For centuries, castile soap has long been relied upon for its thorough cleaning power and natural ingredients. The soap was named for the Castile area in Northern Spain from which it originated in the 10th century. With ingredients that are gentle on human skin and the environment, castile soaps are as popular as ever. Although the bars can be bought in most health-food stores, an effective cleansing bar or dish-washing liquid can be made at home with a few simple ingredients.
Ingredients for Making Soap
Nearly all castile soap recipes rely on the same list of ingredients: olive oil, coconut oil and palm oil. To vary the soap's scent, essential oils can be added to the other oils after the mixing process. To make two pounds of soap, you will need 20 ounces of olive oil and 2.5 ounces each of coconut and palm oil. In addition, you will need one cup of water, three ounces of lye, and between one-half ounce and a full ounce of essential oils, depending on how strongly scented you want the soap to be.
Soap-Making Directions
After measuring out the necessary ingredients except the essential oils listed in the step above, the ingredients must be mixed and molded. Add the water to the lye and mix with a spoon. Once this is done, add the lye and water mixture to the oils. The best way to mix the liquid into soap is with a hand-held "stick" blender. Insert the tip of the blender in to the ingredients and blend for two minutes. This will bring on the saponification process, which is a reaction between the lye and oils that produces the soap. This will bring the mixture to a point where it is smooth and shiny. Stir in the essential oils with a spoon. Pour into molds immediately. Allow to cool thoroughly before releasing.
Dish-Washing Soap
Dish-washing detergent suitable for an automatic dishwasher can be made at home using castile soap. You will need a pre-made liquid castile soap base to begin, such as Dr. Bronner's. Using one-half cup of the base, add equal parts water and vinegar along with 1 tsp. of lemon juice and three drops of tea tree oil. Stir the ingredients together in a bowl until thoroughly mixed. Transfer to a squirt bottle for easy dispensing into your dishwasher. Shake before use, and add 2 tbsp. of soap to each dish load.
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