goat milk soap

[SANDQ]

Hi again Christy
Firstly, I take it that lye, and caustic soda are the same thing? The Lye comes in a 100 gram packet ( powder form ) for cleaning drains, at $ 0.94. Or 1 kg caustic soda ( with soap recipe ) $ 2.43 ( corse ) economically caustic soda is the choice, but, the recipe for that states for 1kg caustic soda you need 6 kg lard! I understand it is proportional, lard is the cheapest of all the fats to get here, so I eagerly wait your instruction   again  thanks Q

[cmharris6002]

Hi Q! There are a lot of other soapers here to help you too

Yes, lye, and caustic soda are the same thing. You can use the soap recipe on the caustic soada but use an equal weight of FROZEN goat milk instead of water. Freeze the milk then break it into chunks, sprinkle the caustic soda over the frozen chunks of milk while stirring quickly and carefully.  As soon as the milk has liquefied and the caustic soda has dissolved, add it to the melted lard and stir with a whisk. Lard soaps can be quite nice but other oils add different properties to the soap. In example, if you want to make a soap with more lather use coconut oil up to 30%.

I suggest starting with the recipe you have, then if you want to change it I can help you with a formula. A few soap making tips, your lard should be liquid but not hot! Keep it cooler than 100F. Work the milk and caustic as quickly as possible to avoid burning the milk. The caustic soda heats up fast! Pleas be very careful working with the caustic soda!! Wear rubber gloves, eye protection and keep pets and children away from the soap making area.

Did I miss anything?

[SANDQ]

Did you miss anything? I'm a grown up child, not sure my wife will let me play with this stuff, LOL. 
The recipe I have is written in Bulgarian, of which I read a little, it was explained to me in Bulgarian, which I understand alto more,  but the finer points I have not understood.
So, I have the  ingredients, and the essence, I can get lard, coconut oil I'm still sourcing, but the recipe is saying 1 kg soda to 6 kg lard.
This is my first attempt so I dont want to produce on this scale, can I please have a recipe for smaller amounts, as it happens I have frozen milk in my freezer, I did understand in Bulgarian, that water has to be added, which can be replaced by goat milk, according to your recipe.
As I have a supply to soap essence as well, when should I add that?   Again thanks for your help
p.s sent you a thread about beekeeping if I can help please ask.

[cmharris6002]

How about this?
16 oz. lard
2.15 oz. Caustic Soda
7 oz. frozen milk

[SANDQ]

Thanks Christy, any chance of the process of making, as I said Im getting everything in Bulgarian, and its the manufacturing process Im not understanding  thanks again  Q

[cmharris6002]

Sure! Here is the basic procedure...

16 oz. lard
2.15 oz. Caustic Soda
7 oz. frozen milk
1 oz. of soap fragrance OR .5 oz of essential oil (or less if you don;t want it too strong)


*You need to use stainless steal, glass or heavy plastic pots and utensils with soap
*Prepare your soap mold. This can be a plastic dish sprayed with cooking spray or coated with mineral oil. Or, a box lined with plastic or parchment paper.
*Use caution with caustic soda, it will burn you skin, wear gloves and eye protection
*Weigh all ingredients
*Melt the Lard -cool to 95F
*Put the chunks of frozen milk into a heavy heat resistant bowl or a Pyrex measuring cup
*Sprinkle the caustic soda over the frozen milk
*Stir until the milk has melted
*Pour the Milk/Caustic soda mixture into the melted, cooled lard
*Stir briskly with a whisk (or an electric hand blender) until the mixture comes to trace
   -Trace is in when you can see the stirring lines stay for several seconds, or if you dribble a little soap onto the surface, it holds the shape for a few seconds. Like cake batter.
*Add scent
*Pour into your molds
*Cover the mold with a towel
*When the soap has become hard remove it from the mold and cut into bars
*Allow the soap the cure a few weeks before using it

[Sailor Con Queso]

What is the point of using the frozen milk?

[cmharris6002]

Frozen milk keeps the lye solution cool enough not to burn the milk. If you just use cold milk it will heat up like crazy, turn brown and curdle. Not good for making pretty soap 

[Minamyna]

So you don't have to use lard? You can use various oils (coconut, olive, whatever you mentioned above...) instead?

[cmharris6002]

Correct!! You can use soapcalc.net to formulate a recipe with oils you like 

[Minamyna]

Do you know how I add goat's milk to the recipe? I see only oils, does goats milk not count as a fat?

Thanks in advance!

[cmharris6002]

You can substitute frozen goat milk for the water. Frozen GM will not turn brown and yucky...

[Tea]

Great thread everyone.

Just a couple of things that I do when making a soap with milk, cream or yoghurt.  I always freeze the milk first, as Christy has said, or at least get it too a slushy stage.  I then place the saucepan that I am adding the milk and lye too, in a sink of water and ice.  I always add the lye in small amounts and make sure that the milk is well stirred the whole time.  The aim is to keep the milk as close to a cream colour as possible.  If it starts to go yellow, the lye is being added too quickly, and the milk is getting too hot.  The whole idea of keeping everything as cold as possible is so that you don't burn the milk sugars.

One thing that I do do differently from Christy is I never cover a milk soap, as the sugars cause over heating during the gel stage, and depending of the type of mould you have it in, can cause a volcano effect.  If you are in a hot climate, I would even suggest putting the mould in the fridge while it goes through gel.  The idea again is to keep it as cool as possible, and as creamy as possible.

A milk soap will also reek of ammonia for the first few weeks, completely over powering any scent.  This thankfully will fade. 

You have the same problems when adding honey to a soap as with milk.  The sugars can cause the soap to burn and volcano, so extra care should always be taken.

Hope the soap works out for you, would love to see some photo's.

[green bean]

I notice that many goat milk soaps I have purchased do not have lard OR caustic soda.  I have one that is all vegetable based and has vegetable oils and oleo resin extract.  Do you know how to make soap with these ingredients?

Thanks in advance for your response!

[Minamyna]

There are recipes for glycerin if you google them. You can also purchase bases for soap at SouthernSoapers.com I think thats the addy if not just google it too.