Probably you encountered soap making once in your life in your Chemistry undergraduate subject. The process is purely of Chemistry origin. In a simple laboratory experiment, the crude soap is composed of sodium or potassium salts of fatty acids that is made by reacting vegetable oils and/or animal fats with a strong basic solution (sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, or generally called lye), and the whole process is called saponification. The reaction is a base hydrolysis of the fats and oils forming the anionic surfactant soap and glycerol.

With this in mind, you can experiment soap making with the variation of the fats and oils used. There are two common processes to make soap, the hot process and cold process. The main difference for both is that the cold process utilizes the saponification value of the fats and oils being used. Precise and accurate measurement is necessary in this process because the amount of lye to be used is analytically determined from the saponification value. Excess lye can result to high pH that can cause irritation, not enough results to greasy soap.

Equipped with the right knowledge, soap making is now made easier and exciting at home. For those who want to make a coffee soap for the first time, you will need the following items; 113 grams each for coconut oil and olive oil 227 grams of soy bean oil, 142 grams of coffee (instead of the typically used water) and 57 grams of lye (take precautions as sodium hydroxide is a caustic solution, it is better to wear protective eye glasses and gloves)

If you completed the required items, follow these easy steps to make that coffee soaps.

•    Measure the desired weights of the coffee and lye in separate pitchers.
•    Pour the lye into the coffee, try to prevent them from splashing.
•    Gently stir the mixed solution using a wooden spoon, then cool to approximately 100° – 110°F.
•    Melt all the solid oils and heat the liquid oils then cool to 100° – 110°F.
•    Check whether the temperature of the lye solution and melted/heated oils identical (or less than 10°F in difference). If so, mix the solution together by pouring thin stream of lye solution into the melted/heated oils. Ensure a constant swirling.
•    Keep that constant stirring. The mixture will eventually thicken and trailing will be obvious. Do this for less than an hour. Apply essential or fragrance oils and coffee at light trace if it’s suits you.
•    Using a plastic mold, place the formed crude soap there. Cover and envelop with towel.
•    Keep it in a warm room for approximately 2 days.
•    After setting aside, remove it from the plastic mold and there you have it, your coffee soap block. Use knife to cut the block into bars.

Although it takes time to finish the coffee soap making process, it’s still worth it to have that coffee inspired soap to get rid of some kitchen smells in your hands!

Jen Hopkins has worked in the skin care industry for years. She maintains websites about how to make organic soap}, and how to make soap. If you want to contact her, you can use the contact form at one of her sites.