Ariel Horowitz - Soap Making Made Easy

Peoplehave made soap for hundreds of years for helping to remove dirt and oil fromskin, dishes, surfaces or clothing. In the past, individuals had to make soapat home because it was not available in stores. Making soap at home was atime-consuming, dirty and hot process that many pioneers only did once a year.

Thetypical ingredients included animal fat that required hunting for animals,butchering and rendering the fat. In various geographic regions, vegetable oilwas preferred instead for making hard soap. However, collecting vegetable oilwas also a laborious chore that required harvesting fruits or vegetables toprocess to collect the essential oils.

AlkalineSolutions

Atthe same time, ancient people had to gather additional ingredients such asalkaline substances that assist with breaking down skin oils. Alkalinesolutions used to make soap are called lye that actually is sodium hydroxide.The combination of lye and fats creates a chemical reaction that hydrolyzes thefats to make a solid soap. Making soap with these methods during ancient timesrequired individuals to use open fires while carefully watching the mixturebefore placing it in molds to harden. Because making soap was a long anddifficult process, many people learned to barter or sell soap for other goods.

AddingScents

Eventually,inventive individuals learned how to make special soaps with fragrances,emollients and other ingredients. People enjoyed using scented soaps thatmoisturized the skin or added fragrance to fabrics. A popular ancient soap hadthe ingredient cassia made from the buds of a tree. This light cinnamon scentwas helpful for deodorizing the skin during a time before there were deodorantproducts. The soap was also helpful for cleaning wool from sheep and goatsbefore the fibers were used to weave fabrics. When cassia was not available,people used alternate ingredients such as sesame seed or cypress oil. Woodashes left over from hot fires were also an alternative ingredient for makingsoap. Delicately scented soaps were also devised using fragrant oils fromlavender or rose flower petals.

SpecializedSoaps

InChina and other countries, soaps were made from local wild spices and plants.Many groups kept the art of soap making a secret to avoid sharing recipes withothers. This made certain varieties of soaps valuable for trading purposes.Factories in Europe began to make specialized or fine soaps during the 1600sthat were desired by royal or wealthy individuals. In Italy, hard soaps madewith olive oil were popular to soothe and moisturize dry skin. In Spain,delicate and white Castile soap was created using oils from the locally grownlaurel and olive plants.

HowSoap Products Became Popular

Entrepreneursopened factories in several geographic regions to manufacture specialized soapssuch as Pears Soap, a translucent variety with a unique and delicate scent.Ivory Soap is popular because it is a gentle soap that floats on the surface ofwater.

Becausepeople also wanted laundry soap, manufacturers began to grind soap with amortar and pestle to make flakes that dissolved quickly in warm water. By thelate 1800s, soap making became a big business with large factories opening inmajor cities. Many of these factories still exist today, making numerousvarieties of soap and laundry products. Intensive advertising of soap productsin newspapers and magazines quickly made individuals want to buy soaps in localstores.

TheInvention of Liquid Soaps

Duringthe late 1800s, liquid soaps were also invented for washing dishes or fabrics.Companies also developed stronger liquid soaps for household cleaning purposessuch as washing floors, bathroom fixtures or kitchen countertops. Liquid soapswere popular with homemakers because it quickly mixed with water whilesanitizing household items. This allowed individuals to complete chores such aswashing clothing much faster. Liquid soaps also left less sticky residue onclothing and surfaces while ensuring items were cleaned thoroughly. Today, thereare hundreds of liquid soap products available in a variety of scents forspecialized cleaning purposes.

HowSoaps Get to Stores

Mostmodern soaps are made in large factories in big batches with either hot or coldchemical processes. Hot processes for soap making vary in temperature such asboiling, warm or normal formats; cold processing of soaps is the most popularmethod using old-fashioned mixing of lye and water to create hard soaps.

Aftersoap is prepared, it is placed in molds of different shapes and sizes to dry.The average drying time for hard soaps is three days. When soaps are completelydried and hardened, the products are packaged in paper, plastic or cardboardpackages. Large boxes of packaged soaps are delivered to warehouses and storesby trucks or trains. Today, individuals shopping for soap expect to find an aislefilled with product choices.

Developmentof Modern Soaps

Eachmanufacturer of soap uses specialized formulas with particular ingredients.This specialization makes a unique product that is desirable by differentcustomers. Companies have devised formulas using pumice grains that make astrong soap that removes heavy dirt such as grease. Alternatively, there aredelicate soaps created for the sensitive skin of babies. There are soapformulas that are designed to deodorize or medicate the skin. Medicated soapsmight help prevent acne or relieve itchy dermatitis. Recently, antibacterialsoaps have become popular to prevent the spread of infections. Both hard andliquid antibacterial soaps are commonly used in bathrooms and kitchens todestroy bacteria.