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RAINBOW MEADOW SOAP FORMULATOR HELP
Rainbow Meadow's Soap Calculator has been designed by using calculations which will deliver the lowest lye quantity to produce a useable, non-harsh soap (SEE zero percent superfat amount on recipe results page). The lye range begins at that point, and extends up to a level of 10 percent superfat, which is the maximum limit one should choose if they expect to have a formed soap at all. We have highlighted the recommended range, which is 5 to 8 percent superfat. This range should produce an emollient, firm bar of soap.
The calculator also offers you the opportunity to enter another recipe not your own, and convert it to a batch size that is convenient for you, or change measures. If you have a batch with combination weights (i.e. grams and ounces), you may use our Metric Conversion Calculator to convert all measures to the same units prior to entering your batch.
PRINT: Although the usage of the calculator is remarkably easy once you've tried it, you can print these instructions in text format by clicking the Print icon, above and keep them next to you during the creation of your batch. Alternately, the window will remain open for you during batch creation, or you can access in the instructions on page 2, if you wish. You will also be able to print your soap recipe from page 2 of the calculator in plain text format (without extra graphics and color.)
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PAGE 1
  • ALERT ON ERROR: If you have made an error on the form, it will NOT blank out your entries. Instead, the form will advise you of your error in a highlighted message above the oils fields.
  • OPTIONAL FIELDS: Fill out any optional fields (recipe name, creator, liquids, notes) if desired.
  • VARIABLE FIELDS: Choose desired liquid, lye type and whether you wish to have soapmaking instructions appear on your results page.
  • WEIGHTS:
    • FOR ALL OTHER THAN PERCENTAGE: Enter chosen amount of each oil and press 'Create Recipe' to calculate your batch. Page 2 will allow you to come back to page one and edit your batch using 'Edit Recipe'
    • CALCULATING BY PERCENTAGES: When choosing 'percentages' as your measurement type, make sure your percentages total 100. DO NOT ENTER A PERCENT SIGN, just the numbers.
    • You will be given an opportunity, after pressing 'Create Recipe', to change those percentages to an actual weight, if desired.

        EXAMPLE: If your basic recipe is 50% olive, 30% coconut and 20% palm, and you want to make a 5 lb. batch:
      • Make sure you've chosen 'percent' as your weight measure.
      • Do not use percent signs, only numbers. Enter the number 50 in the Olive textbox, 30 in the Coconut textbox and 20 in the Palm textbox. Click 'Create Recipe.'
      • See page 2 instructions for resizing test batch.

  • TO START OVER ENTIRELY: press 'Clear Form' . 'Clear Form' will blank all optional fields and reset the radio buttons to their defaults.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR PAGE 2

Once the batch has been created, user can alter the size of the batch, or go back and edit the types/amounts of chosen oils and resubmit to see new results.

  • RESIZING BATCHES:
    • TO RESIZE OUNCES, POUNDS OR GRAMS:You have the opportunity to resize your batch, based on the total oils you now have. If you have a 72 ounce batch and wish to double it, enter 144 in the resize box and press 'Resize'.
    • TO RESIZE PERCENTAGES: If page one calculations were made using percentages, you may now change your results to weights. To do so, take the following steps:
      • Enter weight you wish your ENTIRE batch to be, (do not include any liquid amount) in the field above the 'resize' button, WHICH, for percentages, contains the value 100 prior to your changes.
      • Be sure the weight unit is set to the value you want (ounces, pounds or grams.)
      • Click 'resize' and the entire batch will be converted and resized to the size and weight unit you specified on the prior page.
  • CONVERTING THE BATCH WEIGHT UNIT:
    • TO CONVERT THE WEIGHT UNIT IN WHICH YOUR BATCH IS MEASURED: For batches that are in ounces, pounds or grams you can convert the weight unit to one of the other measures. (i.e. If your batch is measured in ounces you can convert it to pounds, grams or percentages.)
      • Change the weight unit in the dropdown box (just above the resize button) to the one in which you desire you batch to be measured.
      • Click 'resize' and the recipe will now be in the weight unit you selected.
      • IMPORTANT NOTE: You cannot resize from the same batch size but a different weight unit (i.e. "72 pounds" to "72 ounces") directly. You may do this two different ways:
        • Return to first page by selecting 'Edit Recipe' and change the weight unit; OR
        • Without returning to Page 1, first convert your batch to whatever weight unit in which you wish your batch to be, then resize the batch to the correct size.

            EXAMPLE: To convert from "72 pounds" to "72 ounces":
          • First, change the weight unit to ounces, then click 'resize'.
          • Next, enter 72 in the box above the resize button and click 'resize' again.
  • EDITING BATCHES:
    • TO EDIT POUNDS, OUNCES OR GRAMS: If you've entered your values on page one as percentages, to change them to weights, do the following:
      • Choose the TOTAL OIL WEIGHTS you wish your batch to be, (do not include any liquid OR lye amount) and enter it in the field next to the 'resize' button, WHICH, for percentages, contains the value 100 prior to your changes.
      • Be sure the weight is set to the value you want (ounces, pounds or grams.)
      • Click 'resize' and the entire recipe will be resized for you on the same page.
    • TO EDIT RESIZED RECIPE: You may also edit the resized recipe by selecting "Edit Recipe", which will return you to Page 1 with the resized values posted in the fields where you put your original values.

  • PRINTING YOUR RECIPE: Click the print icon on the second page to print your recipe in text format.
WE OFFER THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BATCH CREATION:

  • Use no more than no more than 35-40 percent Coconut Oil and 20-25 percent Palm or Palm Kernel Oil in your batch.
  • Use no more than 10 percent of Cocoa Butter as part of the oils in your batch.
    Example: for a 16 ounce batch, do not allow more than 1.6 ounces of that 16 ounce total to be Cocoa Butter.