Can soap be made with out sodium hydroxide or lye?
To make soap, you must have a solution of oils and a strong alkali. Soap has been made for 5000 years that way. In ancient Egypt, evidence has been found of oils and ashes from ceremonial fires being mixed and used to clean royalty and scholars. The alkaline solution of lye mixed with the oils creates a saponification reaction which is essential to the soap making process. When the good quality soap is finished and has cured properly, all the sodium hydroxide will have reacted with the oils none should be left over.
