the ashes. The resultant lye water was then collected, and saved for use in soap. To
determine if the lye was fit for use, the soap-maker would float an egg or potato in the
lye; if the object floated with a portion the size of a modern-day quarter above the
surface of the lye, then the lye was good. If it was too strong, water was added to
dilute it; too weak, and it was boiled down to the correct strength.
After the lye was ready, the fats had to be prepared for use; this was done by
rendering the fats, to remove any impurities, or meat tissue still present in the lard or
tallow. Rendering prevented the fats from becoming rancid. (While soap made from
rancid fats works just as well, it doesn’t smell very nice.) To render the fats, they were
added to a large cooking kettle, and an amount of water equal to the amount of fat
being rendered was added. The mixture was then boiled until all the fats were
melted. More water was added, and the mixture was allowed to cool overnight. By
the next day, the fat had all floated to the top, and solidified. The impurities that were
in the fat were heavier than the fat itself, and floated in the water underneath. The
now pure fat was skimmed off the surface, and stored for use. When the fat and lye
were mixed, they produced a brown, jelly-like soap, which was kept in a barrel, and
ladled out as needed. Hard bars of soap could be made by adding salt to the mixture
to solidify it; however, soft soap worked just as well as hard, and because salt was
expensive, and in short supply, the soft soap was typically used instead. Solid soap
was usually made only by soap-makers, and was scented with various oils, and sold by
the pound to wealthy town and city folk.
However, during World War I, animal fat, like many other resources, was in short
supply, because most available resources had to go to the troops. While searching for
an alternative material, it was discovered that a variety of vegetable and plant-based
oils were useful for the soap-making process. Not only were the vegetable oils useful
during the shortage, but it was found that the vegetable oils were actually superior to
animal fat for making soap. The soap produced was of a finer quality, and the
vegetable oils were more readily absorbed by the skin than animal fat. Also, animal
fat can clog pores, and aggravate certain skin conditions.
In later years, mass production made soap-making more efficient, and the quality
produced was more uniform. However, the customization of soaps was lost, and the
end result, for reasons discussed earlier, was not always as skin-friendly.
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