A Brief History of Soapmaking and a Recipe

 

Have you ever made soap? As a historical romance writer, I have scenes with my characters using soap. The same bar of soap for washing clothes, bathing, washing dishes, and scrubbing floors. Today we have so many kinds to choose from on our store shelves. They range from bars to soft soap to detergent in a variety of fragrances. Research is a writer's joy. So doing a deep-dive into the history of soap making was fascinating. I'll share the highlights here.

Ancient Soap Making

Archaeologists have discovered clay cylinders with soap recipes made from ash and fat dating back to 2800 B.C. They believe it was used to clean wool before carding it to make clothing and other items.

Ancient Egyptians combined animal and vegetable oils with alkaline salts.  A 1550 B.C. Medical text explained how to use soap to treat skin ailments and for washing.

Strigil 

Romans popularized bathing but didn't use soap for personal bathing. Instead, they coated themselves with olive oil, then scraped away the dirt using a strigil, a curved tool. They may or may not have followed that with a bath.

Medieval Soap Makers

During the Middle-Ages soap making became a profitable trade. Mediterranean soap makers refined the process using olive oil instead of animal fat. Castile soap, made from olive oil was gentler than many earlier versions. It became highly prized in Europe. It has stood the test of time and can be found in many stores, online, and in various fragrances.

Alas, soap remained expensive for centuries; most ordinary families used it sparingly, reserving it for laundry and special occasions. No wonder some people only bathed once a year.

 

Colonial and Frontier Soap Making

In the American Colonials, homemade soap became a necessity. Imported soap was scarce and expensive. Housewives saved the ash from their fireplaces. Hardwood was the best. Once there was a sufficient amount, they poured rainwater through it. The ash became lye, a caustic alkaline solution. Animal fats saved from cooking and rendering were boiled with the lye in large iron kettles. Often over a fire in the yard. Soap making was time consuming and if not done correctly could produce a caustic lye soap that irritated the skin.

Pioneer families on the frontier might dedicate an entire day to soap making to produce enough for the year ahead. 

Industrial Revolution Changes Everything

In 1791, French Chemist Nicolas Leblanc developed a process for manufacturing soap ash from common salt. This made Alkalis more available and affordable. With the continuing evolution of manufacturing, factories could produce soap more cheaply than homemade.

Cheaper soap paired well with the Victorian Era's focus on regular bathing and handwashing as a way to combat disease.

By the late 1800s, recognizable brands emerged advertising purity, fragrance and beauty benefits. In 1879 Ivory Soap was introduced. Not only was it white, pure and cleansing, it floated. Soap was more than a cleaning product it became a symbol of respectability and modern living. Ivory like Castile soap is still sold today.

 

The Twentieth Century and Beyond

During World Wars I and II when fats and oils were in short supply due to the war, synthetic detergents were developed. Most modern-day "soaps" are technically detergents rather than true soap.

Even with soap easily available, the interest in traditional soap making never disappeared. In recent decades, artisan soap makers have brought their creations to farmers markets and speciality shops. Their fragrances give shoppers wonderful choices.

What began as a simple mixture of animal fat and ash evolved into an essential household product, a public health tool, and a luxury item. 

Soap making kit

 

Soap Making Facts Our Ancestors Knew

·       Soap making was a seasonal chore. Many farm families made it once or twice a year. It required large quantities of fat and ashes, plus several days of work.

·       Ashes were valuable. Hardwood ash from oak, hickory, and maple were carefully saved. Soft woods like pine produced inferior lye. But if that was all that was available, the ash was used for soap making.

·       Nothing went to waste. Cooking grease, bacon drippings, and rendered animal fat were all collected throughout the year. What seems like kitchen waste to us was an important soap-making ingredient.

·       Soap could be dangerous. A batch with too much lye could burn skin and damage clothes. Experienced homemakers took pride in producing a mild, effective soap.

·       Fancy soap was a status symbol. By the late 1800s, perfumed soaps wrapped in decorative paper became popular gifts. A fragrant bar of imported soap was considered an elegant indulgence.

·       The annual hog butchering supplied soap ingredients. After butchering season, rendered lard and tallow provided the fat needed for the year's soap making. Farm wives usually planned soap making while the supply of rendered fat was still fresh.

·       Whiter soap was considered the best. Light-colored soap was often viewed as a sign of quality. Dark soap wasn't inferior, but white bars look cleaner and therefore more refined.

·       A good soap recipe was a family treasure. Many homemakers guarded their soap recipes and techniques just as carefully as the bread recipes, passing them down from mother to daughter.

 

A Soap Recipe

This recipe is not what my great-great grandmothers made because coconut oil would not have been available on the American frontier. If you want to delve into the art of soap making, this recipe is a great start.

Safety first: Lye (Sodium Hydroxide) can cause serious burns. Always wear gloves, eye protection, and work in a well-ventilated area.

Beginners Cold-Press Soap

Ingredients:

·       16 ounces Olive oil

·       16 ounces Coconut Oil

·       12 ounces distilled water

·       4.5 ounces of sodium hydroxide (lye)

     Instructions:

1.   Wear protective gear, slowly add lye to the water. NEVER add water to the lye.

2.   Allow lye solution to cool to about 100-110 degrees Fahrenheit.

3.   Melt the oils and allow them to cool to a similar temperature.

4.   Pour the lye solution into the oil.

5.   Blend until the mixture reaches "trace", when it thickens to a pudding-like consistency.

6.   Pour into mold.

7.   Cover and allow to harden for 24-48 hours.

8.   Remove from mold and cut into bars.

9.   Cure the bars in a dry location for four to six weeks before use.

Have you ever made soap? Have you ever used Castile soap or Ivory soap? What is your favorite soap?

 Blog  Sources:

1. Konkol, K.L., and Rasmussen, S.C. An Ancient Cleanser: Soap Production and Use in Antiquity.
2. The Ebers Papyrus (c. 1550 B.C.).
3. Pliny the Elder. Natural History.
4. Virginia Smith. Clean: A History of Personal Hygiene and Purity.
5. Alice Morse Earle. Home Life in Colonial Days.
6. Lydia Maria Child. The American Frugal Housewife.
7. American Cleaning Institute, "Soaps & Detergents History."

 

Cindy Ervin Huff, is a multi-published award-winning author in Historical and Contemporary Romance. She’s a 2018 Selah Finalist. Cindy has a passion to encourage other writers on their journey. When she isn’t writing, she feeds her reading addiction and enjoys her retirement with her husband of 50 plus years, Charles. Visit her at www.cindyervinhuff.com.

 

Nine years ago I wrote my debut historical romance. Click here to grab a copy. This story started my writing journey. Evangeline and Jake was a story that sat in my head for a few years. A female doctor going west as a mail-order bride intrigued me. Hope you enjoy it.