Homemade Goat’s Milk Soap

I’ve learned a lot about soap-making after years of raising goats and making and selling goat’s milk soap for our family business, Hallow Springs Farm. Here’s some of the knowledge I’ve gleaned from many batches of “soap gone wrong.”

For equipment, use a stainless steel or glass bowl, because lye is corrosive and gets very hot during the chemical reaction of soap making. Measure ingredients carefully with a digital scale. Although I blended ingredients with a whisk when I first started to make soap, I recommend using a stick blender to prevent elbow and shoulder damage. A thermometer is critical for measuring the temperature of ingredients. A soap knife will come in handy, although I’ve cut soap with a kitchen knife for years. Always work in a well-ventilated area, wear a mask for protection from the lye’s toxic fumes, and put on gloves to prevent skin burns.

You can make your own soap molds. Keep in mind that homemade molds will have to withstand heat, not leech rust, and be pliable enough for soap extraction. Commercial molds are available online and are fairly inexpensive. Don’t waste money on cheap plastic molds, because silicone molds work much better when you’re extracting cured soap.

I find frozen goat’s milk easier to use, because