, and whatever\u2019s lurking in the bottoms of your cooking oil containers.\n

If you\u2019re using these drippings, it\u2019s a good idea to heat them up and strain them through cheesecloth before making soap. Sure, you might not be bothered by coming across a chunk of bacon or beef tendon when you\u2019re showering, but guests might find it a bit off-putting.\n

As far as ratios go, a basic soap like this will use a 1:3 ratio of oil to lye. Or, as folk wisdom calls it, \u201cabout two pounds of grease to a gallon of lye\u201d. [1]\n

Of course, these are just rough estimates for creating a basic, all-purpose soap. If you want to get really precise, then be sure to look up fat-to-lye ratio tables for all the different fats you could use.\n

I highly recommend doing as much of this soapmaking process outside as possible. Lye gives off really toxic fumes, so fresh air is your friend. Also remember that this stuff can be dangerous. Doing this process outside, away from small children and pets, is really the best option.\n

All About Lye\n

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If you\u2019ve never worked with lye before, you may be wondering what it is. In simplest terms, it\u2019s an extremely alkaline substance that\u2019s been used as a cleaning agent for thousands of years.\n

The powdered form you can buy at the store is generally sodium hydroxide. The stuff we\u2019ll be making from ashes is potassium hydroxide, or potash.\n

To make your own lye for homemade soap from scratch, you\u2019ll need to collect ashes from burnt hardwood. If you\u2019re not familiar with that term, hardwood trees are generally deciduous, with dense wood.\n

Oak, maple, beech, hickory, and ash are the best woods to burn to make soap. In contrast, softwoods are generally coniferous, like pine, spruce, and fir. These have too much resin in them to mix with fat.\n

If you want to know more about the history of lye and how to use it safely, we have a whole guide that you should check out.\n

Supplies You\u2019ll Need\n