Hot process
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hot process is a traditional method of making soap, still used by some soapmakers.
In the hot process, fats and oils are boiled in a lye solution (either sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide). After saponification has occurred, the soap is precipitated from the solution by adding salt, after which the liquid component is drained.
Although more elaborate than the cold process, this process has been historically used in the time before pure lye was available, as it can use natural lye solutions such as potash. The main benefit of hot processing is that the exact concentration of the lye solution does not need to be known to perform the process successfully.
Other processes used by soapers are the cold process, the melt and pour process, and rebatching.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- About Candle and Soap Making - Soap making projects, instructions, recipes, suppliers and more from About.com
