551. To Make Home-made Soap

551.      To Make Home-made Soap. Fill an iron kettle two-thirds full of the concentrated lye prepared according to the last receipt; add to it melted fat, a ladleful at a time, stirring constantly until the mass becomes creamy; next add small quantities of salt at a time, stirring without intermission until a perfect ring can be made on the surface with a stick ; then let the fire go out and the soap will rise to the surface and harden as it cools; the lye can be drawn from under it by tilting the kettle, or the soap may be lifted off and laid out to dry until hard enough to cut it into bars. (See No. 549 (To Make Domestic Soap).)

552. Ox-gall Soap

552.    Ox-gall Soap. Gall soap, for the washing of fine silken cloths and ribbons, is prepared in the following manner: In a vessel of copper 1 pound cocoanut oil is heated to 60° Fahr., and 1/2 pound caustic soda is added, with constant stirring. In another vessel 1/2 pound white Venetian turpentine is heated, and when quite hot, stirred into the copper kettle. This kettle is then covered and left for 4 hours, being gently heated, after which the fire is increased until the contents are perfectly clear; then 1 pound ox-gall is added. After this, sufficient perfectly dry Castile soap is stirred into the mixture to cause the whole to yield but little under the pressure of the finger; for which purpose, from 1 to 2 pounds of soap are required for the above quantity. After cooling, the soap is cut into pieces. It is excellent, and will not injure the finest colors.