I know a lot of folks freak out over making lye soap, but it's really not that difficult or as hazardous as most people make it out to be. I mean if you've ever used bleach or any basic store-bought cleaner you've dealt with a potentially hazardous chemical in your home ~ and lived to tell about it. As long as you use safe handling measures, you should be perfectly fine. I always keep white vinegar out on the counter ready to use in the event we have a spill with the lye, because the white vinegar will neutralize the lye.
When I'm making my soap, I try to make sure the little ones are occupied just to be on the safe side. Which is no different than when I'm cleaning or using bleach. But, I do like to encourage my bigger kiddos to help me make the soap. I'm extremely passionate about my children learning the art of dying homesteading skills. Thankfully, my children typically enjoy making the soap. 😊
Learning what 'trace' looks like can be one of the hardest soap making steps to master, but once you get it, you get it. When I'm looking for trace, to me, the soap resembles the consistency of pudding. I've always used my electric stick blender to help speed up the process to get us to trace. And yes that would be the same eclectic stick blender I use for canning and making baby food. I thoroughly clean the stick blender after making soap and then we're good to go for it's next use, regardless if it's for food or another soap making day.
I've used an assortment of different soap molds throughout the years, but my favorite are silicone molds and my wooden block molds that my dad made me. When I am making soap in the summer, the heat and humidity tend to make it super difficult for the soap to get hard. Since the soap doesn't harden so well it can be quite troublesome to remove it from the silicone molds no matter how much I grease them.
My wooden block soap molds are my favorite molds. I never have to worry about the soap not being hard enough to get a decent block of soap. And I happen to think it's a classic look for soap, lol. The only notable thing about using my wooden block soap mold is that the soap never turns as white as my silicone molds. I'm sure it has to do with the heat distribution during the curing process, but my soap in the wooden block molds are always more opaque than white.
I'd exclusively use my block molds, but my children prefer the silicone molds over my block soap mold. It all works out though, because my soap recipe makes just enough for me to use one large block soap mold and a couple silicone molds. I always let the children pick out which silicone molds they want to use. And just a little frugal side note: all of my silicone molds have either been given to me or bought on deep clearance after holidays. None of them are traditional soap molds, but all were intended for baking. Since our family is the only one who uses the soap, the odd soap shapes don't bother us, lol.
Making soap is not really a modern necessity, but it is a fun skill to learn. To be perfectly honest it's probably more expensive to make the homemade soap than to just buy it from the store. But, that's ok for me. I happen to like the fact that I know all the ingredients in the soap I make. I like doing old-fashion activities that help tie me to those authentic homesteaders from days gone by. But mostly, I enjoy spending time with my children teaching them life skills that their ancestors did as a way of life.
Over the years our homesteading efforts have ebbed and flowed depending on mine and my husbands external responsibilities. In the grand scheme of things I think we'd both like to live a permanent homesteading lifestyle, but it just isn't where the Lord has us right now. This summer has been super tough on our family with maintaining our huge garden, canning, my husband's job, and the basic demands of life. We're constantly reevaluating is this lifestyle where God wants us to be, and how much time, money, and energy should we invest in pursuing this not-so-easy lifestyle.
Thankfully, the many life-skills we have acquired as a family over the years will never be for naught; even if the Lord closes this door for our family. (I'm not saying He is) I have cherished every minute spent learning along-side my husband and children. I believe this no-frills, simple life, is the best life to promote family unity as well as instill in children a strong and honest work ethic. So while soap making day may seem like just another useless modern day, expensive activity to some; for us it's a prime outlet to teach valuable life lessons, refine another homesteading skill, but mostly, an opportunity to enjoy being together as a family. And my dear friends, I don't think it can get much better than that. 💗
With Love & Hope,
Jennifer
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