If you are going to start making your own soap, you are going to some equipment for soap making. Some of it you will already have in your kitchen, but bear in mind that once you have used the equipment for making soap, it will no longer be food-safe.
When I started making soap, I went out and bought all of the equipment I needed for making my soap rather than risking cross-contamination.
My family’s health is worth too much to me to take the risk. Although I keep my soap-making equipment in my kitchen, I keep it separate from my normal kitchen equipment. The soap-making equipment is never used for food preparation, and the food-preparation equipment is never used for making soap!
Some of the Basic Equipment for Soap Making
Regardless of the method you use to make your soap, you will need some basic equipment. The equipment will include large pots and pans, bowls for mixing your water and caustic soda, and a bucket or two.
Utensils
While making your soap you will be stirring your mixture, checking the temperature of the mixture(s), and preparing anything you want to add to your soap. Once your soap is set, you may have to cut it into bars or tidy up the final shapes. And then you will have to store your bars of soap while they age. Check out my post on the utensils I use for my soap-making.
Soap Molds
Once you have prepared your soap you need a way of shaping your soap into individual bars. Unless you want a pot or a bucket-shaped lump of soap (much too big to actually use)…
When it comes to soap molds you have quite a few choices. From very expensive professional standard moulds to very cheap but inventive homemade moulds. Check out this page for more information on your options.
Safety Equipment
Making soap generally involves using caustic soda, (lye or sodium hydroxide). If there is no caustic soda, there is no soap.
As the name implies, this compound is caustic and if not handled properly can cause severe burns. So always put safety first and get the appropriate safety gear before you start making your soap.
