Lye soap is made from wood ashes, water, and animal fat such as beef or pork fat. To make lye soap, the wood ashes are mixed with water to create lye, then combined with melted animal fat through either a cold or cooked process. Pioneers used lye soap for washing clothes by hand and bathing, as hygiene was difficult without running water and most families could only bathe once a week. Lye soap was also used to treat skin conditions and poison ivy.

1. Lye SoapBy: Beth Joyner, Alyssa Lambert, & Heather Jackson

2. Lye Soap QuestionsWhat is lye soap made of?How is lye soap made?How good was pioneer hygiene?How did pioneers wash their clothes?What is lye soap used for?

3. What is Lye Soap Made of?Wood Ashes (for a large amount, the wood ashes should fill a 5 gallon bucket). Ashes should be white not the black charcoal like wood. Lye is made when the ashes and water are mixed together. The best lye comes from the ashes of hardwood (like oak & maple) and fruitwood (apple,.etc)Taken from: http://www.frontierfreedom.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=57

4. What is Lye Soap made of?Lye soap is also made of a fat of some kind.The homemade lye, which is made from wood ash Potassium Hydroxide, makes a softer soap.The fats used for homemade lye should be beef or pork fat, although other fat can be used but the product will be a lot softer.Taken from: http://www.frontierfreedom.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=105&Itemid=99999999

5. How is Lye Soap Made?There are two different processes for making Lye soapOne process is a Cold processThe other is a Cooked processTaken from: http://www.frontierfreedom.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=105&Itemid=99999999

6. How is Lye Soap Made?The cold process of making lye soap is when you mix the right amount of ingredients are put together and mixed for long periods of time (depending on the fat poured into the mold) and then dried. The cooking process of making lye is when you boil the lye water (the mixture of ashes & water) in a large stainless steal or cast iron pot then 10lbs or so of lard while stirring with a wooden spoon or slat. Then more lye water is added and stirring continues until it thickens to a syrup-like consistency. Taken from: http://www.fargolocalfoods.net/recipes/lye_soap.html

7. How is Lye Soap Made?The harder the lard and how thick the mixture becomes will determine how hard the soap is.After boiling or mixing (if you are using the cold process), you then pour the soap mixture onto an enameled pan or wooden tray with shallow sides (2 in is recommended) to cool.Once the soap hardens enough to hold its shape then you cut it into bars.Taken from: http://www.fargolocalfoods.net/recipes/lye_soap.html

8. How Good was Pioneer Hygiene?Pioneers had no running water. All water came from a well, spring, or natural water source.There were no showers. Everyone in the family had to share the same bath water, and children were the last ones to get a bath. In the winter they only got to take a bath once a week. In the summer they could wash themselves off in a stream or river if they did not want to wait until bath day.Taken from: http://library.thinkquest.org/J001587/

9. How did the Pioneers Wash Their ClothesWashing clothes was hard work. Doing the laundry took most of the day because everything was done by hand.First water was hauled from the well or a nearby river. Everyone in the family helped to carry buckets (pails) of water. There had to be enough water for washing and rinsing. Water for washing was heated in an iron kettle or metal washtub. Rinsing was done in cold water.Taken from: http://www.saskschools.ca/~gregory/wash.html

10. How did the Pioneers Wash Their Clothes?Clothes were sorted and soaked in hot soapy water. A long stick was used to stir the clothes around in the hot water and to pull the clothes out.Then the clothes were scrubbed on the washboard with lye soap to remove the dirt. A cake of soap was rubbed over the stains. The cloth was rubbed up and down on the ridges of the washboard and dipped in water.Taken from: http://www.saskschools.ca/~gregory/wash.html

11. How did the Pioneers Wash Their Clothes?To get out the soapsuds, the clothes were rinsed in cold water. More than one rinse was usually needed so two or more tubs were used for rinsing.Then the clothes were hung on lines outdoors to dry. Clothes lines were tied between trees or buildings.In the winter snow was melted for washing. Lines were stretched across the room near the fireplace (or stove) and most of the clothes were dried indoors.Taken from: http://www.saskschools.ca/~gregory/wash.html

12. What is Lye Soap Used for?Lye soap can be used for:Treatment of skin problemsTreatment of poison ivy (one of the more common uses)LaundryTaken from: http://www.smokymountainlyesoap.com/soapuses.php

13. Smoky Mountain Lye Soap: http://www.smokymountainlyesoap.com/soapuses.phpMaking Lye Soap: http://www.fargolocalfoods.net/recipes/lye_soap.htmlFrontier Freedom: http://www.frontierfreedom.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=57How to Make Lye Soap:http://library.thinkquest.org/J001587/Uses of Lye Soap: http://www.ehow.com/about_5246424_uses-lye- soap.htmlHow the Pioneers Washed Their Clothes:http://www.saskschools.ca/~gregory/wash.htmlPioneer Hygiene:http://www.brighthub.com/education/k-12/articles/30197.aspxResources