I've been putting this off for a couple of years, but yesterday I purchased 6 bars of homemade soap for 50¢ a bar. I used one tonight that was rose petal soap and it was wonderful.

I'm determined to make soap the old fashioned way this winter.

Does anyone make their own soap here and how do you make it, the old fashioned way or the newer more modern way?

That is one skill I would like to learn. I like the way you can customize it to any kind you want......imagine........lavender....... ......!!!!!! Oh now I need more hours!! :)

This is my goal to learn this winter also. I LOVE homemade soap and I cant wait to try it. I was going to start earlier this summer but I figured it would be a good after the holidays project.

I don't make my own soap, but I do make my own liquid soap. I just hate to throw away the slivers of soap ... so I save them in a jar. When that jar is full I break all the bits into small pieces, put in a large container and cover with water. Let soak for awhile ( a day or two) and then I pour it into the blender and mix it all up until it is the right consistency. It makes the best liquid soap and best of all it is free. I only use one kind of soap at home, so I wouldn't advise mixing different brands of soap.

Since I posted this thread, I have fat rendered down, but realized I don't have quite enough to make up a batch. As soon as I can get some more to render down (and free), I plan on making a batch of soap. I still have to pick up the Borax and lye but don't want it around the house until I'm ready to do the whole project in one day. My rendered down fat right now is frozen so it will keep.

The rendering down took longer than I expected but was very easy to do.

I make soap. But I have never used borax. I have a fairly simple recipe. I use coconut oil, liquid veg. oil, olive oil, and solid shortening. All measurements are done by weight except for the water. I measure by using a small food scale. I mix water and lye together. Heat oil until melted. Let both lye/water and oil cool down and pour oil into lye. Mix with wood spoon or can use a stick blender (moves process faster) until it looks like pudding. Pour into a well greased container. Let cool. In about 2 days, can flip out and cut into bars. It need to sit (air dry) for about 3 weeks. This allows the ph to drop.
Note: Never mix lye in a metal container.

dejay, I'd love for you to post your recipe! I make very basic soap with water, lye, and lard. Your recipe sounds lovely with the coconut and olive oils.

If you don't want to make soap from scratch you can collect the old soap that you've used to death, boil it down and make new molds with lavender oils and teetrea oils. If you include a few sprigs of herbs or rose petals you'll be surprised at how pretty they turn out.