Coffee Soap Recipe

If you like coffee as much as I do, then you'll want to learn this coffee soap recipe.  It's an excellent soap bar to have in the kitchen. 

Do your hands reek of onions or garlic?  Not a problem, just wash them off with coffee soap and the strong odor is gone!  Did you splash that tomato paste onto  your apron?  Coffee soap will help to remove the stain.

If you like a moderately exfoliating soap then you will enjoy coffee soap.  This soap can be an excellent choice for gardeners, farmers or anyone who spends time in the dirt.

There are two ways to prepare your coffee beans for use in this soap.  The first way is to use Fresh Grounds.  Grind up the beans to a fine powder.  Measure out the amount for your soap batch and add the fresh coffee grounds directly to the soap batch at trace. 

The second way is to use the Spent Grounds.  Grind up the coffee beans to a powder.  Make your morning coffee with them.  Take a moment to enjoy your cup of coffee.  Then, instead of throwing  away your spent coffee grounds, re-purpose them!  Measure out the proper amount of spent grounds and add them to the soap batch at trace.

The spent grounds will offer the best results.  While fresh grounds seem to be the better choice in theory, the reality with fresh grounds is that you will see coffee color in the rinse water as you lather up and wash your hands. 

The amount of coffee grounds to add is 5% or less based off the total oil amount of your soap batch.  The total oil amount numbers are variable from batch to batch so we have left those amounts as "X".

Three oils will be used for this simple coffee soap recipe.

Coffee Soap Recipe:

1. Oils   a. Lard 80%…………...........................................…XX.X oz.

              b. Canola Oil 10%…..................................………....X.X oz.

              c. Coconut Oil 10%…...…..................................…..X.X oz.

                                          Three Oils Total    =  100%  =  XX.X oz.  

2. Lye Amount ........................................ X.XX oz.                 

3. H20 Amount .........................................X.XX oz.

4.  Additives:  Coffee Grounds.  Use 5% or less.  Add this during trace.                                       

Coffee Soap Recipe by the numbers

Lard is the majority Fat at 80%. It makes a harder soap bar but with very little lather and bubbly. Canola oil is used at 10% and it makes a soft bar with high conditioning qualities that are softening and soothing to the skin. Coconut Oil is also used at 10% and it is great for lather and bubbly qualities.

With our combination of oils we have a soap bar with these attributes:

1. The Hardness number is............... (42). 

2.The cleansing capabilities are at...... (8).

3. The conditioning quality is at........ (52).

4. The bubbly factor is at..................... (8).

5. The creamy number is................... (35).

6. Iodine is at....................................... (58).

7. The INS number is........................ (143).

So what do all these numbers mean? Well there are seven soap qualities to look for in a soap.  These qualities are listed on the soap-calc.  Combine and mix different oils and your numbers will change.

7 General Soap Attribute Ranges - Coffee Soap Recipe

Generally there are 7 ranges in each attribute category.

1 Hardness. Best range is between (29 – 54). The higher the number the harder the soap bar will be. The hardness number for our coffee soap is (42) which is good and within range.

2. Cleansing. Best range is between (12 – 22). The lower the number the more mild the soap. Our cleansing number is (8) and that’s good, it’s a very mild soap just below the range.

3. Conditioning. Best range is between (44 – 69). The higher the number the more soothing and softening to your skin. We have a number of (52) which is right in the center of the acceptable range. This is really good. Our soap will be soothing and soft to the skin.

4. Bubbly. Best range is between (14 – 46). Higher numbers in this category equate to more bubbly lather. Our Bubbly number is (8). This is out of the range scale but we will still have lather, just the minimum amount of lather.

5. Creamy. The best range is between (16 – 48). The higher the number the more lather you will have. Our Creamy number is (35). This is in range and will give us a good lather.

6. Iodine. The range here is anything (under 70). If your number is (under 70) the soap will not go rancid. Our number is (58). That’s well within the range to not go rancid.

7. INS. The best range here is between (136 – 165). The lower the number the more moisturizing the soap will be to your skin. We have the number (143).  This is right in the center of the range and that’s great. Our soap bar will be a moisturizing bar.