Not too long ago I made a huge supply of soap for Scott and I. Some have asked How I do this, well, here is a bit of information about that. I will not have the complete instructions on this post, a future post yes, but this one will just give you the basics.
There are many kinds of home made soaps out there, some with Tallow (a fat/meat product) and some with no animal products. If you have a basic soap that you like, keep making it or buying it (if you do not make soap.)
I personally like a soap that does not melt with two washings, like so many do. I do not want to spend a small fortune on a homemade bar of soap that only last a few showers as it melts away too fast. The soap that I use is an old time favorite lye soap, that takes more than one day to make. It actually takes about 7 weeks to complete! It can be made natural, that means no dyes or scents are added or you can add natural dyes and essential oils for a specific scent if you like.
I personally like a soap that does not melt with two washings, like so many do. I do not want to spend a small fortune on a homemade bar of soap that only last a few showers as it melts away too fast. The soap that I use is an old time favorite lye soap, that takes more than one day to make. It actually takes about 7 weeks to complete! It can be made natural, that means no dyes or scents are added or you can add natural dyes and essential oils for a specific scent if you like.
You start with animal fat, I use only the fat that is around the kidneys. This fat is also used to make bird suet. Most meat markets will know what you actually want if they cut up their own meat. Those that do not, will just give you all different kinds of fat. The problem with that is your having to render more yuk out to get the purest form of fat../that takes longer and actually cost you more in the long run. You can not have unpure stuff in the fat that you render.
It is also helpful to have the butcher cut up the fat or best yet, grind it thru the grinder. The extra fee you spend for this saves your hands and I find that which in my age, is worth it!
You will then melt down the fat.
So to make soap,You need a number of products to do this. I suggest a pan that you only use for making soap. I have two pans, large ones, two containers for placing water in, and the lye, and two thermometers. You can get these items from a store that carries special cooking and kitchen items. I also have regular containers to pour the rendered fat in to which are just plastic containers with lids that you can get at any department store.
The importance of having two thermometers is you will be keeping tract of a lye mixture and the melted rendered fat at the same time. It is easier to do this with two thermometers.
Once the fat is melted, you pour it in a closed plastic container, I use one from a department store with a lid. Pour it in the container and place this in the refrigerator to cool to become firm. This takes about 24 hours. As it does, it will separate the true tallow from the yuk you do not want, so the next day take it out of the frig and scrape off the gel and soft stuff. Then you need to shave the rest. I use a cheese grader for this.
You then measure out an amount of this tallow and then measure out an amount of water this is placed on the stove to melt together. (remember later on in another post I will give actual amounts) and also measure out an amount of lye which is added to another container of water. While the tallow is melting on the stove in a pan, the lye is heating up in the water. This is when the two thermometers come in handy.
Once the process is done, and all is mixed you then will place the mixture in a plastic container and cover it with a lid. You also want to wrap it up with a blanket, and place it in a warm location of the house to allow it to cool slowly. If it cools too fast it can catch a cold. If it catches a cold, it will look like snot, which is really gross. You do not want that to happen, as it ruins the whole batch! So be very careful to get it wrapped quickly and placed where it will not be disturbed. Here is a photo of one all wrapped up with a blanket, the shoe on top is holding the blanket down. After a few days you then take it out and cut it up. From here, it is then used to make the soap. Again cut up, melted and this is when the scents and color is added if wanted. If not, then left plain It is cut up then into bars and left to dry. It is best to dry on a screed so it drys evenly, but if not, as I did on the table, you need to turn it every day or twice a day at least. 
Here about 1/2 of the finished soap 
This is lavender soap, has some scent and color
This is the honey and Wheat Germ soap and
Below is the Plain no scent added (it is the whiter soap) and the other that is off white is also a lavender. I also make a Mint soap, patchouli soap, and a clean linen soap. Other scents are used too, but these are our favorites so that is what we use.
