Lye Soft Soap
Ashes should be from good wood, or the lye will be weak. Keep the ashes dry until a week before using; see that they are well packed down in the leach, which can be made out of a barrel. Then pour on water until the lye begins to drip slightly; leave it to soak out the strength of the ashes for a week. Then pour on water and begin to run off lye. The proper strength can be told by its floating a fresh egg. If it is not strong boil it, or turn it back through the ashes again. Then add clear grease, or "soap-grease" in the proportion of 1 pound to 1 gallon of lye, boil until it is dissolved, then dip in a feather and if, on taking out, the plume part can be stripped off with the fingers, it requires more grease, which should be added until it will take no more. If a white scum rises skim off (it is grease), or add a little more lye. Boil until it looks soapy. If the lye remains weak, on account of poor ashes, add potash until it is of sufficient strength.