Orange soap

If you want to learn how to make homemade orange soap, here is a very easy formula. Homemade soaps are free of harmful substances and allow you to use the ingredients that suit you best. The elaboration is easy and does not require a lot of time, but it does require a lot of care. Below, we explain it to you.

Utensils

• Latex or vinyl gloves, mask, apron, apron
• Cooking thermometer (alcohol thermometer, NOT mercury), kitchen scales
• Molds (e.g. a plastic container or silicone molds, but not aluminum molds)
• Wooden spoon
• Plastic container for mixing the soda and water
• Saucepan (stainless steel, never aluminum or other metal)
• Hand mixer

Ingredients

• 500 g olive oil or orange oleate*
• 166.67 g of cold water (or orange juice)
• 62.54 caustic soda
• Orange essential oil
• Orange peels dried

*If you use another oil or a mixture of oils, change the quantities of the other ingredients. If you want to know the saponification index you can calculate it here. If you are making soap for the first time, however, we recommend using a tested formula.

Instructions

Safety precautions: Handling caustic soda is dangerous, so always take important precautions.

Photo by manualidades.akhasis.es

• Always wear protective goggles and gloveswhen handling caustic soda , caustic soda is extremely corrosive to skin and eyes!
• Always handle caustic soda very carefully when it comes into contact with water. Always pour caustic soda into the water and never upside down, so that it does not splash.
• Vapours may be produced when mixing soda and water, do not inhale them, wear a mask and do it with the window open .
• Do not use aluminum utensils (neither spoons, nor molds).
• Try to always have a bottle of vinegar at hand as a quick remedy to neutralize any splashes on the skin, countertop or clothing. We recommend spreading newspaper or kitchen paper to protect the work surface.
• The use of caustic soda is dangerous, so always act very carefully and keep children and pets away.

Elaboration

• Prepare all the ingredients.
• Weigh carefully the soda and, in another container, the water.
• Add the soda little by little to the water, stirring with a wooden spoon. DO NOT FORGET THE SAFETY MEASURES, explained above. The water will reach a high temperature in a few seconds, so it is important to use cold water.
• In a saucepan, heat the oil to 40º.
• Mix little by little the lye (the mixture of water and caustic soda) with the oil.
• Beat the mixture with the hand mixer at slow speed and very carefully so that it does not splash. Keep the mixer always submerged. Beat until the ingredients are well emulsified, it is easy to see because the mixture changes color.
• Now add a few drops of the essential oil of orange and the pieces of the dried peels. Stir carefully. You can also pour crushed orange peels in the bottom of the mold.
• The plastic mold is soaked with a little alcohol beforehand. Carefully pour the mixture into the mold.
• Cover the mold with a kitchen towel.
• After 2 or 3 days the soap can be unmolded and cut.
• Let it cure for at least 4 to 6 weeks. Olive oil soap takes time to cure, so if you leave it longer, the better.

The orange soap is ready, now a little patience... you will see, you will love it.

If you want to order Valencian oranges online at home, visit our web page citrusricus.com. To learn more about this world as well as to know all the news and interesting recipes, become a fan in our Facebook or subscribe to our blog.