How To Produce Quality Bar Soap For Sale

I have said this over and over agian; even if you are a working class. It is important to add a business to your work, even if it’s something your children can control like poultry, piggery, cassava farming etc and you will be surprised at the end result.

Laundry soap is one of the most essential house-hold items that humans use daily. It commands a regular or constant demand in the market.

Different types of soap are produced daily and they include – laundry soap, bathing soap, antiseptic soap, medicated soap, detergent soap and a lot more. Although, the process of producing each of them and the chemicals used are slightly different.

There are basically three different methods of producing bar soap:

  1. The Hot Method: The hot method involves boiling the chemicals in a mixture.
  2. The Cold Method: The cold method is easier and involves mostly soaking.
  3. The Melt and Pour Method: This involves melting of already made bar soap to produce a new one.

Qualities Of A Quality Bar Soap

Yes, not all bar soaps are quality bar soaps, which is why it’s important you know what makes a quality bar soap. Some are listed below:

  • It must be very foamy
  • It must be durable (Remember, not all bar soaps must be strong)
  • It must have a good smell
  • It must NOT itch your hand or body (No scratching of any kind)
  • It must not develop whitish flakes after a few days of production.

Equipment For Producing Quality Bar Soap

  1. Nylon sheets or soap dish container (This is what you lay into the mold)
  2. Stamp or stamping machine (This will be needed for making a unique symbol on the soap)
  3. Hand gloves (This is to protect your hand, as some of the chemical might split on your hand)
  4. Nose mask (This is to prevent you from inhaling some chemicals e.g Soda ash)
  5. A mixer (Plastic or metal but not aluminium containers)
  6. A mold (This is used to get the desired shape for the soap)

Chemicals Used In Producing Quality Soap

  1. Palm kernel oil (P.k.o)
  2. Caustic soda Pearls
  3. Soda ash (dense)
  4. Sodium sulphate
  5. Colour
  6. Perfume
  7. Water

Secrets To Producing Quality Bar Soap

Remember, you are dealing with chemicals; so, care must be taken to avoid stories that touch.

  • Do not touch the soap with bare hands. (You can get burnt by the fresh soap as it is quite alkaline till set)
  • Do your soap where there is no ventilation
  • You can use almost any type of fat in your homemade bar soap. Palm oil, Shea butter or cocoa butter are popular choices. Lard or shortening can be melted for use also.
  • Keep Children and Pets away
  • Try adding herbs to your soap for different fragrances and textures. These can be added just after the mixture has thickened.
  • Do not use iron spoon or plate, because caustic soda is corrosive; use a stainless instead!
  • Always Keep vinegar or lemon juice handy in case you burn yourself with the fresh soap or lye.

Procedures Involved In Making Bar Soap

  1. Get three separate bowls each containing 2 – 3 liters of water
  2. Pour the Caustic soda in bowl 1
  3. Pour the Soda ash in bowl 2
  4. Pour the Sodium sulphate in bowl 3 then leave the three (3) bolws for at least 72 hours or 3 days.
  5. After 73hours or 3 days
  6. Heat the P.K.O. to make it warm and pour it into a very large container for mixing
  7. Mix the Caustic soda water, Soda ash water and Sodium sulphate water together in the big bowl containing the P.K.O then stir very well. Be careful when you stir to make sure you don’t pass the light trace. This is important else your soap will be difficult to pour in the mold.
  8. Add your preferred colour then stir
  9. Add your preferred fragrance and stir together as well
  10. By now you should have a pap like solution called trace
  11. Pour the pap like solution (trace) into molds that have already been laid with nylon and allow it to dry until it becomes very strong
  12. Remove the nylon and cut the slab into various sizes or your preferred size and now the bar soap is ready for use and sale.

Note: you will have to leave this for at least 4 – 6 weeks for it to properly form (cure).

Please, leave your comments below as a question, encouragement or appreciation.

8 thoughts on “How To Produce Quality Bar Soap For Sale”

  1. May Almighty God kindly bless you and your family.
    Pls kindly tell me the quantities of caustic soda, soda ash and sodium sulphate that would be added to the 3 separate bowls containing 2-3 litres of water each.

    Reply

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