Have you ever considered using lard to make soap? It is easy to locate, inexpensive, and has a long history as a soap-making staple. This lard soap recipe for homemade lard soap adds a few extras to improve the conditioning qualities of traditional lard soap and is perfect if you are learning how to make soap from lard.
In my “Guide to Natural Herbal Soap Making,” I have good, clear directions for the novice soap maker. I thought that if I created a reliable, versatile soap recipe with lard using materials people can find close to home it would make the process more accessible to everyone. When I started making soap many years ago it was really daunting to me to have to locate coconut oil and palm oil in order to get my hobby started. The recipe I provided in that blog post only uses olive oil, corn oil and cocoa butter sticks from the drug store. Problem solved for those wondering how to make lard soap easily at home.
I have always used only vegetable oils to make soap. However I spotted lard for sale at a store near my house recently and so I decided to try something new. Lard is available to everyone, it is very inexpensive (under $4 for 40 ounces or free in some instances) and it is one of the things soap used to be commonly made from. This lye soap recipe with lard follows traditional methods. The History of Soap Timeline gives more details about how different cultures made soap in the past. Western Europeans usually had cast off animal fats to use for their soap making. Mediterranean countries with ample olive oil developed the Castile soap, and so on. It is an interesting read and made me think about giving a nod to my English and Irish ancestors by making soap with lard.
Some people will shy away from animal-based soap because of their personal beliefs, while other people regard using lard as an efficient way to use every part of the animal. For an alternative soap recipe follow Honey and Beeswax Soap Recipe. But if you are exploring how to make soap with lard, this method is a great starting point.
Using Lard to Make Soap
If you are ready to try lard, out here is the method I used. I added in some castor oil and olive oil to improve the final product. Lard is
known as sort of a utilitarian soap ingredient: It gets the job done but does not offer a ton of conditioning or lather. The castor oil is supposed to increase the lather. I located a tiny 2 ounce jar at the pharmacy. The olive oil should add some moisturizing properties.
Recipe for Homemade Lard Soap
Ingredients
- 25 ounces lard (called manteca if you are at Mexican grocery store.)
- 9 ounces olive oil
- 2 ounces castor oil
- 4.65 ounces lye
- 35 ounces room-temperature water
Direction
To make this lard/castor oil/olive oil batch, use my Guide to Natural Herbal Soap Making. Please review safety guidelines, assemble your materials before you dive in, and give yourself a clean workplace that is separate from where your food and children and pets can stray onto it. You will substitute the amount of lye and oils provided in this recipe but otherwise follow the same procedure used in the article.
The only time you may diverge from the previous batch is at the final step when you are mixing the oils and lye together and waiting for them to trace. I found that with my lard recipe, this step took forever. Hand stirrers are not designed to be in use for 15 or 20 minutes straight. I have actually burned them out in the past with overlong stirring. So I usually stir for a few minutes, then let the stirrer cool down before proceeding. This time, it was so reluctant to trace, I wound up using a blender in batches to get it to solidify a bit.
Using a blender is not normally advised, because the lid could fly off and you could be injured. I had a good, form-fitting lid and a glass blender, and I filled it only halfway each time. After a few pulses it traced and I poured it into the mold little by little. Because I was pouring it in batches, I was able to make a marbled soap. When I got to the last blender full of oils and lye, I added in some cocoa powder to make a pretty brown color. When I poured this on top of the other, cream-colored soap, it made a pretty swirly effect.
If you wind up using a blender, don’t forget to add your scent and don’t over mix. If it gets to be too solid it will be hard to get it out and put it into your mold. Mix it in quick bursts and constantly check it to see if it has reached a very slight trace (where you can drizzle in some of the liquid and it sits on the surface before sinking in.) When it even slightly traces, pour it as fast as you can. Clean out the blender as soon as your mold is covered and settled. If you let the soap solidify in there, you’ll have a huge hassle getting it cleaned up. I speak from experience!
If you would like more information on historical soap-making techniques, the MOTHER EARTH NEWS archive contains an article from 1972 teaching you How to Build a Lye Leaching Barrel.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How to make lard soap at home step by step?
To learn how to make lard soap, you combine melted lard with lye water and additional oils like olive or castor oil. Blend until it reaches trace, pour into molds, and allow it to cure for several weeks. This method works well for beginners following a lard soap recipe.
2. Is a lye soap recipe with lard safe to use?
Yes, a properly measured lye soap recipe with lard is completely safe after curing. The lye reacts during saponification and is no longer active in the final soap, making it gentle and effective for cleansing.
3. What is the difference between cold process and hot process lard soap recipe?
A lard soap recipe cold process involves mixing oils and lye and letting it cure naturally over weeks. A lard soap recipe hot process uses heat to speed up saponification, allowing the soap to be used sooner, though texture may differ.
4. Why is lard used in soap making?
Lard is used in soap making because it creates a hard, long-lasting bar with stable lather. It is also affordable and widely available, making it ideal for those learning how to make soap with lard.
5. Can beginners try making soap with lard?
Yes, making soap with lard is beginner-friendly because it is forgiving and easy to work with. Many first-time soap makers start with a simple lard soap recipe to understand the basics.
6. How long does lard soap need to cure?
Lard soap typically needs to cure for 4 to 6 weeks. This allows excess moisture to evaporate and results in a harder, longer-lasting bar with better lather.
7. What oils can be added to a soap recipe with lard?
You can add olive oil for moisture, castor oil for lather, or coconut oil for cleansing. These additions improve the overall quality of your soap recipe with lard.
8. Is lard soap better than vegetable oil soap?
Lard soap tends to be harder and longer-lasting, while vegetable oil soaps may be more conditioning. The choice depends on your preference and the type of lard soap recipe you want to create.
