Before you start making soap at home, you need to gather some basic accessories. They will make it safe and convenient to play with. In this article we suggest how to create your own soap-making kit. Here are 9 soap-making items you need!

What you need to make a soap?

1. Kitchen scale

You need to weigh all the ingredients you’ll use for soap making, not rely on their volume. Measuring ingredients with a cup or even a shot glass is out of the question! The more accurate the scale, the better. However, at the beginning you don’t need expensive and advanced equipment. A simple kitchen scale is enough for you, as long as it is accurate to 1 gram.

2. Thermometer

The art of making soap involves skillfully combining specific ingredients, and their temperature is crucial. Before you combine oil and lye, you need to determine the temperature of each. You need a good thermometer for this. Even a regular confectionery thermometer will work at first. However, if you think that soap making may become your hobby, consider investing in a better thermometer, such as an infrared laser thermometer.

3. Containers for measuring and mixing lye

Dry lye (or sodium hydroxide) is one of the basic ingredients of every homemade soap. It has caustic properties, so it’s very important to choose the right vessel for measuring and mixing lye.

Planning to use a glass jar? That’s not a good idea! Glass has low resistance to chemicals and high temperatures. After a few uses, it will simply break. Instead, buy a vessel made of polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE) – these are popular plastics for home use. And if you can invest a few more bucks in a good soap-making kit, go for a professional laboratory beaker made of borosilicate glass. It will last a long time! What capacity should you aim for? 400-500 ml will be the most convenient, because it takes into account the spare space for safe handling.

4. Container for melting fats

Here you have more flexibility! You can choose a glass bowl, an enamel or stainless steel pot, or even a slow cooker. Remember that your dream soap will be created in this container after you add the lye to the melted fats, so it should be appropriately large and allow for easy pouring of the mixture into the soap mold. A container with a capacity of 2.5 liters will suffice. Important – avoid containers made of aluminum, non-stainless steel and teflon.

5. Accessories for mixing ingredients

A soap-making kit should include mixing tools. To mix lye with water or other liquids, use a glass laboratory stirring rod (for multiple uses) or a bamboo stick (for single use). To mix the soap batter, all you need is a silicone spatula – you can find it in any kitchen accessories store.

6. Blender

Yes, you can mix soap by hand, but it will take you a lot of time! A much easier solution is to buy an immersion blender (also called a hand blender). It can have low power, but it’s important that it allows for speed adjustment. Also, get stainless steel blender attachments – they are easy to clean and don’t react with chemicals.

7. Soap molds

The possibilities for choosing soap molds are almost limitless! For beginners planning to make their first soap, we recommend using a simple and inexpensive container, such as an ice cream tub or a juice carton. Over time, you can add something more professional to your homemade soap supplies – wooden or silicone molds, in many decorative shapes, from hearts, through flowers, to animals. It’s important not only for the soap to look beautiful but also for you to easily and conveniently remove it from the mold.

8. Protective gear

Safety first! Goggles, gloves and an apron are a must-have in the soap making process. They must be suitable for contact with alkalis. During your first soap making attempt, you can use heavy-duty cleaning gloves. However, over time, invest in proper protective gear – from a hardware store or personal protective equipment (PPE).

9. Good soap recipes base + soapmaking software

Precision in measuring ingredients is extremely important in the process of making soap from scratch. You need to know that each oil has a different saponification value and requires a different amount of lye. This becomes even more crucial when you decide to substitute one oil for another – then the amount of lye also needs to be adjusted. You can calculate this with our calculator! Visit SoapmakingFriend.com.

Soapmaking Friend comes with a set of tools to help you develop recipes, guide you through making those recipes, track their progress, manage your inventory and do cost analysis on your batches. Check this out!

Summary

And that’s it! We explored the soap-making accessories that are essential for anyone interested in crafting soap at home. Whether you’re just starting or looking to enhance your soap making experience, this comprehensive kit is a must-have for your creative journey. Now make your own soap kit and have fun! Good luck!