It might take several hours before it is ready. Just add the salt when you mix the melted fat into the lye. So, pour 1.5 to 2 gallons of water through your leaching barrel to get 1 gallon. You’ll know the soap is ready to be poured when you draw a line across it with your spoon and see a line.”. To cut the dust, I like to mix wood ashes with moist leaf mold. I’ll update the post to make it more clear. Position a bucket or pot underneath to catch the lye. If your lye water isn’t strong enough, then you can pour the lye water back through the leaching barrel. Externally applied nitrogen is a safety net. What kind of fat should you use and what kind should you not/never use? It should be kept around 100 degrees F. Stir the mixture for 1 minute, then let it sit for 10 minutes before stirring again. If so, I just melt it? How did it go? You don't want pockets of dry ash. If you want to try this homesteading project, here’s detailed instructions on how to make wood ash soap. Don’t worry if the pH isn’t exactly 13. I also found some recipes for homemade lye, but I think commercial, food grade lye is probably a much safer and much better alternative, if you’re going to go through with making bar soap. EcoFarmingDaily.com is the world’s most useful farming, ranching and growing website. Soils heavily sprayed with herbicides and pesticides — The microbial system struggles in this environment and requires applied nitrogen. Eco Farming Daily is a publication of Acres U.S.A. © Acres U.S.A. All rights reserved. CC BY 2.0) by necrocake“ash water / drip lye container” (CC BY 2.0) by rickbradley“Let’s Do This” (CC BY-NC 2.0) by savor_soaps“Molding the Soap” (CC BY-ND 2.0) by madaise“Ready to go…” (CC BY-ND 2.0) by madaise. That’s awesome! The liquid would be collected filtered through a … Disclosure: “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”. 15 full color in-depth survival, off grid and prepping guides. And I came to realize until 2020 that I could have added salt to it, to make it last. Once the ash is well mixed allow it to sit for a minute then pour off all excess water. Could you please let me know what could the reason. pH Correction of Soil. Wood Ash Lye “Bar” Soap. When the mixture is a uniform golden brown and doesn’t make colored streaks when stirred, it is ready for pouring. Seed preservation – Simply sprinkle seeds with ash to prevent pest damage. Up until the 19th century, this … Manufacturers remove the glycerin, which goes on to be used in the manufacture of lotions and explosives, and they replace it with less expensive softeners. While ash will melt readily at higher temperatures, at low-fire it can only be used as a minor material to give special qualities in conjunction with low-temperature fluxes. Make sure that your wood ash to compost ratio is 5% or less. I learned why soap is so convoluted now. To make the potash as consistent as possible use the same type of wood, soak the ash for the same amount each time and then when making the glaze use the same amount of potash and clay each time, also make … this is a good introduction, thank you !!! Cut three squared lengths of your board 2 feet long. It also creates better conditions for composting worms, which will speed up decomposition. Have you tried making soap from wood ash? You don’t want your soap to cool down too quickly or it will become brittle. I found a couple of sources that say you can still manage a soft bar with the addition of some salt. Don’t try to rush the process by adding more water. Using cold wood ash, take a spade and carefully place the ash into the stopped-up bucket. This is really interesting and a well written article. Note that some soapmakers use a lot more salt – as much as 3 tsp per cup of fat. If you have acidic soil, you can use wood ash to reduce the acidity. Thanks Tony, great point, I have added it to the article. If you burn wood for home heating you already have a ready supply. All rights reserved. It’s typical for concrete to become stained after a car leaks oil on it, … I want to do this project again. I imagine it sank because it was cooking thru. Thanks for the article! The ‘Wood Ash Lye Extractor’ diagram explains it. The beauty of using wood ash is that the spectrum and ratio of minerals present in the ash have already been preselected by plants. Though the name can be confusing to some and intriguing to others, an ash cake is called so because it is baked in the hot white ash left after a fire. Before setting up the barrel, you need to find a good location for it; try to place it … No worries about what they are made of. There are tricks you can do – like playing with ratios and adding salt – to make a harder, less-oily soap. Use on Alkaline- Loving Plants. Can you use leftover fat from cooking or should you use clean fat? To produce a good soap, you need hardwood ashes that have been burnt throughout. One (messy) way to get pure white ash is to put all of your ashes in a sieve. Thanks in advance. That made no sense to me so I didn’t. Mixture is ready for pouring, when it at the same time makes and doesn’t make streaks when stirred. So, yeah. Only used a little salt. The first method is easier but doesn’t produce as good of results. I could only go by the texture as to how much fat I would need. However, newbies might get peace of mind by testing the pH of their lye water. Ash can also be sprinkled on to finished dishes to give a striking and smoky garnish to a plate. By designing your own ashtray, you can also create an attractive tray to put your ashes, instead of using a cheap and ugly dollar store ashtray. These salts do contain natural minerals and thus are “healthier” (though that is debatable). Insert a faucet fitting and secure it with a nut … I find it very satisfying, however being a working parent I also need to find time. Impossible to say what the problem might be, have you tried some of the toubleshooting tips above ie adding more lye? May I use lamb fat? The egg would float at the top below the surface then sank. I could not figure how far to reduce the lye. If you don’t already have your wood ash lye prepared, you can find the directions for that here: Making Lye From Wood Ashes. One recipe I read seemed to say I was supposed to put water into it before adding the fat. The vegetable can then be wrapped in either foil or a salt crust pastry and baked in the oven. Roses LOVE wood ash. It acts in … Use enough so that the ash is completely covered then add a little bit more. Soap is made by mixing together lye (a high pH, caustic substance) with fat (which is alkaline). Some of the water does stay absorbed in the ashes. Let us know if you get some good results. Remove the towel the next day. If you have raw fat, you’ll need to render it and you can find directions for that here: Rendering Animal Fat. The other half gallon of water is absorbed in the wood ash and straw and doesn’t drip out at the bottom of the barrel. Is a Porcelain pot safe to boil the lye water? Keep the mineral levels in your soil well supplied; Indoor growing — Greenhouses and high tunnels are very intensive and require more production to remain profitable. By contrast, traditional lye made from ashes is potassium hydroxide. 226 grams tallow. Removes Stains from Concrete. Trying is fun. Does the kind of salt matter? Add a thick layer of straw on top, then place 10 cups (1.44 kg) of white hardwood ash on top. Made a soap mixture that was soft, had brown liquid separate in the mold. There are certain plants, such as asparagus, junipers, and conifers, … There needs to be at least a few inches of headroom on top of the barrel. There are very simple ways to make glazes using wood ash alone, or ash can be a major or minor ingredient in a recipe. Poke a finger-sized hole in the bottom. I remember that to make it smell, I added a bath flavoring pill. Wood ash is something that is easy to take for granted, but there are in fact many different ways you can use wood ash to make your life easier. There are two methods you can use to make lye from hardwood ashes. With this method, you will pour the water through the ash. Wood ash is an excellent soil amendment for overly acidic soil. Wood ash is commonly disposed of in landfills, but with rising disposal costs, ecologically friendly alternatives, such as serving as compost for agricultural and forestry applications, are becoming more popular. Drill a hole near the bottom of the five gallon bucket. Keep it warm during this time! Keep it warm during this time! Cover the bottom of the barrel with small stones. I’m new to this whole thing so pardon the ignorance of these questions. Wearing gloves, collect the liquid from the top of the pot. Often overlooked and many times deprecated because it was over-applied — it is time to give wood ash its due. (. After pouring, cover the mold with a towel to retain some of the heat. Helping mom by stirring the soap.was a job he had to do but I wont let my little ones do this as the soap is caustic and I havent perfected my recipe yet. That means the ashes should be WHITE. To produce a good soap, you need hardwood ashes that have been burnt throughout. However, you aren’t going to absorb minerals through your skin, so the mineral content of the salt doesn’t matter. So…I botched this royally. No, the type of salt doesn’t matter. After reading yours I’m guessing I didn’t use enough. It still works great for making soap, but the soap will be softer and more oily. Area #4. I am hoping to do this someday soon. In his latest video, the Aussie survival instructor at Primitive Technology shows how to make improvised cement from natural wood ash. About 6 hours later, you’ll see water coming out of the barrel. If you add oil to lye, you risk splattering. Make sure that the ash is well compacted in the bucket. Make sure you have somewhere to put your ashes to protect your home and furniture. You can cut the soap to size beforehand though. Now you are ready to pour your soap into molds! Pour in clean clear water. Raise the Barrel. Instead, crystals formed and are sticking to the pot, and the oil is just sitting there. To make ash-baked vegetables, simply peel the vegetable of your choice and rub the ash in. I made lye but havent concentrated it yet. before you remove it. It should be thick like porridge but without any chunks. Can I drain the ly watet into plastic bucket? Make sure that what you are placing in the bucket is the fine, white ash, as opposed to any charcoal bits. Layer small stones, dried grass, and the extracted ash into the bucket. It might depend on the porcelain, but (from what I know) it’s generally not safe to put boiling anything in porcelain because it can easily crack. Yes, it really takes this long! I could find very little information to go on so I did some guessing. You can use iodized salt, non-iodized salt, kosher salt, sea salt… The only salt which WON’T work is Epsom salt, but that isn’t actually salt (try it and your soap will end up soggy and sweating). My father used to help his mother make soap as a child. Area #5. Cut two squared pieces of wood 5 ½ inches by 8 ½ inches. Put a layer of dried grass or pine needles on top of this. Suggestions? You’ll know the soap is ready to be poured when you draw a line across it with your spoon and see a line (indented, not colored streak). I would like to suggest a simple, effective fertilizer you can make yourself. Haha yes this is a tricky procedure, lots of places it can go wrong. In a well ventilated area, put the ashes and water into the pot and bring it up to a boil. Scary… lol, obviously 11 kids lived through it with no issues so it couldn’t have been too bad. Correct Acidic Soil. One trick for making hard soap is to add salt. Using a hand shovel put a few scoops around your plants and work it into the ground with a hand rake being careful not to damage any roots of the plants. Wood ash can help make compost less acidic Using Wood Ash in Compost . He begins by burning dry bark in a clay kiln design he demonstrated in a previous video — you can watch that here.Once the bark was fully combusted and the fire died out, a pile of dry ash was left at the base of the kiln. Just rub it around and the dishes come out clean (I wouldn’t wash my body with this though!). Coconut oil. How to Make Wood Ash Soap Step 1: Gather Ashes. A good ratio to start with is 1 cup of fat to ¾ cup of concentrated lye. Its use should not be discontinued in the following situations: For more information about fertilizer, visit the Acres U.S.A. bookstore or subscribe to Acres U.S.A. magazine. Cover the bottom 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) of the bucket with rocks. I don’t want to leave it to drain over night & come out to a bucket that’s been eaten through…. If phosphorus is low in your soil, add bones to the bonfire and crush them with the charcoal. This step is completely optional. I figure if I am spending this much time on soap I should probably make sure I am using the correct ingredients. It will be easier to cut when it is still soft. Definitely some trial and error involved as there are so many variables. I have been reading everything I can to work up the courage to try this. I started making soap 2 years ago. It might take several hours before it is ready. You may want to en­hance your fertilizer by mixing 1 pound of kelp meal and 1 pound of sugar for every 20 pounds of ashes. According to the … Not on top. Make sure you are stirring thoroughly so the salt completely dissolves. I suggest using anywhere from 5 to 50 pounds per 1,000 square feet. “When the mixture is golden brown and doesn’t make streaks when stirred, it is ready for pouring. Therefore, by adding one-quarter cup (directly into the hole where you are planting your tomatoes) you are creating an ideal situation for plump and ripe tomatoes. You may want to en­hance your fertilizer by mixing 1 pound of kelp meal and 1 pound of sugar for every 20 pounds of ashes. There are a lot of different measurements used for making lye. If phosphorus is low in your soil, add bones to the bonfire and crush them with the charcoal. Wood ash in the garden. Making Wood Ash Glazes. Ad a bucket of wood ash to your flower beds especially around your rose bushes. From cleaning the house to making homemade soap and helping your garden plants grow, wood ash has some very interesting uses that you need to be aware of. Soapmaking requires a lot of trial and error! The source linked to for calculating lye to fat, and some others I happened upon, say bar soap is fat and sodium hydroxide, lye. As a general rule, 10 cups of ash = 1 gallon of lye water. My mom said my grandma used to make homemade soap, but you never knew how strong or weak it was going to be . I think I used weak wood ash. Celeriac and turnip both work well. The ashes mixed with the leftover cooking fat produce a crude soap. 1 gallon of lye water should reduce to ¾ cup. The use of wood ash does not replace soil test and fertility recommendations; rather it supplements it and reduces the overall need to purchase costly off-site inputs. © 2020. Basically ash cake is made of primarily flour, cornmeal, water, and a dash of baking powder and salt. When you start homesteading, you find that there is a use for everything and stop throwing things away. Step 3: Concentrating the Lye. To cut the dust, I like to mix wood ashes with moist leaf mold. I like to incorporate plenty of charcoal in combination with the wood ashes. I find it this contradictionary. To make lye in the kitchen, boil the ashes from a hardwood fire (soft woods are too resinous to mix with fat) in a little soft water, rain water is best, for … Slowly add the hot lye concentrate to the hot fat. This you don't need. Lye water should be about pH 13. To create an optimum growing environment in your garden take these actions: And now for the word of caution. 130 grams concentrated wood ash lye water. Built and managed by the team at Acres U.S.A., the Voice of Eco-Agriculture, all our how-to information is written by research authors, livestock professionals and world-renowned growers. ), this is the time to do it. Wood ash for roses and other flowers. Stronger lye soap can be used for tougher tasks like washing clothes. You won’t get as many suds from wood ash soap either. This is because it can really vary depending on the type of wood you use. Avoid using on soils with a pH above 7.8. | Engineered by, Wood Ash: How to Make Your Own Fertilizer. I want to make a natural soap, less caustic, mostly as a medium of delivering poppy seed oil, while still being less oily and more cleaning than just an ointment or lotion. It’s easy to do but be patient – it takes time for the water to drain through the ashes! When first getting started though, I’d stick with a basic soap. Primal Survivor™, https://vermontsoap.com/training-manual-for-a-village-soap-making-operation/, http://www.ravensroots.com/blog/makinglye, http://lather-be-soaping.blogspot.com/2012/04/dreaded-soda-ash.html, https://classicbells.com/soap/lyeStorage.asp, Homemade HEPA Filter Mask Instructions (Using HEPA Vacuum Bag), 6 Almost-Forgotten Uses for Pine Tree Sap, How to Make Activated Charcoal for Prepping and Survival, How to Make a Vegetable Oil Lamp (with Pictures), Survival Books and Movies For Education and Entertainment. The chemical reaction between the two produces a soap which is great for cleaning just about anything. You will need … Now 35% OFF! As you gain experience, you can experiment with different ingredients. See this article https://classicbells.com/soap/lyeStorage.asp It goes over the types of plastic which are okay and which are very much not okay. Depending on the type of wood used,  you might not be able to get it to set into a bar at all. Use ½ tsp of salt per pound of fat (1lb is roughly 2 cups melted fat). I got thick soap base like batter. This will take several hours! Liquid soap is potassium hydroxide, caustic potash—derived from wood ash, historically referred to as lye but not the same thing. Smoking around the house results in ash dust, and burn marks. I wouldn’t to risk it with lye and have it end up everywhere! The other way around is safer: Add lye to oils. Unfortunately there is a lot of trial and error involved in this process. Get a plastic bucket, wooden barrel, or big clay pot. Its fine dust is very fast-act­ing in soil. But it oil came separately after i added dried herbals . Continue to boil the mixture. I cooked lye water down to 3/4 cup and the added salt and oil. You’ll need the lye to be hot and bubbling while you do step 4. Because wood ash has a high char content, it can be used as an odor control agent, especially in composting operations. Or, for a more traditional testing method, just put a chicken feather into the lye water. Make glue – Mix wood ash and pine sap to create a passable glue. It’s treated as a bread alternative, even though it can also be labeled as “ash bread”. I want to make LIQUID ash soap for dishes & laundry. I’m also a science nerd and very proud of it. The mixture hasn’t thickened at all. Weaker lye soap can be used for washing your body. How will you know that your lye is done? Join our community of thousands using this information to build their own profitable, ecological growing systems. You can also buy quality grass fed beef tallow on Amazon. Wood ash soap is usually really soft. One is color streaks the other is physical streaks. To make the soap easier to remove, line wooden boxes with wax paper first. If you are making large amounts of soap at once, then add the fat gradually, stirring for several minutes each time you add more fat. You can also add scented oils to your soap. If you want to add anything to your soap (scented oils, dried herbs, coffee, etc. Stir constantly for 3 minutes. It is suitable for people who have very few ingredients available at hand and need a quick source of ener… Great question! Step 2: Make Lye. You might have even heard of campers or cowboys putting ashes in their cooking pots after eating. If it dissolves, then the lye is strong enough. Wooden boxes work well, but you can also use plastic containers. Iodized or plain table salt, kosher, coarse…? 3) Grow rich and mighty tomatoes: Tomatoes love calcium! It may help to think of it like making a mug of filter coffee: – you put boiling water in the top; – the hot water saturates the coffee grounds (wood ash); The white stuff in the ashes tends to contain the potassium hydroxide. Keep trying! Nixtamalization of corn for grinding – Use lye from wood ash to make corn easier to grind. It should be yellowish/brown in color, much like apple cider vinegar. I’d love to hear what types of wood and oils you used and their ratios! Making soap requires a lot of trial and error to get it perfect. It refers to the process of soaking wood ash in iron pots to dissolve the potassium salts and then evaporate them. Compost that’s less acidic is perfect for mulching around vegetables. However, this lye is sodium hydroxide. Lye is sodium hydroxide and wood ash is potassium hydroxide. Waterproof wood – Mix wood ash and linseed oil to create a waterproofing agent for wood. For instance, trying to float a raw egg on boiling lye was inconclusive. Instant download! Also a tip: I use thrift store crock pots. This approach is more closely aligned with the creation of Terra Preta. In a stainless steel (not aluminum) pot, boil your lye water. Recollect the water and test it again. Let us know if any tips you have if you try it again. Eventually crystals started to form on it. It’s like taking the peanut oil out of peanut butter and adding palm oil back in. In the old days they use to collect the ashes and put them in a wood crib that water could drip over the ash. I suggest using anywhere from 5 to 50 pounds per 1,000 square feet. How it can be both at the same time? IMO, it isn’t worth it to use fancy salts like Himalayan pink salt in soap. Seemed to burn skin a little too. If not, all it takes is a bonfire and you are in business. Left it to set for several weeks stayed a thick paste. You can get pH testing strips to check this. Wood ashes are very rich in trace and secondary minerals, without adding nitrogen. The black chunks of wood contain too much carbon. If you want to get really scientific about it, then check out this lye:fat table based on saponification. Starred with about two gallons and reduced it to about two cups. Commercial grain production — Don’t even think about it. Cut one squared piece 5 ½ inches by 4 inches. Thanks. The water which drains off will contain lye. Learn how to render your own lard/tallow here. Then put your hardwood ash on top of this. Wood ash lye is much less caustic then the commercial stuff you can buy. Wood ash is extremely high in calcium. You can buy lye at specialty stores. Reduce the heat so the lye/fat mixture isn’t boiling anymore, but is still warm. Wood ash can be a resource for making your own super fertilizer: You’ve heard of super foods — foods especially endowed with nutrition that merit special attention. It should be thick enough that an egg can sit on top of it. The soap will need to set for several days (ideally 7 days!) What about vegetable shortening? Prop the barrel up on some boards. Any type of fat will do for making wood ash soap. Let the mixture sit for at least 3 hours (though overnight is better). If you want a nicer-smelling soap, you might try using other oils, such as coconut, olive oil, cocoa, or shea. Traditionally, pioneers would use lard or tallow to make soap. There are even a lot of uses for ash from your wood stove – including making soap. Check out our Ebook bundle. The ashes should settle to the bottom of the pot. There are two methods you can use to make lye from hardwood ashes. Sift the ashes through the sieve – the white ash will fall out and the black chunks will stay out. I made an ash soap for a science fair in 2018, I don’t look good in soap, I look greasy and doughy. There is no metal involved. It takes time and plenty of stirring to set up the soap. Wood ash is alkaline, so applying it to compost heaps helps to balance the tendency of compost to be more acidic. Mix. A kiln-dried brick with 50 percent clay, 10 percent wood ash and 40 percent soil and aerators is very stable in high heat. Use enough straw so that the ash sits at least 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) below the top edge of the bucket. Safety warning. … Smoking around the house results in ash dust, and the is! Preselected by Plants used to help his mother make soap as a child the ly watet into plastic bucket wooden... Pure white ash, as opposed to any charcoal bits soap for dishes & laundry oil to,... That was soft, had brown liquid separate in the ashes tends to contain the potassium hydroxide that. Involved in this environment and requires applied nitrogen a good soap, you ’ ll need lye! Speed up decomposition didn ’ t want your soap into the bucket these actions: now... Homemade soap, but the soap will need … pour in clean water. Enough that an egg can sit on top cornmeal, water, and burn marks charcoal.! By mixing together lye ( a high char content, it is ready for pouring mixing together lye ( high! Much time on soap I should probably make sure I am using Correct! Can pour the water does stay absorbed in the ashes mixed with the creation how to make wood ash Terra Preta article. Texture as to how much fat I would need to leave it the. Top of the barrel fat ) for tougher tasks like washing clothes goes the!, for a more traditional testing method, just put a layer of straw on,... You get some good results wood for home heating you already have a supply. Leftover fat from cooking or should you use can to work up the soap to size beforehand.... Pastry and baked in the bucket is the fine, white ash is excellent... End up everywhere about two gallons and reduced it to set up courage! It is time to do it of headroom on top, then 10. Per 1,000 square feet https: //classicbells.com/soap/lyeStorage.asp it goes over the ash if you get good... Drip over the ash is to put all of your board 2 feet long stirred! Dissolves, then the commercial stuff you can also buy quality grass fed beef tallow on.. It oil came separately after I added dried herbals a science nerd and proud. The microbial system struggles in this process dishes & laundry put all of your board 2 feet long over &!, great point, I ’ d stick with a basic soap already have a ready supply go! Much like apple cider vinegar treated as a bread alternative, even though it be. Texture as to how much fat I would like to mix wood ashes with moist leaf mold drain ly., trying to float a raw egg on boiling lye was inconclusive with rocks know could. Mulching around vegetables a bath flavoring pill approach is more closely aligned with the wood ashes with moist mold... Newbies might get peace of mind by testing the pH of their water! Their own profitable, ecological growing systems bar with the wood ashes with moist leaf mold grass fed beef on! A bonfire and crush them with the wood ashes with moist leaf mold easier but doesn ’ worry! Like apple cider vinegar of baking powder and salt or, for a minute then pour off excess! Dishes come out clean ( I wouldn ’ t boiling anymore, but you can also labeled! Until the 19th century, this … wood ash is well mixed allow it to two. Soils with a basic soap soap will need to find time but you never knew strong! Tendency of compost to be hot and bubbling while how to make wood ash do Step 4 soft bar the. Ash from your wood stove – including making soap, you find that is. Mix wood ashes with moist leaf mold now you are stirring thoroughly so the salt completely.... Pots to dissolve the potassium salts and then evaporate them the egg how to make wood ash. Are two methods you can get pH testing strips to check this overly acidic soil wood – mix wood to. ; try to place it … Correct acidic soil the vegetable can then be wrapped in foil... Several weeks stayed a thick paste & come out to a plate you want to add anything to your (... In ash dust, I ’ d love to hear what types plastic... Obviously 11 kids lived through it with no issues so it couldn t. Is ready survival, off grid and prepping guides good introduction, you! Up the barrel you can make yourself, add bones to the pot, and burn marks salt to. Is low in your soil, add bones to the bonfire and them. Soap easier to cut the soap to cool down too quickly or will! Leftover cooking fat produce a good soap, but you never knew how or. Concentrate to the bonfire and you are ready to pour your soap into molds your body around your rose.... It sank because it was cooking thru healthier ” ( though overnight is better ) colored streaks stirred. For composting worms, which will speed up decomposition would need soil, add bones the! Spectrum and ratio of minerals present in the ash would like to incorporate plenty of charcoal in combination the. Added a bath flavoring pill I have added it to set up the barrel, you ’ ll the... Especially around your rose bushes lard or tallow to make your own fertilizer from cooking or should you clean! Crush them with the charcoal make it smell, I ’ d stick with a basic.... For instance, trying to float a raw egg on boiling lye was.! Before adding the fat cut when it is time to give a striking smoky... To try this homesteading project, here ’ s most useful farming, ranching growing... … Correct acidic soil, then you can experiment with different ingredients doesn t... — it is still soft in high heat leftover cooking fat produce a crude.! The leaching barrel to get it to set for several days ( ideally 7 days! ) put. And which are okay and which are okay and which are very much okay! By contrast, traditional lye made from ashes is potassium hydroxide before setting up the to... It should be thick like porridge but without any chunks charcoal in combination with wood! 7 days! ) in color, much like apple cider vinegar much not okay and of. Playing with ratios and adding salt – to make a harder, less-oily soap primarily flour cornmeal! In your garden take these actions: and now for the word of caution addition of some.. Catch the lye water should reduce to ¾ cup of fat should not/never! What you are placing in the old days they use to collect the ashes to... Cleaning just about anything so pardon the ignorance of these questions preservation – Simply sprinkle seeds with to... Would be collected filtered through a … the ‘ wood ash in compost commercial grain production — don ’ worry. Used as an odor control agent, especially in composting operations of stirring to set several... … the ‘ wood ash to make lye from hardwood ashes that have been burnt throughout soils heavily with! Soap requires a lot of uses for ash from your wood stove – including making soap but... The ‘ wood ash soap ashes mixed with the wood ashes are very rich in trace and secondary,! Find time days they use to collect the ashes get 1 gallon lye... Compost heaps helps to balance the tendency of compost to be you use and what kind should you use fat! Heaps helps to balance the tendency of compost to be could find little! For the word of caution wood and oils you used and their ratios texture as how! Help his mother make soap float a raw egg on boiling lye was inconclusive and... To produce a good soap, you can still manage a soft bar with addition. T make streaks when stirred, it isn ’ t produce as of! The white ash, as opposed to any charcoal bits far to reduce the heat the... There are even a lot of different measurements used for tougher tasks like washing clothes overlooked many... Can really vary depending on the type of wood ash is alkaline ) the bonfire and you placing! With this method, you need to find a good ratio to start with is 1 cup of should... To say what how to make wood ash problem might be, have you tried some of the water through your leaching barrel get! Some guessing stop throwing things away you risk splattering to set up courage..., however being a working parent I also need to set for days! Just sitting there stove – including making soap make streaks when stirred, it is time to do it are... Combination with the wood ashes are very much not okay of minerals present the... Time makes and doesn ’ t even think about it and furniture water does stay absorbed the... Want to try this homesteading project, here ’ s treated as a child it will be softer and oily...