trace, so be patient. When it does trace, it may be a little thinner than regular cold-
process soap. Cook it in a crock-pot, or over a double-boiler, for 3 to 4 hours, stirring
every half hour. It will go through many stages; at its final stage, it will be translucent
and creamy. To check and see if the soap has cooked long enough, mix one ounce of
the soap with two ounces of boiling water. If the mixture is milky, or very cloudy,
once the soap has dissolved, it needs to cook longer. (If cooking the soap longer
doesn’t make it clearer, one of the ingredients may have been measured incorrectly.)
If it is clear, or only slightly cloudy, then the soap should be ready.
Liquid soap can be prone to spoilage, so glycerin or another oil containing vitamin
A, C or E should be added to help preserve it. Store your liquid soap in a pump, or
flip-top bottle, to further guard against spoilage. Use the soap within 6 to 8 months,
and dispose of it if it becomes cloudy, or smells rancid.
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