DIY Video: Production of 20 Litres of Multipurpose Liquid Soap.

Unemployment is an uncontestable bane in our society today. But what can you do about it as a graduate, student, or undergraduate? Do it yourself (DIY) skills have been one of the ways youths have taken to fight unemployment. If you are reading this post and have no business idea, venturing into detergent production, be it bar, liquid, antiseptic soaps, or even disinfectant can earn you huge sum of money with just little starting capital of about 5000 thousand naira.

In this particular post, we will be showing you how to produce 20litres of Multipurpose Liquid Soap. Hope you start your own business after watching this video.

EQUIPMENTS NEEDED

1. A big mixing bowl and other smaller bowls like you’ll see in our video
2. Containers for packaging
3. Wooden spoon or stick for stirring (or a hand mixer for chemicals if you can afford one)
4. A pair of Scissors or knife you’ll know why this is important when you see the video.
5. Spatula
6. Googles
7. Nose mask
8. Rubber hand gloves
9. Measurement bowl or container or beaker if you have them if not use available containers.

CHEMICALS REQUIRED

Nitrosol
Soda Ash
Texapon
Sulphonic Acid
Sodium Laureyl Sulphate (SLS)
Foaming booster
Sodium Tripolyphosphate (STPP)
Formaline (preservative)
Colour
Perfume.

Where can I purchase chemicals for liquid soap and can I also afford them?
The Chemicals required to produce liquid soaps are not far-fetched and are inexpensive; they are readily available in main or major markets. Just ask traders around where you can buy chemicals for liquid soap and they will direct you.

I’m not a chemistry scholar, how do I know the measurements for 20 litres of Liquid Soap Production?
If you are not in the chemical production industry, do not bother about what measurements to use for soap production. Just walk into the chemical store, tell the chemical expert or vendor the quantity of liquid soap you want to produce and they will measure the chemicals for you 😍😍!
For 20 litres of production, we can use this measurements:
Nitrosol …….………….1/8kg (i.e 125g).
Soda Ash (Sodium carbonate).1/8 Kg
SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate)..1/8kg
Sulphonic Acid………………..………1 ½ Ltr
STPP…………………………………………1/16Kg
Texapon …………………………………1/8kg
Foaming Booster…………………………1/6 Ltr
Formalin…………………………………10Cl
Colour (As desired)
Glycerine (Optional)
Perfume (As desired)
Vitamin E (Optional)

NOTE: To have a clear view of this chemicals in terms of how they look and act in soap production, it is important you watch the video below 👇

Making of Liquid Soap

DESCRIPTION AND FUNCTIONS OF THE CHEMICALS

Water:
One may ask, is water a chemical? Yes it is. Water is the main solvent needed for the process to dissolve the various ingredients. It is very essential in the production of liquid soap.

Nitrosol:

Nitrosol is a thickener that is used in liquid soap production. It is a white, powdery substance that is derived from cellulose. Nitrosol is used to thicken liquids and also to stabilize emulsions.
Since it is a thickening agent, you have to be careful not to leave it for too long in water before starting production, if not it will get caked. If Nitrosol is not available, one can make use of Antisol. The only difference between the two is that while Nitrosol will dissolve immediately in water, Antisol takes a longer time to dissolve in water and it is usually soaked overnight or 24hours before production.

Nitrosol works by increasing the viscosity of a liquid. In other words, it makes the liquid thicker. This is accomplished by the Nitrosol molecules entangling with each other, which creates a sort of “net” that traps other molecules within the liquid. This increased viscosity makes the liquid soap thicker.

Soda Ash (Sodium carbonate):
This is the strong malleable compound hydrated into washing soda.
It is generally found in a white powdery form, but it can also be found in a granular form with many coarse grains. It is soluble in water, and its solutions are basic in nature.
Function
Soda ash is key ingredient in many types of liquid soaps, including dishwashing detergent, carwash liquid soap, shampoo, and bubble baths. As a mild alkali, it helps to break down grease and dirt, and as well regulate the pH of the soap.

Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS)
The Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) looks like rice grains and it’s whitish in colour too.
SLS is a synthetic detergent and surfactant. It is a widely used ingredient in many cleaning and hygiene products. It is the main active foaming agent in many products such as shampoos, body washes, laundry detergents, carpet cleaners, bubble baths, etc.
Function
it is used as a foaming agent and an emulsifier, helping to keep oils and dirt suspended in the soap solution until they are rinsed away. SLS is the principal ingredient responsible for the liquid soap’s foamy lather.
It is also used in other cosmetic and cleansing products such as shaving cream and toothpaste.
Texapon:
Texapon is a pasty and jellylike substance; a surfactant and emulsifier used in many cleaning and beauty products.
Function
It is also used as an emulsifier in cosmetics and as a detergent in shampoos and other hair care products.
As a surfactant, it helps to reduce the surface tension of water, making it more effective at cleaning surfaces. And as an emulsifier, it helps to keep oil and water from separating.
Texpon helps to create a smooth, creamy consistency in liquid soaps that is perfect for both personal and commercial use as an effective cleansing agent that can remove dirt, oil, and other debris from surfaces.
Texapon also helps in improving the shelf life of liquid soaps, making them last longer without separating or deteriorating.

Texapon Versus SLS
While Texapon is a surfactant, which means it helps to reduce the surface tension of the water, thus, allowing the soap to easily penetrate the surfaces and get rid of dirt and oil. SLS, on the other hand, is the main foaming agent which is what gives liquid soap its characteristic lather. When combined with Texapon, it can create a very rich, creamy lather that is perfect for cleaning and cleansing.
While both of these ingredients are important for liquid soap production, they can also be used in the making of other products like shampoos, body washes, bubble baths, etc.

Sulphonic Acid:
This is a dark-looking liquid substance. Please do not mistake Sulphonic for sulphoric, both are two different chemicals. Sulphoric is a very strong acid and can be very corrosive. We do not use it in liquid soap production so take note.
Sulphonic acid as the name implies is a type of organic compound that is typically used as a surfactant. It is also used in a variety of other industrial and consumer products, such as detergents, shampoos, hair dyes, and textile processing aids.
Function
When used as a surfactant, sulphonic acid helps to lower the surface tension of water which allows it to disperse more easily and penetrate surfaces more effectively.
In liquid soap production, sulphonic helps to create a variety of different textures and consistencies. For instance, it can be used to create a foamy, bubbly soap or a thick, creamy liquid soap.
Sulphonic acid is one of the key ingredients in liquid soap producandtion. As a powerful surfactant, it helps to break down oils dirt, and allows the soap to suspend these particles in water so that they can be rinsed away, it also provides antiseptic properties to the soap, which can help protect against bacteria and other germs or contaminants. It is for these reasons it is considered ideal for use in soaps and shampoos production.

Sodium Tripolyphosphate (STPP):
Sodium Tripolyphosphate (STPP) is a sodium salt of triphosphoric acid.. It looks exactly like the common table salt. It is soluble in water and it is a common ingredient or chemical in liquid soap production.
Function
It is a strong cleaning agent and helps to improve the cleaning properties of the liquid soap. STPP helps the SLS to work to its full potential. It also helps to thicken the soap.

Foaming Booster:
This comes in liquid form and has transparent look. It’s primary purpose in soap making is to make the liquid soap foam very well.
Foaming boosters are often used in combination with other foaming agents like SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) or Texapon) as they are sulfocants.
Formalin:
This is a preservative agent. It is optional in liquid soap production. It should be used if the liquid soap is to be stored for a long time like six months or more, especially if one is producing for commercial purposes.
Colour: this is to change the look of the soap and it is optional as well.
Perfume/fragrance: This is also optional but it is important as it add scent to the liquid soap.

STEPS IN PRODUCTION OF MULTIPURPOSE LIQUID SOAP

Below are the steps involve in the making of liquid soap:

STEP A: THE DISSOLVING STAGE

Dissolve the Soda Ash in 1 litre of water and keep aside.
Dissolve the SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulphate) in 1 litre of water to produce a clear solution before production; keep it aside.
Dissolve the STPP (Sodium Tripolyphosphate) in 1 litre of water before production and keep it aside too.
Mix the Texapon and Sulphonic Acid together. Mix very well and dissolve further with 2 litres of water. Stirring should be done gently until the mixture is well dissolved and homogenous.
Dissolve the powdered colour with a small quantity of water and keep it aside.
Mix texapon and Sulphonic acid in one bowl and set aside,
Dissolve the Nitrosol with 10 litres of water or lesser, in a bigger mixing bowl just before production. In case you want to opt for Antisol in preference to Nitrosol, dissolve it in the same amount of water and let it stay for at least 24-48 hours before production. Note: this should be properly dissolved and will look like a ‘starchy solution’ at the end.
STEP B: NOW THE MIXING STAGE.
gradually add the dissolved soda ash to the dissolved Nitrosol in a mixing bowl and stir together,
Add the mixed texapon and Sulphonic acid to the solution and stir together,
Add your dissolved SLS and stir,
Add the foaming booster and continue to stir,
Add the dissolved STPP and stir,
Add formalin for preservation,
Add you colour and stir,
Add your fragrance and stir,
Add the remaining water and stir, you can continue adding water until you get your desired texture.
Package your soap for use or sale.