Easy Margarine Soap!

by IconicIdea

12K5920

Intro: Easy Margarine Soap!

I AM IN NO WAY RESPONSIBLE IF YOU INJURE YOURSELF IN ANY WAY BY FOLLOWING THE ACTIONS IN THE TUTORIAL. YOUR RECOGNIZE BY WATCHING (OR READING) IT THAT YOU TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOURSELF AND THAT I AM IN NO WAY RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS.

This is my "Easy Margerine Soap!" Using Margarine is no different than using Soybean Oil for soap (Margarine IS Soybean Oil). This will not work with just any Margarine. You have to use "Baking Margarine," just make sure the wrapper says: 100% Vegetable Oil. Otherwise... using a different type will not work with this method.

This is a very easy soap to make. Why use Margerine? It's cheap as dirt... it provides a good medium to learn the soap-making rules, & it makes a good decent bar of soap (win=win). I will not be held liable if you injure yourself. Please follow the instructions very carefully.


Walk-through instructions:

Easy Margarine Soap
This tutorial is designed to teach the soap-making process without breaking your pocket book. Don't try to sell this soap online; it's only for your personal use or as a gift to friends. "Margarine Soap" is a novelty, and not intended for commercial use.

Equipment:

Goggles
Rubber Gloves
Funnel
Glass Scientific Vessel (or Jar)
Stick Blender
Mold(s)
Oven Safe Pan
Candy Thermometer


Materials:

3/4 cup of Lye
1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
3 pounds of Margarine (Baking Margarine 100% Vegetable Oil [Soybean Oil])


BIG TIME NOTE OF POTENTIAL DANGER, PAIN, DISFIGUREMENT, AILMENT, IMPAIRMENT, and/or TERRIBLE-NESS:
Lye is extremely CAUSTIC! It can cause severe chemical burns. If this is your first time using Lye, treat it as if it is radioactive... be respectful of this substance. ALWAYS keep a jug of Vinegar handy, as it chemically deactivates Lye. Use a plethora of Vinegar if ever the "Lye Water" spills on the floor, you, or a kid...

ATTENTION!: If splashed with a LARGE amount of "Lye Water," pour water (a lot of running water) over the area, then apply Vinegar.

ATTENTION!: When splashed by a tiny amount of "Lye Water," it starts as a subtle itch; if your hands, arms, or face start itching; dowse immediately in Vinegar. If "Lye Water" is spilled on the floor Do Not Mop It Up Or Dilute It With Water. First... DEACTIVATE it with Vinegar, let it sit for a few minutes; this converts the Lye and Vinegar into harmless salt water, then mop it up.

If you have a scale, measure the Lye by weight (220 G). If not; VERY CAREFULLY measure out 3/4 cup and triple check it. Using your funnel, pour 3/4 cup of Crystallized Lye into your vessel, or jar. Use Gloves.They're Neat. Measure out 1 1/2 (330 Grams) cups of water (it's best to use distilled water, but purified or filtered water will do) and pour into your vessel.

Using a funnel, pour the Lye into the water vessel. Again, lye is Caustic. Don't allow Lye any opportunities to burn you, women dig scars... but... they hurt like hell.

During the (initial) chemical reaction between the Lye and water there will be fumes. These fumes are distressing... Don't let the fumes near your eyes (GOGGLES), nor allow yourself to inhale them. Place the "Lye Water" under the ventilation fan of your stove for a few minutes, when the water turns clear, it will stop 'fuming.' You will need to either agitate the water or stir it to keep chunks of lye from adhering to the base of the vessel.

Melt your margarine at a Medium-High heat, add one tablespoon of Olive Oil, this is imperative. The Olive Oil hardens the final soap product, without it you will have a very soft soap that will disintegrate quickly in water. When the margarine is 3/4 melted; turn the heat off and remove from the burner. Check the margarine for temperature with the thermometer, it should be close to 100-120 degrees Fahrenheit.

Check the "Lye Water" for temperature, it should be around 175 degrees Fahrenheit. We will need to cool it down. Put a plug in your sink, turn on the cold water, toss in a couple trays of ice cubes, then gently place the vessel of "Lye Water" in the ice bath. Make sure the level of ice water is on the same level as the "Lye Water."

When both "Lye Water" and Margarine are roughly 97-100 degrees Fahrenheit, mix frabjously with a Stick Blender. "Margarine Soap" doesn't trace as quickly as you see in my other tutorial "Simple Shortening Soap," it takes a bit more work. You'll need to blend industriously for 5 minutes; then let the solution rest for five minutes. After doing this, blend tenaciously for another 5-10 minutes; the soap should "Trace," becoming a somewhat thick pudding substance.

After "Trace" place your masterpiece into whatsoever mold you desire. After 12 hours have elapsed you can cut it into bars.

19 Comments

meddler 4 years ago

No to knowledgeable on soap, does this have a stable shelf life like other homemade soaps?

MK40 6 years ago

Thank you for sharing!

El chupacabras 11 years ago

Sorry I didn't mean to get you upset. I just used those ingredients because unfortunately the ones you mention aren't available in my country. The margarine you include in the formula is soy based and so that's why I used soy oil. I also used palm oil because in my research I found that it gives a richer ladder and in fact it does in the concoction I made. Sorry for the inconvenient.

El chupacabras 11 years ago

Well, I know I should have measured the olive oil, but the truth is that when I started to stick blend it, I remembered I hadn't put the olive oil in, so I just eye balled it in order to continue blending it. Then when I got a trace, I just added the color and fragrance, and that's when the soap "seized". I've tested a little piece and all in my family are very happy with the result. I'll let you know if anything new comes up. Thanks again for sharing =).

IconicIdea 11 years ago

My Soap Recipes are designed to teach the soapmaking process at minimum cost. Then when you understand the process you can make your own recipes. EVERYONE PLEASE follow the recipe as it is indicated with the current ingredients, after understanding the process, and researching further you can make your own soaps with your preferred ingredients. Otherwise it's likely you will get nothing more than Toxic Sludge - or worse. Something that behaves like soap but burns your family and friends. Follow... The... Instructions.

IconicIdea 11 years ago

And when I say "You didn't follow the recipe" I don't so much mean the Olive Oil. The recipe "as-is" can handle a more Olive Oil, in fact it can be "Over-Fatted" a bit. You didn't use Baking Margarine, and you added Palm Tree Oil. What you've done is creative but dangerous. You've adapted a recipe without any soap making experience without understanding the balance of Water/Lye to Fat ratio or the saponification value of the fats. If you want to design your own recipes you need to look up the value of the fats vs the amount of Lye/Water it takes to saponify those fats. Each fat has a different saponification value. See this site for more information: http://summerbeemeadow.com/content/lye-calculator-and-recipe-resizer

IconicIdea 11 years ago

There are several colors and fragrances that can cause soap to Seize. I can't provide a list because most soapmakers through trial and error just know to stay away from certain products and even some brands of the same product. Make sure you allow the soap to cure for at **least** a week before handing the soap out for use. Chemical burns aren't that hip - soap that still has active lye can be a bit deceptive - it seems to be fine until the baby breaks out in a rash and has small burn marks. Please be safe.

El chupacabras 11 years ago

My batch went hard before I put it in the mold, so I had to roll it in the mold. I used liquid soy oil (1000 ml), and palm tree oil (one pound). I probably put too much olive oil because i didn't measure it. The batch went hard when I was adding the color and the fragrance, so that's why you see those little color dots which by the way don't look bad at all. Is there a measurement for the fragrance?
There's a picture of the soap. I just cut it.

IconicIdea 11 years ago

I must remind you and everyone else... when you make soap from scratch - MEASURE EVERYTHING EXACTLY. If you don't; it's likely you will have a bad batch. Or worse case scenario - you can injure yourself. An improper measurement of Lye coupled with not paying attention often leads to serious injuries.

That being said: Interesting results. I applaud you for being creative and successfully making soap. What you are describing is what happens when a batch "Seizes". A soap seizure occurs when the substance begins to immediately harden shortly after, or at "Trace".

I have to point out that you didn't follow the recipe, so it shouldn't be too much of a surprise to get different results. Let it cure for 2-3 weeks and then TEST it, before using.

SarahAppleworth 12 years ago

"NEVER pour water into this substance; when dissolving or diluting always add it slowly to the water."
From the International Program on Chemical Safety
cdc.gov/niosh/ipcsneng/neng0360.html
You will find these instructions on every Safety Data Sheet.
Please change your video to reflect the correct procedures in using this chemical; Goggles, protective clothing and gloves, not to use glass or aluminium in preparing this hazardous solution and to POUR THE LYE INTO THE WATER.
This is not an option.

IconicIdea 12 years ago

Again... thank you EVER so much for spamming my youtube account and now here. Wonders never cease. Go away Troll, if I decide to update my videos, that is my business.

heathunt 12 years ago

You are supposed to pour the lye into the water...not the water into the lye! The water on the lye is what makes the chemical reaction similar to an erupting volcano!!

IconicIdea 12 years ago

& Yet... as you can see in the instructable... it doesn't... I've experimented with both methods, and honestly there hasn't been much difference. However this video will be updated within a month or so with a complete replacement and that will be updated.

scoochmaroo 12 years ago

This looks neat. I never thought of using margarine for soap! Do you think you could also type out the instructions under the video so that after watching you do it, I could just print out your Instructable to do it at home!

IconicIdea 12 years ago

Scoochmaroo, I was feeling industrious and I've updated the instructable, thank you for your appreciation and I hope you like the update.

IconicIdea 12 years ago

Wow! I got featured again! This is almost as cool as when my kindergarten teacher told me I was "A Very Smart Little Boy."

....that made my little kindergarten mind swell with pride. Being featured on Instructables has honestly been a goal of mine for years. I just never thought I had enough "awesome" to make it happen so quickly. Instructables... I love this site...

IconicIdea 12 years ago

Yes, that's in the works; I've been rather busy lately... sorry about that. My original plan was to make a 'traditional' instructable for each of my tutorials and then have the video at the end... but I got lazy. It is in the works though. Check back next week or so and I'll have them all updated! :)