HOW TO MAKE TRADITIONAL HOMEMADE SOAP

Long before modern household products filled store shelves, our grandmothers made their own soap at home, following recipes passed down through generations. The soap was traditionally poured into moulds and used for a variety of household purposes, especially washing and boiling laundry.

The traditional recipe is still preserved and used in many households today, particularly in rural areas. Those who continue to make it say that no industrial product can quite replace the traditional homemade version.

Homemade soap is made from just two main components – fat and a base – which react to form soap.

WHAT YOU NEED

For this traditional recipe, you will need:

50 millilitres of water

100 grams of pork lard

1 tablespoon of caustic soda (sodium hydroxide crystals)

HOW TO MAKE IT

Place the pork lard in a large pot and allow it to melt.

In a separate smaller container, carefully dissolve the sodium hydroxide in 50 millilitres of water. Once dissolved, slowly add the solution to the melted lard.

Extreme caution is required when handling sodium hydroxide. It is a highly corrosive substance that can cause serious burns. Keep children away from the preparation area, wear suitable protective gloves and eye protection, and work in a well-ventilated space. Never add water to solid sodium hydroxide; add the sodium hydroxide to the water carefully.

The mixture should then be stirred continuously for approximately 30 minutes, until it becomes thick and uniform.

A traditional way of checking whether the soap is ready is to dip a knife into the mixture. If the soap immediately begins to harden around the knife, the mixture is considered ready.

A TOUCH OF FRAGRANCE

For a more pleasant scent, a few drops of essential oil can be added to the mixture while it is being prepared.

Once finished, the soap can be poured into suitable moulds and left to harden.

This simple traditional recipe is part of the household heritage preserved in many rural communities, where making soap was once a regular part of preparing supplies for the year ahead.