Potash Soap
Persons living in cities frequently have grease that would do to make
soap, but are at a loss for ley, in consequence of burning coal instead
of wood. Twelve pounds of pure grease of any kind, put with ten pounds
of potash in an oil barrel, and filled with water, makes good thick
soap, and is much cheaper than buying hard soap.
It should be stirred frequently, and if the ingredients are put together in warm weather, and
the barrel stands where it can be exposed to the heat of the sun,
without danger of getting rain in it, it will be fit for use in a few
weeks without the aid of fire, if you wish to make soap immediately put
three pounds of potash, four of grease, and about ten gallons of water
in a large iron pot, boil it over the fire, and it will make good thick
soap in a few hours, it need only boil long enough to dissolve the
potash, which is sometimes in very hard lumps. If you use the crumbled
potash, you must put rather more of it, as it is not so strong, and a
little lump of quick lime will make it turn quicker.
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