What is soap? Soap is a substance that’s used for cleansing and it is made when a chemical reaction occurs between lye (Sodium Hydroxide) and fat.

Soap got its name when the Romans at ‘Mount Sapo’, a popular location for animal sacrifices, discovered it. Rain mixed the animal fat residue (tallow from cattle) with the burned wood on clay and a chemical reaction occurred. Women living on the banks of the Tiber river discovered that clothes which they washed using this substance were much cleaner and cleaned with much less effort.

When making soap, there are some substances that are necessary for this process. Let’s take a look at them.

Fats – fats are oils from animals or vegetables. Animal fats are fats from beef tallow (of course this is less animal friendly and less commonly used these days). Vegetable oils that are most commonly used for soap making are olive, coconut, cocoa, and palm oils.

Lye – (Sodium Hydroxide) or another common name, caustic soda. Lye needs to be dissolved in water in order to actively react with.

Water – The best water to use for soap making is distilled water. Hard water contains minerals and salts that may interfere with this chemical reaction. It is always recommended to follow a given recipe and measure the water and the lye. Not having enough water may result in hard, dry soap, and too much water may yield too soft of a soap.

Essential oils and herbs – essential oils add fragrance to soap. In some cases skin-sensitive people use soap with no fragrance. When herbs are added to soap they add color, change the texture and contribute their qualities for relaxing and healing skin. Some herbs work as exfoliates.

Tools – Stainless steel pot (never aluminum!), 2 wooden spoons, wide mouthed glass jar (at least 2 quarts), thermometer that reads between 80’F – 110’F, shoe box or cardboard box about this size, plastic wrap, safety glasses, and rubber gloves. Avoid using these tools for eating; dedicate them only for soap making. Also clean them separately from your kitchen utensils.



First step – Making the lye solution

This step requires the most precaution. Wearing safety glasses and rubber gloves is a must. To prevent inhaling the lye fumes, it is best to do this outdoors. Start by adding lye gently to distilled cold water while stirring carefully. You shoul not use hot water to begin with, since lye heats up on it’s own in reaction to contact with the cold water and it’s undesirable for this solution to boil. Also, do not do the opposite of adding water to lye as this may cause explosion. If you see a thin layer of white crust at the bottom of the jar, keep stirring gently until all the lye is dissolved in the water.

Second Step – Melting the Fats

Melt the oils (fats) in a stainless steel pot and only when melted, begin adding olive oil while stirring well.

Third Step – Mixing the Lye Solution with the Fats

Using the safety glasses and rubber gloves, measure the temperature of lye solution and that of the oils. If the oils’ temperature is high, you can immerse this pot into a sink of cool water to slightly cool the temperature. Some soap makers suggest that the temperature of both substances should be between 100’F – 110’F. We recommend measuring between 95’F – 98’F. When both substances reach the same temperature, slowly pour the lye solution into the oils. Patiently stir until the substances are fully mixed (This may take some time. Patience is critical at this stage).

Fourth Step – Adding Fragrances, colorants and Herbs

This is when fragrances, colorants or herbs are added to the mixture. Simply follow the amounts in you recipe. There’s no exact amount of time for how long to stir, it can vary from five to forty minutes. Stir until you see ‘trace’. Trace means when you pick up the spoon and are able to draw on the surface by dripping from the spoon. A successful trace should enable you to see the drops for few seconds before they disappear back into the mixture. The mixture should be as thick as pudding.

Fifth Step – Saponification

Pour the mixture into a plastic wrap lined box or a shoebox. Cover the box with its lid and then cover the lid with a blanket. It is very important to not disturb the mixture until saponification is done. At this stage the substance is turns from a mixture into solid soap. It has to sit for 18-48 hours while it releases heat.

Sixth Step – Remodeling the Soap

After saponification, remove the lid and the blanket, and set it aside for another 12 hours. The fresh and fragrant soap is now ready to be removed from the mold. If you see a thin layer of oil and a white crust that looks like chalk, it indicates that you succeeded in making a good batch. If you see a layer, which is grossly separated, wrap it and throw it away as this batch has failed. Using rubber gloves, cut the soap into bars, or shape it like clay. You can also mold it with cookie cutters or stamp it. Set the soap aside again to cure for two to three weeks. The soap is ready to use then.



By: Iris Fuchs

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As a property manager, you might own a rental dwelling, but once an occupant begins living there, you can’t enter the building any time you would like to. The fact of the matter is, occupant privacy rights are very specifically watched over, even though the legalities are different from state to state. This holds true even if you don’t have a written.

But, although there are variances in the manner every state looks out for tenants’ rights, there are some overall boundaries that apply in nearly all circumstances.

Even though the rental lease agreement says that the property manager can have unlimited accessibility to the property, the property manager hasto supply adequate advanced notice, either in writing or verbally, that she might the property and the situation for entering. If it is not an emergency, the 2 circumstances for entering are to fix something, or to display the property to a potential occupant.

“Reasonable notice” is most of the time understood to demonstrate that the occupant is given adequate preparation to vacate the property if they decide to, or at least not be surprised by an humiliating circumstance.

There happens to be another valuable thing to make note of about having given advanced notice. Although you have notified the occupant you may be entering, you do not have the ability to go into the dwelling anytime of the day or night unless it happens to be a genuine crisis. To go in whenever you want would violate the renter’s right to the ‘quiet enjoyment’ of the property, and the renter’s right to have full dominion over the unit. If a property manager takes away these rights by consistently coming into the building with their own keys and without posting notice, the occupant may file a lawsuit provided she can display they have suffered damages because of this landlord. A great instance of this is if the occupant works out of their apartment, and the apartment manager’s consistent entering has resulted in the occupant to not be able to complete her work.

Having the knowledge to know when you as property manager are able to go into an property is not as challenging as it might appear. Here’s how it is best laid out:

- If it is a blatant crisis such as fire coming out of the property – property manager may enter and the occupant would not be able to complain.

- If it is a substantial repair, but not a crisis such as replacing a broken appliance – the property manager should be able to enter though the occupant does have some say as to the timing of the job.

- If it is to display the property to a potential occupant – here is where the occupant has the most say, and the property manager will have to understand their rights when setting up a time to show the property. You might want to lay out the rules for entering in your rental lease agreement.

Every state may have varying requirements regarding how the property manager can enter the leased apartment. So what is the ideal way to make sure you don’t get taken to court for ignoring a renter’s right to privacy? Have a rental lease agreement that clarifies when the property manager is allowed to gain entry, and be familiar with your state’s privacy laws and regulations. Google your State Attorney General’s Office or Consumer Protection Agency to learn about occupant privacy laws.



By: Stirling G. Gardner

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The areas that may be considered as the busiest parts of most houses are the living rooms. They are also the main spaces that create a good or bad impression of a lot of homes today. Because of this, these particular areas have to be perfectly planned and carried out in terms of designs, decorations, etc. for them to be warm and inviting, not only to the residents, but also to the visitors.

There are a number of things one can do to decorate a comfortable yet elegant receiving area. For one, doing furniture rearrangements usually does the trick. Determine where the best focal point is. For example, if you have a grand piano, it may be best to arrange your furniture around it and that is where the guests’ attention will be. You also have to make sure that the way you set your furnishings will not result to a cluttered atmosphere. Arranging in the so called ‘off square angles’ can also result to a more casual feel to the place.

Remember too that the type of colors you use will determine the level of warmth. The shades you choose can either invite people in, or annoy them. Green is a good color as it is welcoming as well as relaxing. Bear in mind that you have to make certain that whichever hue you decide to utilize, it should complement your carpet and chosen decorative stuff.

Placing some statues will surely add to the aesthetic appeal of your house. Those of the marble kind are the most recommended, and if small, are best placed on tabletops. You may choose any theme for your figurines, but the most appropriate will be those formed in the shape of deities, people, etc.

People who may not be interested in placing sculptures and carvings may resort to using lamps to accentuate the reception area. Not only will those unique in design be attractive; they can also provide light which can be used to add to the mood in the room. Try using the ones which have been made out of minerals, polished stones, etc. if you want an always glowing look, whether or not the bulb is switched on or off.

In the event that your area is only limited in size, you can still make it look larger. What you can do is to add a big mirror on the wall to create an illusion of wider space and at the same time produce more depth.

Placing small pieces such as a low table or a tiny bench is also a good idea as it can help liven up the surroundings. You may store newspapers and magazines under the small tables or place vases, plants, etc. on top.

The best living rooms have these characteristics: cozy, homey, appealing, and chic. They can be reflections of your style and taste. They may also be forms of the owners’ self-expressions. Following the guidelines stated above definitely makes it possible to have a well designed place for receiving guests.



By: Albert Lee

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