The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1831-07-13
From the Genesee Farmer.
SOAP

Much difficulty is frequently experienced in
this business, and many vulgar errors have
been connected with it ; and we have heard
women declare that they believed their soap
was be,oitchsd. When the principles are once
understood, the whole process is easy and sim
pie. First, then, 1t is proper that house-keep.
ers should know the properties of the compo-
nent parts of soap. There are two fixed aka.
lies used in soap making, viz: potash and soda
Potash is called the vegetable, and soda the
mineral alkali. Either of these alkaes will
unite with grease and form soaps: potash and
grease make soft soap only. but soda and
grease make hard soap. Both these alkalies
have a strong affinity for acids-uniting with
them and forming what is generally called
neutral salts. Thus potash and nitric acid,
form saltpetre I; soda and sui huric acid form
glauber salts, and soda and muriatic acid, or
spirits OF salts, form common salt
Now no woman in her senses would think of
making soap with either of these salts and yet
the base of either. when separated from the
acid, would form when mixed with grease, as
good soap as if they never had been united.
There is also another acid which combines
with these alkalies, which equally prevent their
uniting with grease as either of the before
mentioned acids-that is carbonic. Now this
acid is continually floating in the atmosphere
unseen, and will combine it'll potash or soda
whenever it comes in contact, forming a carlo.
nate Of soda or potash-neither of which will
unite with grease to form soap.
Much of the difficulty which house-keepers
meet with in soap making, arises from their ley
having become more or less saturated with car.
bonic acid Ashes which havelaid long in a damp
place, or become damp by any other means, will
absorb carbcnic acid, or if the ley is allowed TO
stand too long after ii is eached in an open yes
sci the same thing will take place. Lime ia
often placed in the bottom the leach, and but
few can tell why they do it, If the question
be asked, the reply is-because it makes the
lev cleaner. Lime has stronger affinity for
| carbonic acid than potash has, and OF course
will separate it from it. Common limestone is
| lime and carbonic acid: when limestone is
! burned in kiln, the carbonic acid is separated
! by heat, and quicklime is formed. Now II this
! quick or fresh burnt lime is placed in the bot
| tom of the leach and the ley made to pass
! through it, it becomes purified from the acid,
and the only thing necessary then 10 nave
it unite with grease, is to have 1t OF sum-
Gent strength This may be ascertaned by
! its specific gravity-~to learn which, put =
new laid egg into it if the egg floats the ley
is strong enough, il it Sinks the ley must either
be evaporated by boiling, or by again teaching il
through ashes. The grease made use OF is the
| refuse fat Of animals, and before it is unitet
with the ley, should be freed from all the sal
by boiling it in water. The quantity necessa
~ for barrel Of good soap is about sixteer
pounds, or half pound to gallon.
Soap when we'll made, should be thick ant
salve-like, capable of being spread thin upol
cloth without taking or rolling off. II to sucl
soap. about an equal quantity of soft water Il
added the soap becomes hard and liver.liks
! capable of being taken up in the hand. Thi
many think is desirable, especially the soa
boilers, who make it for sale, as they max
double the profit they would on the other quality
| Some house. keepers practice making thei
| own hard soap. This is done by adding salt /
J the soap after 1t ia we'll made, while it sye
! boiling. The effect is thus explained. Salt !
soda and muriatic acid. Potash has a strongc
affinity for muriatc acid than soda has, ant
when they come in contact, as in this case, tn,
potash decomposes the salt and combines will
the muriatic acid forming muriate OF potash
leaving the soda pure to form hard soap witt
the grease; the muriate of potash will be ioun
on cooling in solution at the bottom, being 9
greater specific crafty than the soap. The sal
should be added by small quantities until to-
separation takes place, which may DO known 3,
the soap becoming eurdled; after which