Goat Milk Soap Calculator
Calculate NaOH lye, goat milk, backup liquid, fragrance, mold fit, cured weight, and oil profile balance from real sodium hydroxide SAP values.
Choose a real-style cold process recipe to load oil weights, superfat, milk split, lye concentration, fragrance load, mold volume, and cure shrinkage.
Enter actual oil weights, or choose a profile and scale it to the target oil size or mold volume. SAP values below are NaOH grams per gram of oil.
Batch Results
| Oil or fat | NaOH SAP | KOH SAP approx | Typical role in goat milk soap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olive oil | 0.134 | 0.188 | Mild conditioning base, slower unmold |
| Coconut oil, 76 deg | 0.183 | 0.257 | Hardness, bubbles, cleansing power |
| Palm oil | 0.142 | 0.199 | Firm bar with stable, creamy lather |
| Beef tallow | 0.140 | 0.196 | Dense long-lasting farmstead bar |
| Lard | 0.138 | 0.194 | Gentle, creamy, slow-moving batter |
| Shea butter | 0.128 | 0.180 | Creaminess and conditioning feel |
| Castor oil | 0.1286 | 0.181 | Lather support, often 3% to 8% |
| Avocado oil | 0.133 | 0.187 | Rich soft oil for gentle bars |
| High-oleic sunflower | 0.135 | 0.190 | Conditioning soft oil, keep oxidation in mind |
| Rice bran oil | 0.128 | 0.180 | Silky, economical olive-oil companion |
| Lye concentration | Liquid per 1 oz NaOH | Why use it | Goat milk note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28% | 2.57 oz liquid | More fluid, slower trace | Can heat more during gel |
| 30% | 2.33 oz liquid | Flexible beginner range | Good for partial frozen milk |
| 32% | 2.13 oz liquid | Balanced loaf formula | Common for full goat milk |
| 33% | 2.03 oz liquid | Firmer unmold, less shrink | Keep milk very cold |
| 35% | 1.86 oz liquid | Water discount, faster trace | Best with experienced handling |
| Mold example | Volume | Oil estimate | Typical finished bars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small test loaf, 8 x 2.5 x 2.5 in | 50 cu in | 20 oz oils | 5 bars at 4 oz |
| Standard loaf, 10 x 3.5 x 2.8 in | 98 cu in | 39 oz oils | 9 to 10 bars |
| Tall skinny, 12 x 2.5 x 3.5 in | 105 cu in | 42 oz oils | 10 bars |
| Market slab, 14 x 7 x 1.8 in | 176 cu in | 70 oz oils | 16 to 18 bars |
| Metric loaf, 25 x 9 x 7 cm | 1575 cm3 | 1090 g oils | 9 to 10 bars |
| Setting | Common range | Calculator formula | Batch note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superfat | 3% to 8% | NaOH x (1 - superfat) | Higher superfat lowers lye amount |
| Fragrance load | 2% to 4% oils | Oil weight x load percent | Check fragrance-specific IFRA limits |
| Full milk liquid | 100% of liquid | Total liquid x 1.00 | Freeze in cubes to control heat |
| Half milk liquid | 50% of liquid | Total liquid x 0.50 | Dissolve lye in water, add milk to oils |
| Cure shrinkage | 8% to 12% | Fresh weight x remaining percent | Weigh bars weekly for stable cure |
This calculator is for sodium hydroxide cold process bar soap. It does not calculate potassium hydroxide liquid soap or dual-lye shaving soap.
Goat milk soaps is made using goat milk and oils. Goat milk soap is used in skincare because goat milk contain conditioning properties for the skin. People use goat milk soap to give their skin a feeling of softness.
However, goat milk can scorch if the temperature during the recipe is to high. Several factors affect goat milk soap; people must manage the amount of lye, the percentage of the milk, and the loss of the goat milk during the curing process. A soap calculator make it easier for soap makers to manage these variable.
Using a Soap Calculator for Goat Milk Soap
The soap calculator will show the variables in specific weights for the soap maker to use instead of having to calculate the weights of the ingredients. The first step in the goat milk soap recipe is for the person to decide on the amount of goat milk to use and to keep the goat milk at a safe temperature. Using full-fat milk will give the bar of soap a creamy texture.
However, goat milk can scorch if the lye is hot; hence, people use the goat milk as ice cubes or use less water to dissolve the lye before adding the goat milk. Using a soap calculator will set the percentage of the milk that the person want to use in the recipe. The soap calculator will show the exact amount of goat milk the person will need for the recipe.
Knowing the exact weight of the goat milk will allow the person to prepare the equipment required for the recipe. Another essential variable in the recipe is the concentration of the lye. A lower concentration will allow the person to have a long head start to adding the fragrances or creating designs into the goat milk soap.
Using a high concentration of the lye will thicken the goat milk soap batter quick. Using a high concentration of the lye will also reduce the amount of water that will evaporate during the curing process of the soap. The soap calculator will show the weight of the liquid that will be used with the chosen lye concentration.
This will show the person if the batch of the goat milk soap will fit in the mold that the person will use. The amount of lye that the soap calculator will show will also allow the person to adjust the amount of superfat for the goat milk soap. Several types of oil can be used for the goat milk soap recipe.
Using hard oils like coconut oil, palm oil, tallow, or shea butter will help the goat milk soap to become firm so that it will last longer when the person uses it. Using soft oils like olive oil, avocado oil, or sunflower oil will help the goat milk bar to become more conditioning for the skin. However, too much of the soft oil can make the goat milk soap too soft.
Using the soap calculator will allow the person to input the weight of each type of oil. The soap calculator will show how many hard oils or soft oils are in the recipe; this will allow the person to adjust the recipe before starting to make the goat milk soap. The person must calculate the fragrance load of the goat milk soap to the right amount; otherwise, issue can occur with the goat milk soap.
The soap calculator will calculate the amount of fragrance based on the percentage that the person chooses for the goat milk soap. The soap calculator will show the weight of the fragrance in the same units as the oils. The person will have to check the limits of the fragrance that will be used, but the soap calculator will remove the need to calculate the amount of fragrance.
Most people use fragrances between two and four percent in their goat milk soap recipes. However, some fragrances will require a lower fragrance load in the recipe. An essential part of making goat milk soap is the sizing of the mold that will be used.
Using the soap calculator, the person can estimate how much oil the mold can hold. The person will compare the capacity of the mold with the total weight of the oils that will be used in the recipe. This will tell the person if the goat milk soap will overflow the mold or leave a gap in the mold.
The soap calculator will calculate how many bars of goat milk soap the person will have once the goat milk soap is cured. Using the soap calculator, the person can enter the percentage of the shrinkage of the goat milk soap. The soap calculator will then show the number of bars that the person can sell after the goat milk soap has cured.
Reference tables will show the amount of lye that each oil will require; for example, olive oil will require less lye than coconut oil. Castor oil will require a different amount of lye then olive oil. Using the wrong amount of lye for a particular oil will result in a goat milk soap that is not balance.
These reference tables will show the amount of liquid that will be used for each concentration of lye. This will assist the person in making goat milk soap without overheating the goat milk. The person does not have to memorize the numbers on these tables; however, they are the reason that the soap calculator will show the weights of the ingredients for the goat milk soap recipe.
The soap calculator cannot show how the additives and fragrances will react to the sugars in the goat milk. Some fragrances will thicken the goat milk soap very fast; others will take longer. Some colorants will fade during the curing process of the goat milk soap; some clays will absorb more water than the person originally thought when they made the goat milk soap.
The person will have to test the variables of these ingredients in small batches of goat milk soap before the person starts making their large batch of goat milk soap. The soap calculator will provide a starting point for the goat milk soap recipe. However, when the person first makes the goat milk soap recipe, it will still be an experiment.
Patience is required to cure the goat milk soap. Goat milk soap takes a longer time to cure than other types of soap. People can weigh the bar of goat milk soap once a week to see if it is losing weight.
Once the weight of the bar of goat milk soap stops dropping, the goat milk soap is cured and ready to be package. Using a soap calculator will remove the guesswork when measuring the goat milk soap ingredients. The person has to use their judgment for the fragrance and mold capacity; otherwise, the soap calculator will take care of the math for the goat milk soap recipe.
Hence, the process of making goat milk soap is much simpler when the soap calculator handles the number for the recipe.
