# How long does it take to make soap?



## Ives (Feb 13, 2011)

I've had my supplies for a couple weeks now but never get a chance to make my shampoo bars!  I have 2 tiny kids, so it's hard to find a good time.  How many hours will it take? I just need to melt the hard oils and then let them and the lye cool, mix, then let everything trace, right? How long does that all take?

There's an hour till the kids' bedtime and my husband won't let me start now, he's sure I won't be done in time to help!


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## kelleyaynn (Feb 13, 2011)

If you've never made soap before, I'd allow at least an hour and a half to two hours. You want to make sure you've gathered all your materials and ingredients, read the recipe and instructions over several times, get everything set up so you are ready to go.  I can now make a batch in about a half hour, but it wasn't that quick my first couple of times, for sure!

Good luck, have fun. Welcome to to the addiction!


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## Dennis (Feb 13, 2011)

And when the kids are in bed, all you'll want to do is plop down and relax for a while, right?  Can't blame ya.  Hey, hubby can help.  Team effort!

Some of the best advice I got from a tutorial was to go through a dry run first.  Plan out every step.  Make a list of each task and check them off as you go through them.  If this is your first batch, it will take longer than your second or third.  My first batch took about an hour and a half from start to pour and I had my lovely wife reading and checking off the steps.  Your time may vary.   If you haven't read it yet, the link at the bottom of this post has great instruction.  
I am a newbie here and am sure others with much experience will chime in. 

Enjoy the kids, they'll be asking for the car keys before you know it.


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## Ives (Feb 13, 2011)

Thanks so much!  And yes, you're exactly right, when they go to bed I just plop down and do nothing or go to bed myself!  Maybe next Saturday I can do it!

It is a team effort, he puts one to bed and I put the other to bed!


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## Dennis (Feb 13, 2011)

5am on Saturdays   is an excellent time to soap!  Your soap making will be magical!


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## AmyW (Feb 13, 2011)

If they are really young, naptime was mama hobby time around here. Mine are old enough now that they're out of the nap stage, but they're also old enough to stay out of the kitchen while I'm soaping. It takes me about an hour per batch, from prep to pour.


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## ToniD (Feb 13, 2011)

I take about 1/2 hr or a bit less now for a batch  (depends how many oils in the recipe)

I will suggest that you don't have to do the whole process at one time.    In many ways that is easier, of course,   but you could do all the non-dangerous stuff ahead of time.    Stuff like measure oils,  FO. prepare molds,   etc.    Then when you have non-interupted time when the kids are safely in bed, you can mix your lye and do the soap in just a few minutes.    I let my lye cool by sitting it in a pan of water in the sink and it is ready to go in just 5 minutes or so.    

Another thing that really helped my soaping was to move out of the kitchen.   I just set up a table in my basement in the laundry area.   I have less space,   but because I don't have to set up and tear down all the time,   I really shortened the time it took to make soap.  I realize that suggestion is dependent on having a workable area elsewhere.


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## Dennis (Feb 13, 2011)

ToniD,

Oh, how I miss basements!  They are so good for so many things.  Not too many of those here in Florida.


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## MKRainville (Feb 13, 2011)

ToniD said:
			
		

> I take about 1/2 hr or a bit less now for a batch  (depends how many oils in the recipe)
> 
> I will suggest that you don't have to do the whole process at one time.    In many ways that is easier, of course,   but you could do all the non-dangerous stuff ahead of time.    Stuff like measure oils,  FO. prepare molds,   etc.    Then when you have non-interupted time when the kids are safely in bed, you can mix your lye and do the soap in just a few minutes.    I let my lye cool by sitting it in a pan of water in the sink and it is ready to go in just 5 minutes or so.
> 
> Another thing that really helped my soaping was to move out of the kitchen.   I just set up a table in my basement in the laundry area.   I have less space,   but because I don't have to set up and tear down all the time,   I really shortened the time it took to make soap.  I realize that suggestion is dependent on having a workable area elsewhere.



I agree with the two step process - i dont have kids but I do work alot and theres days were i want to make soap but dont have time to do it right.  SO i line my mold and measure oils a day a head of time and then I just do the lye water when I get home from work - the blending it all totals out to be about 20 mins then (for the actual making soap day)


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## MKRainville (Feb 13, 2011)

Ives said:
			
		

> I've had my supplies for a couple weeks now but never get a chance to make my shampoo bars!  I have 2 tiny kids, so it's hard to find a good time.  How many hours will it take? I just need to melt the hard oils and then let them and the lye cool, mix, then let everything trace, right? How long does that all take?
> 
> There's an hour till the kids' bedtime and my husband won't let me start now, he's sure I won't be done in time to help!



From my first batch - it took me about an hour and a half (to make sure all the measurements are correct, to lining the mold correctly .. all that stuff.  

now because i know what I am doing i can make a batch in 1/2 hour to 45 mins.  i also prep before I work (1 day in advance)


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## ikindred (Feb 13, 2011)

One of the best things I have learned here on the forum is to prepare in advance for my soap making.  For the past 2 weekends, I have been pre-mixing my oils per recipes and storing them in buckets so that when I am actually ready to make the soap, I only have to line my molds and make my lye water and prepare my scents and colors.  This takes about two hours on Saturdays to melt down the oils but it helps tremendously when I am ready to soap!  

Have fun and enjoy your first experience and don't forget to take notes..post pics when done!


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## judymoody (Feb 13, 2011)

For me, the most time consuming part is waiting for the lye to cool.  I mix it up in the garage and leave it out there to cool, away from the kids with the door locked.  I mix my soap out in the garage too unless the weather is really really cold.  They are old enough to know to stay out of there.

First time, it took 2 hours.  Now about forty five minutes to an hour including lining the mold, measuring the oils, fragrance, etc., and cleaning up (including the stuff I never cleaned from the last batch    ).  If I am working with colorants it takes a bit longer.


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## Fyrja (Feb 13, 2011)

My first time took about 3 hours.  BUT that was because I didn't have an immersion blender.  I had read a soapmaking book that suggested I mix my first batch by hand!  So there I was, a bowl, a whisk, and me.  I must have mixed that little 2 pound batch for an hour and a half, really did think my arm was going to fall off.  Finally after a few words that sounded like [email protected]#[email protected]#! and ##@!#@# and %$%$#$%!%@@@@!!!!  I dumped in a FO and some grapefruit seed extract in the hopes that it would make my batch start to trace.  Worked like a charm.  I poured it into the mold, and promptly went in search of an immersion blender after I showered.  (Was uber sweaty from all that aerobic mixing exercise!) 

Now I've got my time down to an hour and a half, but that's because I like to take my time, and am a wee bit anal retentive about having my soaping temperatures just right.


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## paillo (Feb 13, 2011)

ikindred said:
			
		

> One of the best things I have learned here on the forum is to prepare in advance for my soap making.  For the past 2 weekends, I have been pre-mixing my oils per recipes and storing them in buckets so that when I am actually ready to make the soap, I only have to line my molds and make my lye water and prepare my scents and colors.  This takes about two hours on Saturdays to melt down the oils but it helps tremendously when I am ready to soap!
> 
> Have fun and enjoy your first experience and don't forget to take notes..post pics when done!



TOTALLY, THIS! there are many evenings when i'm just too tired to finish a batch of soap. but i can at least get everything measured out, get my mold(s) lined if they're wood, measure my lye and put in a covered tupperware thing, put my EO's, FO's in small pyrex cups ready to add to warmed oils -- essentially have everything ready to just mix, pour, stickblend, add colorants, other additives, wait, and pour into molds!! i love this method....


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## Ives (Feb 19, 2011)

Hmm, is this blender people are talking about, the thing I have for making milkshakes?  Like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kenwood-HB150-S ... 18&sr=1-10

Also, I'm planning on using 2 silicone bread 'tins' and a plastic tupperware container for my molds. Is that good?


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## Dennis (Feb 19, 2011)

That is a stick blender like most use.   Be sure to line your tupperware with freezer paper.  I used a stainless baking pan for my first mold.  Don't use aluminum.


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## GreenScene (Feb 19, 2011)

I agree with what most others have said here. I remember my first batch took about an hour and half. Now, I'd guess it takes about 45 mins., but it's hard to say because I work in phases. I have a toddler and animals underfoot, plus an open floor plan with a kitchen I can't close off. So - I almost always line my mold, mix my oils, mix my colorants, and any other kid/animal-safe steps here and there throughout the day, then I mix the actual lye water and make the soap when he's asleep or when Dad's around to keep him preoccupied. Taking care of those things in advance will make the process a lot easier and enjoyable until you get it down pat.


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## Guest (Apr 9, 2011)

Ives said:
			
		

> I've had my supplies for a couple weeks now but never get a chance to make my shampoo bars!  I have 2 tiny kids, so it's hard to find a good time.  How many hours will it take? I just need to melt the hard oils and then let them and the lye cool, mix, then let everything trace, right? How long does that all take?
> 
> There's an hour till the kids' bedtime and my husband won't let me start now, he's sure I won't be done in time to help!




Handmade soap cures 4-6 weeks optimally, with discounted water cold process it takes 2 weeks to cure a soap before it's ready to sell.


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## Traceyann (Apr 9, 2011)

Hey welcome to the addiction lol, I am relatively new here too and I too had all the ingredients but took ages to build up the courage to actually mix it all together ....

But once I had my first batch under my belt I havent looked back ( just need more time ) .....I think my first batch took me about 2 hours as I didnt have a stick blender.....I have since added one and now it takes me about 45 mins ber batch....

Have fun experimenting.....U can always block off the kitchen door with a child barrier, that way the kids can still see you but cant get burnt


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