| How to Make Bar Soap Posted: 29 Jun 2020 05:00 PM PDT Making soap at home is a cost-effective and creative hobby. The simplest way to make bar soap at home is through the melt and pour method, which uses a melted soap base instead of active lye. To start from scratch, mix water, oils, and additives with lye. No matter which way you choose, you can enjoy custom soap bars with few chemical additives after the batter cures. [Edit]Ingredients [Edit]Lye-Free Pink Himalayan Grapefruit Soap - goat's milk soap base
- pink Himalayan salt
- 20 drops grapefruit essential oil
[Edit]Basic Olive Oil Soap with Lye - pomace olive oil[1]
- distilled water
- sodium hydroxide
[Edit]Making Lye-Free Pink Himalayan Grapefruit Soap Batter - Cut a soap base into chunks that are easy to melt. Chop up about of soap or glycerine into cubes in size. These small pieces melt evenly so your finished batter is less likely to be chunky. Using small chunks also prevents the batter from burning while you stir it.[2]
- You can also try shredding the soap with a grater or vegetable peelers.
- Glycerine is a common base available online or at craft supply stores. It is made with lye like any bar of soap but doesn't have any active lye in it, so it's safe to touch.
- Choose white and clear-colored soaps if you plan on adding coloring later. Darker soaps aren't as great for customizing, although you can still add fragrances and thickeners to them.
- Place the cut soap base into a heatproof pot or bowl. The container you need depends on how you plan on melting the soap. The easiest way to do it is on a stovetop. Simply place the soap in a stainless steel pot, crockpot, or double boiler. If the stove isn't an option, melt the soap in a microwave.[3]
- If you use a microwave, choose a microwave-safe. Look for a label on the bottom of the container or on its packaging.
- Heat and stir the soap constantly until it melts. Heat the soap on a stovetop or in your microwave to about . Move the melting soap around with a rubber spatula to help it melt. Don't let it sit still for more than 30 seconds or else it may burn. Stir it until it reaches a smooth consistency.[4]
- If the soap batter looks thick and dry, mix a little bit of water into it. Add water gradually, stirring the batter to keep it at a liquid consistency.
- Many soap bases reach a good consistency within a couple of minutes. Depending on the base you use, you may need to keep stirring for 15 minutes or more to make the batter smooth.
- If you're using a microwave, heat the soap for 30 seconds at a time. Give it a good stir to distribute the heat.
- Soap bases begin to burn around . Use a kitchen thermometer as needed to track the temperature.
- Add tea, salt, and other ingredients to color the soap. Fresh-brewed coffee and tea change the batter's color but don't often leave much of a smell in the finished product. Mix in some blended fruits or vegetables to give your soap a deep, vibrant color. Soap dyes are another option for unusual colors. Also, use colored salt and spices for additional variety.[5]
- For example, add about of pink Himalayan sea salt to turn a batter pink, or mix in a little tumeric to give the batter an orange color.
- Brew coffee and tea separately from the soap batter. Remove coffee grounds and tea bags before adding the liquid to the batter.
- Mix in essential oils and other ingredients to make your soap fragrant. Stir a few drops of any essential oil into your batter to customize it. Flowers and herbs are some alternatives to essential oils. Try using ingredients like powdered beet root or sandalwood. Ingredients like vanilla, honey, and brown sugar can also give your soap a pleasant quality that makes it difficult to put down.[6]
- Whole flowers and herbs lose color over time and may discolor your soap. Try placing them on top of the batter after you pour it into the mold instead of mixing them in.
- Use oils and other ingredients to change the soap's texture. For softer soap bars, heat cooking oil in a separate pan, then mix it into the batter. Olive oil, coconut oil, and vegetable oil are a few good options for softer, silkier soap bars. Some people melt glycerine cubes to add to the batter. To thicken the batter, add a scoop of oatmeal, honey, or beeswax.
[Edit]Making Basic Olive Oil Soap with Lye Batter - Choose vegetable oils to form a base for your soap. You can use all kinds of vegetable oil to create soap. The type of oil you choose determines the amount of other ingredients you need. For your first time making soap, keep it simple by sticking to 1 or 2 different types of oils. Pomace olive oil from a grocery store is a common base to start with. Measure out of oil on a kitchen scale by weight instead of volume.[7]
- For a recipe that is a little fancier than a basic olive oil soap, try pure hemp seed or palm oil. Mix the oil with equal parts olive oil.
- For a creamier soap with more lather, try mixing 1 part coconut oil, 1 part palm oil, and 1 part olive oil. Add some sweet almond oil to give the soap a pleasant scent.
- Use a lye calculator to determine how much lye you need to make soap. If you are following a specific soap recipe, use the amount of lye specified in the recipe. Otherwise, rely on a lye calculator. The amount of lye you need varies depending on the oil you use. Use the correct ratio of lye to oil to make solid bars of soap that don't sting your skin when you use them.[8]
- Pour the water into a heat-proof mixing bowl. For a basic olive oil soap, you need about of water. Measure out the water into a heat-safe glass or plastic measuring cup placed on a kitchen scale. Transfer the water into a stainless steel pot or glass bowl. Keep in mind that lye does corrode glass and plastic a little bit over time, so stainless steel is usually your best bet when mixing lye and water.[9]
- If you're making a different type of soap, use the amount of water specified by the recipe or lye calculator.
- Tap water often has minerals that affect how your soap turns out. To avoid this, purchase distilled water from a grocery store.
- If you halved a recipe to make a small batch of soap, remember to halve every ingredient accordingly.
- Measure out the lye into a separate container on a kitchen scale. Carefully pour about of lye into a heat-safe glass or plastic measuring cup. Weigh it on the scale. Make sure you have the amount specified by your recipe or lye calculator. Handle it with caution to avoid spills, and use stainless steel or glass containers you don't plan on cooking with in the future.[10]
- Lye is available online or at most hardware stores.
- Lye is very caustic, so handle it carefully. Cover yourself with protective goggles, rubber gloves, and long-sleeved clothing. If you get any on your skin, wash it off immediately with cold water.
- The most common type of lye is sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Potassium hydroxide (KOH), or potash, is also available and used in soap making. Read the label to figure out which type you have. They are similar but need to be added in different amounts.
- Pour the lye into the water gradually while stirring it. Stir the ingredients together with a stainless steel or heat-safe plastic whisk. Let the mixture warm up and turn white before adding more lye. Continue stirring and pouring until you finish dissolving all of the lye. The mixture will be scalding hot.[11]
- Never pour the water into the lye or dump all of the lye into the water at once. This can lead to a lye explosion splattering everything with dangerous chemicals.
- Lye and water release heat and fumes when mixed together. Make sure you're ready for this before continuing. Ventilate your area and consider wearing a dust mask.
- Test the lye water with a thermometer until it reaches . Set the container aside while you wait. After the lye begins cooling, stick a stainless steel thermometer in it to keep track of its temperature. Let it cool to a temperature between .[12]
- Begin preparing your oils while you wait for the lye to cool. You will need the oils ready to mix into the lye.
- Mix and heat the base oils to about . The goal is to get the oils to the same temperature as the lye water. Weigh the oils using a kitchen scale, then melt solid oils over low heat. Stir in the liquid oils and heat them until they are between .[13]
- Heat the oils to only if the recipe you're using specifies that the mixture can handle the higher temperature.
- Hot oil mixtures are called "fixed oils" in some recipes.
- Blend the oils with the lye water until the mixture thickens. Pour the hot oil into the lye water, stirring it with a stainless steel whisk or mixing spoon. Wooden spoons and stirrers also work but splinter with repeated uses. Stirring on average takes between 15 minutes to half an hour. You may need even more time to get the batter to the consistency of pudding or toothpaste.[14]
- The finished mixture is called a trace. When it is done, the stirrer leaves lingering trace lines in it. If you lift the stirrer, the batter will stay clumped on it.
- Use an electric hand mixer or stick blender to speed up the stirring process. Put the soap batter in a deep container to prevent splattering.
- If you use a stick blender, fully submerge it in the batter before turning it on. Tap it against the side of the container to release air bubbles. Start on a low setting at first, then turn it to medium or high as the mixture thickens.
- Add fragrances or additives if you wish to customize your soap. Essential oils, herbs, and thickeners are a few ways to make your soap unique. Use different ingredients to color and scent your soap. After choosing your additives, stir them into the batter with a spoon, spatula, or whisk. Typically, a soap contains no more than 6% additives by volume.[15]
- Research the benefits of herbs and essential oils. For example, add lavender to scent the soap and nourish your skin.
- Oatmeal, coffee grounds, and honey are a few common thickeners that make soap coarser for exfoliation.
[Edit]Molding and Curing the Soap - Clean and line your soap molds. Soap molds are basically boxes for the liquid batter to set in. Any dry plastic container works, or you can buy silicone molds specifically for soap. If you have a wooden container, cover the inside with a silicone liner or freezer paper.[16]
- Soap molds are available online and at some general stores. If you need a liner, freezer papers are available at most supermarkets.
- Pour the soap batter into the mold. Fill each mold close to the top. Tap the mold against a hard surface a few times to break up air bubbles. Use a rubber spatula to scrape out excess batter to pour into a different mold or throw away.[17]
- Bump the mold against a hard surface a few times if it looks frothy. Try dropping it from a low height to knock out stubborn air bubbles.
- Don't worry about breaking the soap into smaller bars yet. Wait until the soap solidifies for that.
- Wrap the mold inside cardboard and a clean towel. Tape a piece of cardboard over the mold to cover the soap. Then, wrap a towel around the entire mold to insulate it. Doing this helps the mold set properly, leading to better soap.[18]
- If you don't have cardboard, place parchment paper over the mold.
- Wait 24 hours before cutting into bars. The saponification process takes at least a day to happen. When you remove the soap from the mold, it will be hard and ready for cutting. Use a sharp kitchen knife to break the soap down into smaller bars. To smooth out the sides, scrape the soap with a vegetable peelers.[19]
- Keep your soap at room temperature and out of the reach of children and pets. If you used fresh lye, the soap is still dangerous to touch at this point.
- If your soap is too soft to cut, let it rest for an extra day. This happens most often in large, single molds.
- Dry the soap for several weeks before using it. Move the soap bars into a cool but well-ventilated area. Try placing them near a window in your basement or on a countertop. Put them on top of wax paper or another disposable material to prevent the oils from damaging the surface the soap is on. Soap takes about 4 weeks to finish curing.[20]
- Soap can take anywhere from 3 to 8 weeks to cure completely. The time it needs depends on the oils you used. Check your recipe for the recommended curing time.
- Soap made using the melt and pour method typically solidifies within a few hours. At most, let it rest overnight before taking it out of the mold.
- Almost any type of fat works well in a homemade bar of soap. Soap makers use palm oil, shea butter, cocoa butter, and even lard and shortening.
- If you cannot find lye, check the label on drain cleaners. Some products are 100% lye and can be used to make soap.
- Play around with different mixtures of oils and additives to create your own unique soap from scratch.
- For more advice and recipes, read a soap making book or visit an online soap making community.
- For safety, keep lye out of the reach of pets and small children. Separate your soap making gear from your kitchen equipment and let everyone in your home know how to avoid them.
[Edit]Warnings - Soap is still dangerous when it is fresh. Don't handle it until it has had at least a month to fully cure.
- Lye is very dangerous when handled incorrectly. Always wear safety gear when making soap, including safety goggles and rubber gloves. Ventilate your area to eliminate lye fumes.
- Soap made with too much lye can burn your skin. Always use a lye calculator to ensure you add the proper amount of lye for the oils you have.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Making Lye-Free Soap Batter - Pot or microwavable container
- Measuring cup
- Kitchen scale
- Rubber spatula
- Oven or microwave
- Essential oils or other additives
- Molds
- Plastic wrap
- Sharp knife
[Edit]Mixing Lye Soap Batter - Lye
- Vegetable oils
- Safety goggles
- Long sleeve shirt or coveralls
- Long pants
- Rubber, plastic, or latex gloves
- Stainless steel, glass, or plastic mixing containers
- Measuring cups
- Kitchen scale
- Stainless steel, glass, plastic, or wooden mixing tools
- Stainless steel thermometers
- Stove
- Pot or pan for heating oil
- Silicone, plastic, or wooden soap molds
- Cardboard
- Towel
- Sharp knife
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Hollow Out a Coconut Posted: 29 Jun 2020 09:00 AM PDT Whether you're cracking open a coconut for the juice, to make a yummy recipe, or even to use the shell for a craft, hollowing out a coconut is a simple process. Drain the coconut water out into a cup before gently hitting the circumference of the coconut to crack it open. After that, all that's left is removing the coconut meat from the shell. With the use of a few simple tools like a knife and hammer, you'll have a hollowed out coconut in no time! [Edit]Draining the Coconut - Find the soft eye of the coconut. Similar to a bowling ball, the coconut will have three "eyes" located at one end. Use a knife to test each eye, pointing the tip of the knife into an eye to try to create a hole. Two of the eyes will be hard, while the third will be soft and let you poke through to the meat.[1]
- These eyes are also known as the coconut's germination pores.
- Use a sharp tool to make a hole in the soft eye. This can be done using a knife, drill bit, screwdriver, or a pointed kitchen tool. Create a hole roughly the size of your pinky, poking through the shell until you get to the white meat of the coconut.[2]
- A meat thermometer is another useful tool.
- Tap your screwdriver or drill bit gently using a hammer, if necessary.
- This hole allows the water to drain from the coconut.
- Drain the water into a bowl, jar or cup. Hold the coconut upside down over a cup and gently shake the coconut up and down. Let the coconut drain completely before trying to crack it open.[3]
- Save the coconut water for later, if desired—coconut water is great for smoothies, marinades, cocktails, and salad dressings.
[Edit]Cutting the Coconut in Half - Locate the coconut's equator. This is a thin line along the middle of the coconut, also known as its natural center point. This is where it will be easiest to break the coconut cleanly in half. Find this line before you begin tapping.[4]
- Tap along the equator gently until the coconut cracks in half. Using a hammer or mallet, go around the circumference of the coconut gently hitting the shell. Rotate the coconut as you tap, ensuring you hit each part of the coconut's equator. Keep going in this manner until you hear a cracking sound. Once it starts cracking, use less and less force to keep it in two large pieces.[5]
- Be careful not to hit the coconut too hard, or it will come apart in pieces instead of in natural halves.
- Avoid using a sharp blade or knife to hit the coconut—this can be dangerous.
- Don't worry if your coconut takes some time to crack open—some coconuts are simply easier to split than others.
- Pry open the coconut if it doesn't separate naturally. If your coconut cracks but doesn't split open, pry open the coconut gently by placing a dull knife in the crack and applying leverage. Situate the knife into the largest crack to help ensure a nice split.[6]
- Aim for cracks all the way around the coconut before prying it open to make the process easier.
[Edit]Removing the Meat - Hold a coconut section in one hand with your cutting knife in the other. It's best if you hold the coconut in your non-dominant hand to leave your dominant hand for removing the meat. Choose a knife with a curved edge instead of a pointed tip to make the process easier.[7]
- A paring knife or steak knife works well.
- Make a cut into the coconut, pressing down until you reach the shell. Use your knife to form a perpendicular line from the coconut's cracked edge. Cut deep enough into the flesh of the coconut so that you feel the hard inner shell.[8]
- The length of this cut is up to you and your knife, though the longer the cut the more flesh you'll likely be able to pry out at once.
- Angle your next cut against the previous cut to form an upside-down V. Once your first cut is finished, form another cut angled out from the original one. This will create a triangular shape, or an upside-down V.[9]
- Make sure you press deep enough into this cut to touch the shell, just as you did with the first cut.
- Pry the meat from this cut section using a dull knife. Situate your knife under the flesh in the center of your two cuts. Gently pry the meat from this cut section of the coconut, twisting your knife if necessary.[10]
- Cut the rest of the sections to remove all of the meat. Continue making upside-down V shapes with the meat, cutting deeply until you reach the shell before prying the meat out.[11]
- This may take some time, so use caution and be patient!
- Use this process to remove the meat from the other half of the coconut as well.
- You can also try scooping the meat of the coconut out with a spoon.
- Put your coconut in a plastic bag before hitting it with a hammer if you're worried about making a mess.
- Freeze the coconut overnight before cracking it open to make the meat easily fall out.[12]
- Put the coconut in the oven at for 15 minutes to shrink the meat from the coconut's shell.[13] If you do this process with a whole coconut, the breaks will likely be irregular, and it must be drained beforehand so that steam does not cause it to explode.
- Use a vegetable peeler to remove the brown part off of the meat, if desired.[14]
[Edit]Warnings - Exercise caution when using sharp instruments, such as knives.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Knife
- Cup or bowl
- Hammer or mallet
- Paring knife
- Vegetable peeler (optional)
- Screwdriver or drill bit (optional)
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Draw Perspective Posted: 29 Jun 2020 01:00 AM PDT If you want to take your drawings to the next level, give them realistic depth. Choose vanishing points that you place on the horizon of your drawing. You'll make lines that extend from these points and use the grid that they make to position your subjects. Since the lines move back to the horizon, drawing in perspective will make your subject appear to have depth. Practice with a few simple shapes before moving on to landscapes, still lifes, or cityscapes in perspective. [Edit]Learning to Draw in One-Point Perspective - Draw a horizon line across your paper. Imagine where you want your viewer's eye level to be and sketch that line lightly with a pencil. If you want a precise line, lay a ruler across the paper and run your pencil along it to get an exact horizon line.[1]
- You can place the horizon anywhere you like. Draw it across the upper 1/3, center, or lower 1/3 of your paper, for instance. Positioning the horizon low will help you create a view looking up while putting the horizon near the top will direct the viewer to look down.
- Make a pencil mark on the horizon where you want the vanishing point. One-point perspective always has a single focal point on the horizon where all the lines of interest meet. Decide where you want the viewer to focus and make a small dot or mark on the horizon to make this vanishing point.[2]
- You've probably seen drawings of a street that have the vanishing point on the center of the horizon. This creates a very noticeable narrowing of the street, which can make it easier for beginners to draw.
- Draw lines that extend from your vanishing point. Set your ruler down so it passes through the vanishing point on the horizon. You can angle your ruler in any direction and lightly run your pencil along it to make a perspective line. Make as many perspective lines as you like. For example, if you're making a road, you'll probably want to draw 2 lines that converge at the vanishing point.
- Perspective lines are also called orthogonal lines. You can use them as guidelines to draw other subjects in your drawing so they're also in one-point perspective.
- Sketch a geometric object or house to practice perspective. Use your ruler to create at least 3 or 4 perspective lines that extend from the vanishing point. Then, draw a square within your perspective lines so the top and bottom lines of the square are parallel to the horizon lines. Make lines that are perpendicular to the horizon line in order to connect the sides of your box.[3]
- You can try this with other shapes. Draw the closest side of a shape and connect its corners to the vanishing point on your horizon.
- Practice drawing landscapes or streets using one-point perspective. If you're trying to add depth to your drawings, you'll need to choose a single thing that draws the viewer in. For example, you could draw a street that narrows in the distance and sketch houses or trees alongside it. Remember that your subject should also be angled along the perspective lines.[4]
- You could also make a drawing of the ocean with the sun rising or setting. The sun would be the vanishing point that makes the ocean look as though it extends far away from you.
- Keep in mind that the subjects closer to you should be larger than the ones that are near the horizon.
- You've finished one-point perspective. Read on to learn about two-point perspective!
[Edit]Drawing in Two-Point Perspective - Use a ruler to draw the horizon line on your paper. Once you've decided where you want your viewer's eye level to be, lay a ruler there on your paper. Draw a light line across the ruler to create the horizon line.[5]
- Place the horizon in any part of your paper, not just in the center. You could make the horizon in the upper 1/3 or lower 1/3, for instance.
- Mark 2 vanishing points on the horizon. Draw 2 small dots on the horizon as far apart as you'd like. Although there aren't rules about where to position these points, keep in mind that symmetrically placed points don't look as natural. For the most realistic-looking perspective, try to place the dots so they're off-centered. They can even be outside of the paper![6]
- Try putting 1 vanishing point near 1 edge of the paper on the horizon and make the other point off of the paper on the horizon. To do this, make a mark on your work surface or tape down a scrap piece of paper next to your drawing paper.
- Draw 3 or 4 perspective lines that extend from each vanishing point. Place your ruler on a vanishing point and draw a light line to the area where you want to put the subject for your drawing. Then, make 2 or 3 more lines from the same vanishing point. Repeat this for the other vanishing point so all of the perspective lines from both points come together.[7]
- If you placed a vanishing point off of the paper, you can still put your ruler on it. Pull the ruler so it stretches onto your drawing paper. Then, you can make the perspective lines.
- Use the perspective lines to draw the flat top of a box for a practice project. Now that you have a grid, it's much easier to draw your subject. To practice two-point perspective, draw a box or rectangle along the perspective lines. This will make the flat top of your box.[8]
- Once you become comfortable with drawing simple shapes in two-point perspective, you can move on to asymmetrical objects.
- Make vertical lines to connect the box from a two-point perspective. Place your ruler vertically so it's perpendicular to your horizon line. Then, move the ruler so it's at a corner of your box and draw a straight line down. Use the ruler to make straight lines that close off the bottom of your box.[9]
- Two-point perspective is great for drawing items in a still life or distant buildings.
- You've finished two-point perspective. Read on to learn about adding a third vanishing point.
[Edit]Adding a Third Vanishing Point - Use a three-point perspective if you want your drawing to show height. You'll probably use two-point perspective for most of your drawings unless you want the viewer to feel like they're looking up or down at the subject.[10]
- For example, use a two-point perspective if you're sketching a country scene with a barn in the distance. Use a three-point perspective if you're drawing skyscrapers close to the viewer.
- Place a vanishing point above or below the horizon line. Make a horizon line with two vanishing points on it as though you're doing two-point perspective. Then, decide if you want to put the third vanishing point below the horizon or above it. If you want to sketch looking down on your subject, make the line under the horizon or position it above the horizon if you want the viewer to look up.[11]
- Remember that the horizon line represents your viewer's eye level.
- Draw lines that extend from the extra vanishing point. Set your ruler on the third vanishing point and draw 3 or 4 lines that move up towards the horizon or down across the horizon.
- You'll use this grid with the perspective lines from the other vanishing points.
- Create geometric shapes with extreme depth. To make a building or cube, locate the perspective lines from the vanishing points that are on your horizon. Make a square along these lines to make the base. Then, sketch along the lines from the third vanishing point to create the sides and close the bottom of the shape using the lines from the horizon line's vanishing point.[12]
- Note that the vertical sides of your building or cube won't be parallel in three-point perspective. Instead, they should slant up or down towards at an angle.
- Now you're ready to draw perspective! See related wikiHows for more help refining your drawing skills.
- You can use any pencil hardness you prefer.
- Try to keep your perspective lines light so you can erase them easily.
- Go to places where you can see structures disappearing into the horizon and practice drawing them using different perspectives.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Pencils
- Paper
- Ruler
- Eraser
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
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