MODERN SOAPS, DETERGENT & DISINFECTANTS TECHNOLOGY-HOW TO

PRODUCE STANDARD LAUDARY (BAR) SOAP

INTRODUCTION:

Soap are metallic salts of higher fatty acids (found in oils/fats) resulting from a reaction called
saponification. Basically it is a simple reaction represented by a base (Alkalis) and an acid (oil).

RAW MATERIALS:

SODAS: Caustic Soda, Caustic Potash, Soda Ash, representing some of the sodas that are used
in soap making. (Alkalis)

OILS:

The oils range from palm kernel oil (P.K.O) to groundnut oil, cotton seed oil, coconut oils, palm
oil and many other vegetable oils. Some other oil resources such as lard, tallow, etc. can also be
used to produce soaps. Note: mineral oil cannot be used.

Apart from sodas and oils other ingredients, which help to increase the quality and quantity of
soaps are also used. These include Rosin, Sodium Silicate, STPP, Salt, Sodium Sulfate, Kaolin,
Calcium Carbonate, etc.

OTHERS:

Other additives include perfumes, colorants, antiseptics, bleach, etc. depending on types of soap
to be made.

SOLVENT:

Water is the major solvent used to dissolve the solid components.

TYPES OF SOAPS:

There are many types of soaps:

Hard Soaps: These types of soap are obtained from caustic soda (sodium hydroxide). Examples
are key soap, duck soap, happy day soap and much other laundry soap in the market. It properly
made, they are hard and tend to last longer than other types of soap that are soft.
Soft Soaps: these are soaps obtained from caustic potash (potassium hydroxide). They are very
soluble in water. Examples are Imperial leather soap, Joy soap, Lux soap and many more. They
are mainly toilet soaps.

Medicated Soap: These are toilet soaps that contain medicinal substances that can kill germs.
They are used for skin and body protection from germs by many people. The medicinal
chemicals that are used to make medicated soaps include: mercuric iodide, phenol, iodide,
cetrimide etc. There are many medicated soap in the market they include:- Carat, Antisol,
Roberts, skin guard soaps etc.

Transparent soap: Toilet soaps that do not have any types of color are known as transparent
soap. One can see through the soap bar of a transparent soap. They are made by washing toilet
soaps in alcohol to remove the colors available.

Some of them contain glycerol. Examples are Voxe soap, etc. One needs sophisticated
equipment to produce them.

Soda Soap: This is hard and harsh soap locally produced using palm oil or PKO and caustics
soda. Occasionally filler such as calcium carbonate, starch or kaolin is added to increase yield. It
is very popular soap type among the ordinary people at the grass root of the economy. The soap
is usually not branded but occupies a good positioning the local soap market.

SPACE REQUIREMENT:

The minimum of one or two standard rooms of not less than 3mx4m each will be needed. This
should be properly secured for raw materials, equipment and other items of value. (Reserved for
more discussion). However any other open shaded space can be used where better space is not
available (at least for a start).

LIST OF IMPOTENT RAW MATERIALS:

The raw material for laundry soap making includes:

A. Vegetable oils: High quality grade

i. PKO (mostly used, cheapest)

ii. Palm oil (usually boiled to remove the red color)

iii. Coconut oil

v. Factory fat sludge (fatty acid) can be used in place of P.K.O.

B. Caustic soda and or caustic potash

C. Soda ash, Industrial Grade or Dense.

D. Sodium silicate,(Hard and Glassy)

E. Perfumes, strong and oily like Citronella, Rose, and Jasmine etc.

F. Colorants, Clean type (Yellow R, Red G, Green G, Blue, and White etc.)

G. Sodium Sulfate, Industrial Grade

H. Kaolin, Washed Kaolin (Calcium Carbonate is ok too)

I. Water, Clean and clear.

The selection is usually based on targeted quality. The safest thing to do in purchasing raw
materials is buy from reputable suppliers (see list of raw materials dealers or contact the resource
person)

EQUIPMENT/TOOLS:

The equipment required includes:

A. A heater: Stove for type under consideration, firewood can also be used as source of heating.
Boilers are also needed for big operation.

B. A mixer: Manually operated. This can be ladle and plastic bucket or drum. It can also be
automated which will need electricity.

C. Molds made of wood, plastic or metal. Molds are also called soap boxes.

D. Cutting Machine: This can be manual or motorized. There is the extruder type, which molds
and stamps the soap.

E. Stamper: Manual or motorized type.

F. Hydrometer: To measure SG of solutions

G version cutters and tampers in the market.. Storage tanks: Plastics preferred because it is
cheaper than stainless steel. Hand Groves: Nose mask, overalls, Boot, Eye goggles. Caps and
other PPEs.

H. Storage racks: This is a storage shelf or table.

I. Working Table: For operations

J. Miscellaneous tools as may be needed.

PACKAGING MATERIALS:

Currently laundry soaps are packed cartons both in bars, or tables and in various sizes. There are
30 or 50 pieces in bars and there are 50 to 100 pieces in tables of either 100g or 200g or more.
These cartons should be strong, printed in colors if affordable. The cartons should carry:-

(a) Brand name

(b) Manufacturer

(c) Quantity packed

(d) Other sales information

Note that innovativeness is the sole of business. Other packaging materials can also be used to
promote sales. For instance, there is a laundry soap that is packed in plastic film now in the
market. It looks very beautiful.

PRODUCTION ESTIMATES:
Laundry (Bar) soap

For a production capacity of 20 cartons of 100g each, about the following raw materials will be
needed.

(a) 100 liters of PKO @ N12, 500.00

(b) 12kg of Caustic soda @ N01, 200.00

(c) 8kg of soda ash or sulfate @ N00, 400.00

(d) 5kg of sodium silicate @ N00, 250.00

(e) 3 sachets of color @ N00, 150.00

(f) 100mls of good perfume @ N00, 200.00

(g) Water needed for 12kg of Caustic soda will be about 45 liters (please gauge at 1275sg).

Remember to add the cost of water if you buy it for use here.

Note that buying more quantity brings the prices of these items down.

At the present wholesale prices of N1, 000.00, N950.00 is recommended. This gives revenue of
N19, 000.00 minus N14,750.00 (cost of materials) i.e. =N3,250.00. This gives approximately
30% gross profit margin. Note that cost of package etc. has been deducted. This capacity can be
scaled up or down depending on available fund. If you make and sell more soap you will make
more money.

Note that 20 cartons can be mixed in 1 hour at a rate of 5 cartons every 15 minutes. Taking 6
effectives working hour a day and 24 working days in a month, N680,000.00 is realizable
monthly in this business.

PRODUCTION PROCESS
Caution: Caustic soda is very corrosive to the skin. Handle it and other chemicals with rubber or
plastic hand gloves only.

HOW TO MAKE:

1. Caustic soda solution: Measure out as below using a cup or bucket as needed.

Caustic soda 1part

Water 3½ part

Mix and gauge with hydrometer at 1275 1250. s. g.

This means that to every measure of caustic soda, add 3 and half measure of water e.g. 1 cup of
caustic soda or 1 bucket of caustic soda to 3½ cups of water or buckets of water.

2. Soda Ash Solution

Soda Ash (Dense) 1 part

Water 3½

Mix and gauge with hydrometer at 1275 S.G. following the same procedure and method as in
caustic soda above.

3. Sodium Sulfate: (option) sodium sulfate 1 cup, water 3 cups.(no need to gauge)

FORMULAR FOR PRODUCTION: (about 1 carton of soap of 100g each)

P.K.O - 2parts or 4litres

Colorant - 1teasoopnful

Caustic soda solution - 1part or 2litres

Soda Ash Solution (and or sulfate) - ½ part or 1litre

Sodium Silicate - 4-5 tablespoon

SOAP MAKING: SEMI-HOT METHOD.

1. Measure out the oil needed into the mixer, add the colorant and heat or warm. Mix after
heating. Note that the oil should not be too hot.

2. Add the caustic soda solution and mix (cover and leave for about 3 minutes if necessary) i.e. if
reaction does not occur immediately.

3. Add the Soda Ash solution and or sodium sulfate solution and mix.

4. Add all other ingredients at this stage and mix till soap paste is smooth. (About 2 minutes).

5. Transfer into the mold, previously line with nylon and allow standing for about 8 hours.

6. Remove from the mold into cutting table and cut, then stamp or tablet as required.

7. If full boil method is used soap could be grinded before tabulating (cutting will not be
necessary). Full boil is suitable for large scale only.

8. Pack soap as required for sale.

Note keep all solution not used and use them with the new batch of solution. I.e. mix any left-
over of caustic soda solution with a newly prepared one, gauge (at 1275) and use. Same applies
to Soda Ash etc. We recommend a batch of not more than 5 cartons at a time at the manual level
and leave either oil or the caustic soda cold. And the other just warm to touch (especially for
beginners as they gain experienced more can be handle).

Another formulation for 1 carton of soap (100grm each).

P.K.O. - 2parts or 4 liters

Caustic soda solution - 1part or 2litres

Soda Ash Solution - ¼ parts or 1litre

Kaolin or calcium carbonate - ¼ part or 1kg

Sodium Silicate (optional) - 4-5 tablespoon

Perfume - 2-3 tablespoon

This batch will yield about 108-110 tables of 100g each. The yield here is more.

Kaolin or calcium carbonate can be increase up to 1 and half kg as desired.

As a small-scale soap production business the semi-hot methods is recommended.

MAKING SOAP:-

The hot oil is placed in the mixer and the require quantity of colorant is added and mixed. The
kaolin or calcium carbonate is added and mix well. Caustic soda solution is then added and
mixed. The solution thickens. Soda Ash solution required is also mixed. All other materials are
then added and soap paste is thoroughly mixed to give a smooth paste. The paste is at once
poured into the mold previously lined with polythene sheets. The molds are covered and left
undisturbed for another 4-6 hours or still the soap block hardens.

Note: Foaming of soap can be greatly increase by adding one table spoonful of

Sulphonic Acid to every 2 litres of P.K.O. for soap making.

FINISHING THE SOAP:

The soap block in turn is cut in the cutting tables. The tablet or bars are stamped with stamper
and left in the shelf at least 24 hours before they are packed into cartons for sale. If the cutter and
mold are well made there should be little or no off cut.
HOW TO PRODUCE 20-24 MILK CUP-SIZE OF SODA SOAP (Local soda)

Soda soap:

Oil (Palm or PKO) - 10 liters (10 jugs)

Kaolin or calcium carbonate - 4-5 kg

Caustic soda solution - 5 liters (5 jugs)

Color (optional) - 1 teaspoonful

Measure out 10litres of PKO or Palm Oil and add kaolin (or others) mixes with 5 liters of caustic
soda solution made as above. Note: that color may also be added if desired. Add color to the oil
before adding soda solution. The mixture is poured into oil coated or polythene line milk cups
and allow solidifying for at least 6 hours. The products are carefully removed for sale.

QUALITY TIPS ON RAW MATERIALS:

The following raw materials if not good are usually responsible for poor quality products.

(a) PKO or other oils: Should smell clean odor of the plant seed. Offensive odor indicates rancid
(spoilt oil). Taste should not be sour or sweet. Color should be golden.

(b) Sodium silicate: should be glassy on drying. It should not easily mix with cold water.

(c) Perfume: this should be very oily and heavy. Odor should be very strong and typical. It
should last long on touch (or after touch)

(d) Sulphonic acid: use for detergent and sometimes soap should be hot to touch. It should be
foam excessively in water. It has an acidic odor.

(e) Hydrogen peroxide: (for detergents). It should foam in dropping on a sooth or rough surface.
It foams in dirty water and turn the skin whitish on contact.

Caution: handle all chemicals with plastic gloves only.

Did you enjoy this article?