Ingredients
- one pint to three gal- lons -- let it boil a few minutes
- one pound to each gal- lon
- a pound of clean grease
- three quarters of a pound of clean grease
- salt
Directions
PUT on the fire any quantity of lye you choose, that is strong enough to bear an egg — to each gallon, add three quarters of a pound of clean grease: boil it very fast, and stir it frequently — a few hours will suffice to make it good soap. When you find by cooling a little
THE VIRGINIA HOUSEWIFE. 179
on a plate that it is a thick jelly, and no grease appears, put in salt in the proportion of one pint to three gal- lons— let it boil a few minutes, and pour it in tubs to cool — (should the soap be thin, add a little water to that in the plate, stir it well, and by that means ascertain how much water is necessary for the whole quantity; very strong lye will require water to thicken it, after the incorporation is complete; this must be done before the salt is added.) ISext day, cut out the soap, melt it, and cool it again; this takes out all the lye, and keeps the soap from shrinking when dried. A strict con- formity to these rules, will banish the lunar bugbear, which has so long annoyed soap makers. Should cracknels be used, there must be one pound to each gal- lon. Kitchen grease should be clarified in a quantity of water, or the salt will prevent its incorporating with the lye. Soft soap is made in the same manner, only omitting the salt. It may also be matie by putting the lye and grease together in exact proportions, and placing it under the influence of a hot sun for eight or ten days, stirring it well four or five times a day.