Soap making at home is a pleasurable and popular activity that requires some specific equipment. While much of what is necessary may be found already in your own cupboards, there will likely be at least a few items you need to purchase before you can start. Review this list of important items to ensure that you have everything you need.
1) Start with safety in mind. Make sure you have quality rubber gloves and a pair of safety goggles. The lye you will be working with is caustic during the early part of the soap making process.
2) A food scale will help you measure ingredients that are added by weight.
3) Use stainless steel for as many of your soap making supplies as you can. Lye is highly acidic until it is processed. It will corrode other metals and poor quality utensils. Purchase a stainless steel pot that is large enough to process the batch size you intend to make.
4) Other stainless steel necessities would be measuring spoons, whisks or stirring spoons, and a ladle. Quality plastic supplies will also work as a substitute for stainless steel.
5) Select a 2-3 quart stainless steel or heat-resistant plastic pitcher for mixing the lye solution. Mark this pitcher with a permanent warning like Danger- Caustic Lye! and cover it with a lid. You dont want any potential for accidents.
6) Depending on your preference, you can use ramekins, measuring cups, beakers, or small ingredient bowls for holding and pouring fragrance, color, and other additives.
7) Use a stick blender for mixing the lye with the oils, initiating the saponification process.
8) A thermometer will help you keep an eye on the temperature levels.
9) You will need a rubber spatula for scraping out the remaining soap from the pot.
10) Soap molds of either the loaf or individual soap size will help you finish the soap making process.
11) Finally, make sure you have some dishcloths that you can dedicate to cleaning up the soap making mess when youre done.
