When grease and lye are heated together, a chemical reaction called saponification occurs. The resulting product is soap. To put it in simpler terms, soap is made by a boiling process. Cold water, lye, and grease-your choice of hydrogenated vegetable oils (like Crisco), tallow, or lard-are heated and boiled. Liquid vegetable oils also may be used. Once the mixture thickens to a gravylike texture, it is saponified and needs to be removed from the heat and cooled. Saponifi- cation is the chemical reaction that takes place in the boiling process of soap making. What occurs is chemically complex. Simple fats do not combine with the alkali (lye) to form soap. First, they decompose (water acts as a solvent base) into fatty acids and glycerols, which then combine, forming soap. Pour the hot liquid into the molds before it has completely cooled. Do not let it cool too long in the pan. Soap hardens as it cools. If left in the pan, it will completely harden into one giant glob of soap, something you will not want. Cut the soap into similarly shaped bars after you have poured it into a shallow pan. You should use a wire to cut the soap because it will be able to cut the soap evenly and make attractive cakes of similar width and length. Do not use a knife, or you might have bars that are not equal in appearance. You want people to be impressed by your homemade soaps, not to laugh at you. Soap making is easy, but it requires concentration to detail. Children and pets should not be present when soap is being made. They are too distracting and likely to be unaware of the serious hazards involved in making soap. Lock the doors and keep them out of the room when making soap. If necessary, hire a babysitter, or drop the kids and pets off with mom and dad. Be sure that there are no other distractions while you make your soap. Take the telephone off the hook and turn off the television and radio. You must give your total attention to the task at hand. That is the only safe and practical way to make soap. There are no special skills required to make soap. However, you must follow instructions for success and for safety's sake.

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