How to Make Old Fashioned Lye Soap

In days gone by, lye soap was a homemaker’s ultimate all-purpose cleanser. From clothes and stains to dirty dishes and floors — even to poison ivy and bug bites — lye soap was the answer for the family’s daily cleaning needs. Usually made with leftover cooking fats and lye made from wood ashes, townspeople would gather on soap-making days, preparing large batches together.