Lye (Sodium Hydroxide) Basics

Tip: this is the lye we use and recommend for making soap.

What is lye?
Lye, or sodium hydroxide, is a chemical made from salt. Yep, ordinary
salt. A system similar to electroplating is used to change the salt to
lye.

How is sodium hydroxide made?

I watched a video on how to make it chemically, and it’s simple. Salt is
dissolved in cold water to the point just before it starts to precipitate
out. That is, until crystals of salt start to fall to the bottom and not
dissolve. It’s important that cold water and pure salt are used, with no
additives like iodine or anti-caking agents. Then the video
showed graphite rods being inserted them into the salt solution and
charged with electricity until crystals formed on the rods. That’s it.
From there, the lye was poured into glass pans and the liquid allowed
to evaporate, leaving behind the lye crystals that we buy in cans.

How does lye work in soap?

Lye mixes with oil and saponifies, or becomes soap. At first, you have
lye, water, and oil. Then the curing process begins and after a few
days the lye, water, and oil is transformed into soap. At the end of the
curing process, perhaps 3-4 weeks (sometimes more), there is no lye
left in the soap, no oil, and no water. What is left behind is pure soap
with nothing of the original ingredients left behind.

Side Note: Depending on the oil used, some components may linger,

such as coconut oil compounds. For those with coconut allergies, you
can make soap without coconut oil. It just won’t lather as much.
Another oil to avoid is peanut oil. While peanut oil makes a wonderful
hard bar of soap with nice fluffy lather, the oil still can be harmful for
those with peanut allergies. On the other hand, most other nut oils are
transformed enough that they can be used by those with nut allergies.
The general rule of thumb is if you are not sure, don’t use it.

I can only use glycerin soap because there is no lye used

to make it.
Again, another way companies aren’t giving you all of the facts.
Glycerin soap is made in the same exact way that hard bar soap is,
it’s just taken a step further. When the soap gets to the trace stage,
instead of pouring into molds, it is cooked with alcohol and sugar and
made into what we know as clear glycerin soap. The lye was there in
the beginning, but by the time it’s done there is no lye left in the soap.
How to Make Laundry Bar Soap
Materials and Ingredients (for 28 bars):
 8 kg Coco oil
 5 kg Caustic soda solution, 36oBe [30% solution]
 90 g Soda ash
 48 g Salt
 400 g Sodium silicate
 40 mL CDEA [coco diethanolamide]
 20 mL  Citronella oil
 6 L Water
Equipment and Tools:
 Plastic pail – 16 L cap. [2]; 20 L cap. [1]
 Hydrometer, 0-70oBe
 Weighing scale – 10 kg
 Wooden stirrer/manual or electric mixer
 Molder
 Cutter
 Spatula, stainless
 Basin (large)
 Graduated cylinder
Preparation of Materials:
 Caustic soda solution, 36oBe (30% solution)
 Dissolve 2 kg caustic soda in 4.6 liters water. Cool to room temperature,
check the concentration with the hydrometer, adjust (if necessary) and
filter if needed before using.
Additives:
 Dissolve salt, soda ash and sodium silicate in 1.4 L of water.
Procedure on making the Laundry Bar Soap

1. Measure or weigh carefully the required quantity of coco oil.

2. Weigh the lye or caustic soda solution required (5 kg) and add slowly to
the oil, stirring continuously for about 30-45 minutes until it attains the
condensed milk-like consistency.
3. Add the measured amounts of dissolved additives and CDEA (foam
booster) with continuous stirring from 5-10 minutes more. Then add the
essential oil with stirring. Stop stirring when the mixture attains a
viscosity similar to condensed milk.
4. Pour the homogenous viscous soap mixture into the moulder, allow to
set at room temperature for 12 hours or until soap solidifies.
5. Cut the soap into bars of suitable sizes with a string or wire attached to
the wooden/metal cutter. Twenty-eight (28) bars will be produced. The
soap is white or creamy white. Cut bar into 4 pieces and pack in a
plastic bag.
6. Allow to age from 7 to 10 days to complete the saponification reaction.

LAUNDRY SOAP
PRODUCTION
 October 14, 2011   0 Comments
WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW?
Soaps are essential commodities in every household. We all have reasons to use soaps
everyday; be it bar soap, detergent, or liquid soaps. Irrespective of your categories or state or
status, you are bound to use soap for lavations, for floors, plates and various domestic
chores. 
The good thing about the soap production is that it is a viable business since there are
immediate users and also long term consumers are certain, durable and long wearing.

 One could start it as a small business, it can also be a big business, just as big as anyone can
imagine as long as you have the capital and a good quality product to market. Starting
laundry soap production as a small business can commence from a small room in your
apartment. 

Today, governments of some developing and underdeveloped nations of the world place ban
on the importation of some certain products in order to encourage the growth of infant
industries within their country of residence.

This can be a blessing in disguise for those who can reason and see it as an opportunity and
fill the gaps caused by the lack of certain imported goods and services. Such is the case with
laundry soap making production. 

This might therefore be the opportunity you are waiting for to make money handsomely by
filling the needs of your immediate environment and the larger society when the time comes
to grow big in laundry soap production.

The demand for laundry soap and its production is increasing by the day. You could learn
soap making production within a day or more. You can learn by reading and following simple
lay down procedural rules from scholars and professionals.

Laundry soap production can commence from a small room in your apartment or if you so
prefer, it can start from your kitchen. 

Should you need more knowledge, you can get a soap making manual from  Amazon.

With a start of capital of about N 30,000 to N 50,000($300 and above) for a small cottage
industry,
Between N 50,000 and N 150,000 ($300 and $1000) for small scale,
And N1 50,000 to N250, 000 ($1000 and $1500) for medium scale laundry soap production
For large scale production or if you are thinking of starting big, consider this  
 MINIMUM COST OF INVESTMENT IN NIGERIA NAIRA VALUE AND DOLLAR
APPROXIMATION

N   

Equipment and Fittings     15000

Raw materials 15000

Other expenses 15000

Total 45000

 $

Equipment and Fittings     100

Raw materials 100

Other expenses 100

Total 30

WHAT MATERIALS DO I NEED?

The ingredients for laundry soap production can be sourced locally or online if it is proves
difficult to get it locally.
They include;

1.         Palmkernel oil,                                                                                          
2. ·        Fatty acid,
3. ·        Tab oil,
4. ·        Shearbutter,
5. ·        Causticsoda,
6. ·        soda ash,
7. ·        Sodiumsulphate,
8. ·        Kaolin,
9. ·        Silicate,
10. ·        Perfume
11. ·        Andcolorant.
12.     Mold  
 click to buy your  materials and Soap Making Supplies on Amazon
For someone with little start up capital as in this case, you can make do with your kerosene
cooking stove, two medium sized pots, 4 buckets, cutting knife and  laundry soap mould
which can be constructed by welder. Better still you can source for all this online by clicking
the button below

PROCESSING TECHNIQUES PRODUCTION

(Fermentation process)    
                                                                                                               
• Two separate solutions are prepared in containers A and B:
Container A:
• Add 3 cups of water to one cup of caustic soda and 1/6 cup of kaolin and ferment for 2 days
• Hydrometer reading: 1275
Container B:
• Add 4 cups of water to one cup of soda ash and I cup of sodium sulphate and ferment for a
day before use
• Hydrometer reading: 1200
• Mix solution A and B together
• Add color to taste
• Add perfume to taste
• Mix
• Pour into moulds
• Stamp soap identification mark/name after 3 hours
   Package for sale after 2 hours.
                                

HOW DO I INFORM PEOPLE OF MY PRODUCT?

Marketing!
Marketing is one of the most important aspects of any manufacturing business, including
laundry soap production. The first best marketing strategy is to produce high quality laundry
soap. Though, locations and environment are very important for sitting and starting of
laundry soap production. 

License and registrations of products (laundry soap) from relevant government agencies is
one the first thing to do before marketing your product.

Here are some of the best ways to market your products (laundry soap);
Factors of utmost consideration for the best place to start marketing your product (laundry
soap) are your neighborhoods. If you are living in the urban area, your potential customers
are countless but if you are not consider going in for marketing and advertising of the
products (laundry soap).

One of the best ways to market your product (laundry soap) is through open
markets and trade (fairs) exhibitions

You can also market your products (laundry soap) by employing hands who sells for you on a
commission basis.

 You can also use your fellow worker in the event you are working in an office

Another way of marketing (laundry soap) is through your church members if you are
Christian. But if you are not, whatever the religion you are can be to your advantage as you
can be sure of their support through their persistence patronage.

A small handbill and sticker will do no harm. It goes a long way to advertise your products
(laundry soap).

At the beginning, give discounts to your customers, for wholesales, retails and final
consumers alike. You can sell a bar soap with a market value worth N 50 (35 cents)
for N 45(30 cents) in order to attract more customers.
From the start, I will advise direct marketing strategies as this can be very rewarding and
bring fast business progress. Employ more hands in the line of production and distribution
network as you gradually save for your distribution van(s).

Laundry soap production is a very competitive market, do everything

within your capacity to steal the heart of potential buyers. Let them be able
to rely on your product by producing quality bar soaps, and steady
distribution network. With this you can be sure of growth and expansion
within the shortest possible period.

 Ingredients for the 1.5 litres of soap basic fragrance-free soap, which
is roughly 15 bars

For the Soap:

 374g Water (at room temperature)

 154g Caustic Soda (you can find this at most hardwares) selling at
R14 p/kg
 600g Coconut Oil
 400g Sunflower Oil
 Customer can add fragrance/dye or colorant

Tot Cost price: R3.76 per 100g soap bar, costs may differ based on the
raw material supplier

https://www.chemlabsupplies.co.za/contacts/

They sell raw materials for soaps and detergents