Arts and Crafts with Soap Making When You Have Nothing To Do
An interesting and useful hobby which everyone can try is soap making. Soap is used to wash our hands when we get dirty, or wash our bodies whenever we take a shower. Other uses can be for washing clothes or dishes. In general, it is mainly used for washing things. But soap can also be used as an ornament in the bathroom, kitchen or even bedroom. A beautifully made and crafted soap can be a great addition to any room you desire, or it can simply make bath time a lot more fun.
Some ingredients that you will need as a beginner are lye and some fats. The basic properties of the soap that you are going to make will depend on the type of oil that you use. Using coconut oil will produce soap that makes a good amount of lather. Vegetables oils will produce soap that is soft while olive oils make soap that is much milder than using other vegetable oils. Lye on the other hand, is used to hydrolyze the oils to yield fatty acids and glycerol.
Two ways can be used to make soap. The first method is through the hot process which involves heating of the fats before mixing it with lye water. This is further cooked for around two hours or until the soap is ready. The second method, called the cold process, makes use of the same ingredients but heating of the fats is not done. The fats are just mixed with lye water and allowed to cool. Once cooled, they can be poured into molds that have been dipped in cold water to form the desired shape. The cold process usually produces soap that has longer lasting quality. Glycerin soap on the other hand, can simply be melted and it will be ready to use.
Once your soap mixture is ready, you can add several things to it so that you can enhance its appeal. You can choose to add colorful dyes to obtain the color that you want your soap to be. Fragrance oils will add to the smell of the soap making it more appealing to use. With constant practice and trying out different techniques and styles, you will be able to come up with different and attractive designs for your soaps.
Even though soap making may seem an easy and safe activity to do, you should always remember that lye is a dangerous substance. It has a strong corrosive effect that could cause burns or blindness on prolonged contact. Fumes are also harmful when inhaled. Gloves and masks should always be used when dealing with this material.
Soap making is a fun hobby which can be enjoyed by everyone in the family. It is different from the usual arts and crafts that make use of wood, clay or paint. It is also useful as the finished product can be used as a display or it can be used as normal soaps in the bathroom.
Jen Hopkins has worked in the skin care industry for years. She maintains websites about how to make homemade soap, and how to make soap. If you want to contact her, you can use the contact form at one of her sites.
Published February 9th, 2010
Filed in Hobby
