Soap Making Lye

When an acid and a base combine they neutralize each other and make a salt. Saponification is the name for a chemical reaction between an acid and a base to form a salt called "soap." Sodium hydroxide is an alkali (base) and the acids are the fatty acids that make up the triglycerides present in oils and butters. Once we select the oils and mix them with sodium hydroxide and a liquid (lye), the molecules combine, a chemical reaction occurs, called saponification and a totally different substance is created - SOAP! Sign up for our classes to learn more about soap making today!