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 Sulphate, 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 colour 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 colours 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 materials 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 colour)
iii. Coconut oil
iv. Animal fat (most expensive). Best for toilet soap
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, Jasmine etc.
F. Colourants, Clean type (Yellow R, Red G, Green G, Blue, White etc)
G. Sodium Sulphate, 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. Moulds made of wood, plastic or metal. Moulds are also called soap boxes.
D. Cutting Machine: This can be manual or motorized. There is the extruder type, which moulds and stamps the soap. Tableting machine cuts and stamps too.
E. Stamper: Manual or motorized type.
All equipments needed can be locally fabricated at very good cost. There are wooden
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. Miscellancous 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 colours 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 inplastic film now in the market. It looks very beautifull.
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 litres of PKO @ N12,500.00
(b) 12kg of Caustic soda @ N01,200.00
(c) 8kg of soda ash or sulphate @ N00,400.00
(d) 5kg of sodium silicate @ N00,250.00
(e) 3 sachets of colour @ N00,150.00
(f) 100mls of good perfume @ N00,200.00
(g) Water needed for 12kg of Caustic soda will be about 45 litres(please guage 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 guage with hydrometer at 1275 – 1250. s. g.
This means that to every measure of caustic soda, add 3 and half measure of wateer 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 guage with hydrometer at 1275 S.G. following the same procedure and method as in caustic soda above.
3. Sodium Sulphate: (option) sodium sulphate 1 cup, water 3 cups.(no need to guage)
FORMULAR FOR PRODUCTION: (about 1 carton of soap of 100g each)
P.K.O - 2parts or 4litres
Colourant - 1teasoopnful
Caustic soda solution - 1part or 2litres
Soda Ash Solution(and or sulphate) - ½ part or 1litre
Sodium Silicate - 4-5 tablespoonfuls
Perfume (eseetronells) - 2-3 table spoonfuls
SOAP MAKING: SEMI-HOT METHOD.
1. Measure out the oil needed into the mixer, add the colourant 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 sulphate 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 mould, previously line with nylon and allow to stand for about 8 hours.
6. Remove from the mould 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, guage (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 litres
Colourant - 1teaspoonful
Caustic soda solution - 1part or 2litres
Soda Ash Solution - ¼ part or 1litre
Kaolin or calcium carbonate - ¼ part or 1kg
Sodium Silicate(optional) - 4-5 tablespoonfull
Perfume - 2-3 tablespoonfull
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 colourant 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
mould previously lined with polythene sheets.
The moulds 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 mould 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 litres (10 jugs)
Kaolin or calcium carbonate - 4-5 kg
Caustic soda solution - 5 litres (5 jugs)
Colour (optional) - 1 teaspoonful
Measure out 10litres of PKO or Palm Oil and add kaolin (or others) mixes with 5 litres of caustic soda solution made as above. Note: that colour may also be added if desired. Add colour 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 odour of the plant seed. Offensive odour indicates rancid (spoilt oil). Taste should not be sour or sweet. Colour 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. Odour should be very strong and typical. It should last long on touch (or after touch)
(d) Sulphonic acid: use for detergent and some times soap should be hot to touch. It should be foam excessively in water. It has an acidic odour.
(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.
Toilet & Medicated Soaps Formulations
S/N Raw Material Toilet soap Medicated soap
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10. Vegetable Oils (eg. P.K.O)
Caustic soda solution (1275/1250)
Soda Ash solution (1275)
Sodium silicate
Glycerin (and or cetyl Alcohol)
Petroleum Jelly
Colorant
Perfumes
Chloroxylenol/or pink oil
Cetrimide/or 1 rgasan 20 parts
10 parts
2 parts
1 part
1 part
1 part
2-3 TSP
2-3 TSP
-
- 20 parts
10 parts
2 parts
1 part
½ part
½ part
2-3 TSP
2-3 TSP
1/8-1/5 part
1/8-1/5 part
Note:
1. Only one antiseptic material such as chloroxylenol, pine oil, 1rgasan, cetrimide, phenol, carbolic Acid, etc can be used up to 0.5% required (in medicated soap).
2. TSP means Tablespoonful.
OTHER SOAP FORMULATION
Medicated Soap
P.K. Oil 20 parts
Caustic Soda Solution 10 parts
Sodium Silicate 2 parts
Carbolic Acid 0.8 part
Colour 2-3 TSP
Perfume 2-3 TSP
Toilet Soap (Alao Vera)
P.K. Oil 20 parts
Caustic Soda Solution 10 parts
Soda Ash 2 parts
Sodium Silicate 1 part
Glycerin/or cetyl/Alcohol 1 part
Alao Vera gel 2 parts
Colour 2-3 TSP
Perfume 2-3 TSP
Processing of Toilet or Medicated Soaps
1. Treat P.K.O. or other oils needed as in the case of laundry nsoap above.
2. Prepare Caustic Soda & Ash solution as in the case of laundry soap above.
3. Mix the Oil with the colour needed.
4. Add caustic soda solution and mix till soap is formed (about 3 minutes)
(If not formed, cover for about 3 minutes)
5. Now add all other remaining ingredients as contained in the particular formular in used and mix to blend well.
6. Pour soap paste into previously prepared mould and leave to harden (about 12 hours)
7. Cut and mould soap from the mould into the desired shape and sizes.
Note: Automatic machines can be used here for modern packaging.
8. Pack soap are required in sachets, packets and cartons for sale.
HOW TO PRODUCE 20-24 MILK CUP – SIZE OF SODA SOAP
1. Caustic Soda Solution
Caustic Soda - 2kg (or 2 plastic Jugs)
Water - 7kg (or 7 plastic jugs)
Mix well and guage at 1275 or a littler less
Note: Jug here refers to 1 litre capacity plastic jug
2. Palm Oil – This should be boiled (If the red colour is not desired) till colour is greatly reduced.
SODA SOAP
Oil (palm or p.k.o.) - 10 litres (10 Jugs)
Caustic Soda Solution - 5 litres (5 Jugs)
Colour (optional) - 1 teaspoonful
Measure out 10 litres of PKO or Palm Oil and mix with 6 litres of caustic soda solution made as above. Add 4-5kg of kaolin or calcium carbonate if it is desired and mix very well to smoothness.
Note that colour may also be added if desired. Add colour to the oil before adding soda solution.
The mixture is poured into oil coated or polythene line milk cups and allow to solidify for at least 12 hours. The products are carefully removed for sale.
SCOURING POWDER
Calcium carbonate - 1 PART
Soda Ash - ¼ part
Powder Soap - ¼ part
Mearsure out these materials and mix thoroughly and pack as desired.
Note: Powder soap can be sodium lauryl sulphate, detergent or others.
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