Lye from Wood Ashes

In the past, all homemakers knew how to prepare their own lye for soap making. Today, people run out to the local market or mass merchandise store for shampoo, body wash, dish detergent, and more. They have forgotten that in the end, all of these items are just soap. Soap that has been scented or extra chemicals added for aesthetic reasons.

Getting back to your roots can begin with something as simple as learning to leach lye from ashes. Self sufficiency can begin right now, even if you live in the suburbs.

To begin leaching lye you will need a few things:

• A wooden, water tight tub with a few small holes drilled into the bottom.

• Cinder blocks, bricks, or wooden blocks

• Two waterproof wooden or glass containers (heavy plastic will work, too)

• Soft water, (rain water is best)

• White ashes from hardwoods

• Gravel

• Straw

• Thick gloves

• Safety glasses (these can be purchased for $1 at some discount stores, do not make lye without!)

A special note:

While hardwood is the best source for lye, you may also use dried banana peels or cocoa pods. Some soapmakers say that oak and applewood make the very best white ashes. Do not use soft wood like pine or you will not produce usable lye.

1. Cover the bottom of the wooden container with one or two inches of gravel. Thickly cover this with straw, pack well. A depth of four to six inches will work well. (Never remove this straw without thick, non-reactive gloves after use!)

2. Place the container on a stable base, high enough to place the lye-water catchers under. *Be sure this base is stable! Lye is very corrosive and can cause dangerous damage to skin, clothing, and eyes.

3. Pour the cooled, white ashes over the filter layers. Fill the container to two or three inches below the top of the container.

4. Slide your catcher under the leaching container.

5. Slowly pour the lye making water over the ashes. The amount to use is approximately what fills the catcher container up to two inches from the top. Some will be lost in the leaching.

6. Wait for the water to drip into the catcher container. When it is full, carefully pull out, replace with the second catcher, then pour the water back over the ashes. The lye water should appear a reddish-brown. *Use gloves and safety glasses!

7. Repeat step 5.

Test the lye water.

The old method for testing the strength of lye is floating a fresh egg in the lye water. If the egg floats with just the tip above water, the lye is strong enough for soapmaking. Sinking indicates weak lye and an 'overfloat'-egg floating high out of the water- shows too much lye that should be watered down. Destroy the egg and throw away, out of reach of children or animals you'd like to keep around.

Weak lye water can be put through the leaching with new ashes or boiled to remove the extra water content. If you choose to boil, use a pot that will never be used for food again. The pot must be non-reactive (no aluminum).

You're done.

Place the lye water into glass containers, cover, and place out of reach until you are ready to make soap.