Making Lye Water

• 1). Burn your wood at a high temperature. The wood should be reduced to white ash. Let it cool.
  
  
• 2). Collect the white ash in a sealed container to keep it dry and clean. Use a plastic or ceramic container.
  
  
• 3). Collect rain water or stream water. Bottled water will also work. The less contaminated the water is, the better.
  
  
• 4). Put at least half a bucket full of your collected water on to boil.
  
  
• 5). Place the wood ash in a bucket with a tap or drain hole. Pour half a bucket of hot water over the ash.
  
  
• 6). Add cool water slowly until the water drips from the container. Continue adding more ash and water until the ash floats. Let stand overnight.
  
  
• 7). Drain out the brownish water into a plastic container. Pour this water over the ash mixture again.
  
  
• 8). Drain lye water into a plastic container.
  
  

Making Lye Ash

• 1). Pour lye water into a heavy iron kettle.
  
  
• 2). Boil until all water has evaporated. A dark, dry residue will remain.
  
  
• 3). Heat this until it melts and the black impurities are burned away.
  
  
• 4). Store the grayish-white substance, potash, in a moisture-proof container to prevent it from absorbing moisture.
  
  

Making the Soap

• 1). Start with 18.2 ounces of lye and 2 1/2 pints of water.
  
  
• 2). Dissolve the lye in the cold water. Make sure you pour the lye into the water; adding water to the lye could be explosive or cause harmful fumes.
  
  
• 3). Add 6 pounds of melted or liquid fat. Stir continuously until everything is mixed together.
  
  
• 4). Add any additives, including fragrances, when the mixture begins to thicken. This step is optional and depends on personal preference.
  
  
• 5). Pour mixture into soap molds or a large rectangular container and allow to harden.
  
  
• 6). Unmold the soap. The large container can be cut into bars.
  
  
• 7). Allow soap to "age" for 3 weeks before using. This is essential to the quality of the soap.