Fundamentals of Soap Making

This course will cover the fundamentals of how to safely make bar soap. Each class meeting will last three hours, and we will meet once a week for four weeks (four total classes). During this course, participants will make 22 bars of soap while learning the steps of the soap making process, how to safely handle materials, and how to cut and cure your soaps.

While a very general description of the chemistry will be covered, this class will not go into the specifics, and no prior knowledge of chemistry is required. A formulation, or recipe, to make soap will be provided in class. In addition, you will learn about the materials, equipment, and potential suppliers needed for making soap in your own home. At the end of the class, you will have the knowledge to make bar soaps at home independently.

Safety Note: We will handle materials that have the potential to burn, so long sleeves, pants, and closed-toed shoes are required. An apron is suggested if you are worried about bleaching or damaging your clothes.

Continuing with Soap Making: If there is enough interest, additional courses exploring other aspects of soap making may be added at a later date (e.g. liquid soap, formulating your own recipe, soap designs). This course must be taken prior to registering for any other soap making courses.

Supplies: All materials provided.

NOTE: This class is not eligible for fee remission for Ivy Tech employees due to limited capacity. Please see our CLL fee remission guidelines for more information.