Whether for business or for home use, liquid soap is a cool business to go into. I will be teaching you how to start liquid soap production and supply business in Nigeria.
Liquid soap has the properties to wash greasy items to keep them shiny and also suspends any level of dirt whatsoever. It is a soap in liquid form as the name implies.
As a cleansing agent it is mostly used as a multipurpose cleanser. This means that it can do any type cleaning, from washing of plates to washing of clothes, tiles, cars, moping of floors, etc.
It shares the same properties with detergents such as Ariel, Sunlight, Omo, SoKlin, etc. This suggests another name for it: Liquid detergent.
A detergent is made of important ingredients and supplementary ingredients and also contains the surface active agents.
The surface active agents is the first ingredients needed to make a detergent.
In this post, you will learn the following;
- How to make liquid soap for washing clothes,
- Chemical formula for liquid soap,
- How to make liquid soap for dish washing,
- Function of texapon.
Why you should start liquid soap production and supply business
- Liquid soap is simple to produce
- Can be started with capital
- It can be produced at homes
- Brings huge profit
- High level of patronage (increase in demand)
- Materials used in preparing liquid soap can be purchased at any chemical shop around you.
Quantity of chemicals required to produce 20 litres of liquid soap
- Formalin: 5-6 teaspoon (optional)
- Perfume of your choice
- STTP: 5-6 teaspoon
- SLS: 5-6 teaspoon
- Texapon: 5-6 teaspoon
- Nitrosol: 1 tin of milk cup
- Soda ash: 1/2 tin of milk cup
- Caustic Soda: 1/3 tin of milk cup
- Sulphonic acid: 1litre
- Colourant of your choice
- Water: 19liters
Items Needed
- Bowls
- Tablespoons
- Stirring rod
- Nose mask
- Containers (plastic bottles for packaging)
- Hand glove
- Measuring Cup.
How to make liquid soap in Nigeria
Below is the step by step guide to make liquid soap;
1. Soak the soda in water first before preparing other things.
2. The caustic soda should be dissolved with 1 litre of water and leave in water for 30 minutes and above for it to ferment. If you want your soap to glitter you should soak it in water and allow to stay overnight.
3. Carry out the same action with soda ash. Allow to dissolve in water for 30 minutes or 1hour and above with 1 litre of water.
4. Pour the sulphonic acid inside a big bowl, add perfume of your choice and texapon into it. Pour 3 to 4 litres of water and stir very well for 10 minutes.
5. Pour 2 tin of milk cup of water in a bowl and dissolve STTP (Sodium tripolyphaphate sulphate) inside it.
6. In a separate bowl pour SLS (Sodium laureate sulphate) with 2 tin of milk cup of water and stir.
7. Pour nitrosol into a bigger bowl that can contain all the mixtures. Dissolve it with 4-5litres of water. You can use antisol in place of nitrosol, they perform the same action in liquid soap. But you would have to soak the antisol for two days before you start the preparation of liquid soap.
8. Mix the dissolved sulphonic acid, texapon and perfume into the dissolved nitrosol or antiso and stir very well.
9. Pour the dissolved caustic soda into the mixture in number (8) above and stir.
10. Add the dissolved soda ash into the content and stir very well.
11. Pour the dissolved STTP and stir properly.
12. Mix the dissolved SLS into the contents and stir very well.
13. Pour 5 teaspoons of formalin and stir very well.
14. Dissolve the colour in water first and then pour it into the contents you already have.
You must make sure the colour is dissolved completely because if it is not dissolved well, it would show particles of the colour in some sides which means the colour did not blend together (are not in uniform). This is not good for your liquid soap production business as it will chase customers away.
15. If you notice the solution to be too thick, add some quantity of water to the solution (it must not be too thick nor too watery).
Leave the solution for some hours until the foams dissolves and the soap settles. You can also leave overnight .
Congratulations! Your liquid soap is ready for sale or for home use.
Main difference between Nitrosol and Antisol.
Nitrosol and Antisol have disparities which are:
Antisol can only be used after being soaked and dissolved in water for 2 days.
While nitrosol can be used immediately. If you leave nitrosol in water even for a few minute you will dislike the outcome because the solution will become thick to such that when you dissolve it again with plenty of water it will turn to molds.
Some people dilute nitrosol with water and use it as gum sometimes.
Marketing
This business was started and is being dominated by two companies which people tested, used their products and liked them because they are good.
Liquid soap business will require perseverance, patient, good calculation and a better market strategies to break through in the business.
To avoid NAFDAC from noticing you, start by producing for your neighbours, friends, colleagues and family members. Produce a quantity that will be enough to supply to the people mentioned above and package them in disposable water bottles.
Supply to markets, hotels, schools, restaurants etc.
If you want to produce in a much bigger quantity then you have to get NAFDAC registration before supplying to a larger population.
Find a good strategy to advertise your product. Choose a name that is very unique, simple to pronounce and easy to remember. Cut down your price to attract buyers and use both online and offline portals to market your products.
Make your liquid soap more unique than the ones already in the market by making it a bit more foamy and thicker. In this your product will sell itself and become more known for its uniqueness.
Functions of the chemical materials used in producing liquid soap
1. STTP: makes sure the liquid soap is stabilised. It is also a good builder. Used as anti-spotting agent, suspends oil and helps in softening the water used.
2. Formalin: used mainly to preserve the liquid soap not to become watery or stop foaming after some time.
3. SLS: boosts the foam.
4. Nitrosol or Antisol are thickening agents.
5. Sulphonic acid is an organic acid which is very important in the production of liquid soap. It is used as a foaming agent and neutralises the basic effect of sodium and caustic acid.
6. Soda ash is a surfactant (reduces the surface tension of the liquid), a neutraliser and builder.
7. Caustic soda removes stains and it is used as base during soap production.
NB: An argument have been going on as to how safe is formalin used in producing soap that could be used to clean kitchen utensils.
Some are of the view that due to health issues that arise in the cause of using it for the body, it is not safe for the body.
While others are of the opinion that since it’s usage is diminutive or tiny it is okay for use whatsoever. But there are other unharmful preservatives to use which are:
- Boaz
- Cocamide
- Sodium benzoate
- Citric acid etc.
If you use sulphate acid up to a litre you don’t need a foam booster any more.
The colourant of your choice Should be soluble in water.
Packaging methods you can use for your business
Use fine and strong containers to package your liquid soap. There are varieties of containers both of shape, size and quality in chemical shops or big markets where plastics are sold such as Aba, Onitsha, Lagos etc. You can make a good choice from them.
While printing your labels, use good colour combination to make it catchy. Carefully and neatly place it on the container.
How much capital do you need to set up your liquid soap production business
Depending on the scale you want to start with. If it is a small scale, you can begin with #20,000. You can use disposable water bottles to package them. The chemical materials are not expensive, you can get them in the smallest amount.
If you want to start in a large scale, you can begin with about #500,000 to#1,000,000 for a good start.
This amount will cover such expenses like workers’ salaries, transportation fare until you get your own car. The materials are better purchased in bulk.
How profitable is liquid soap production business in Nigeria?
There is a huge profit locked in this business. Assuming you bought chemical materials of #5,000, you will produce a liquid soap of #15,000. The profit is 50% above returns in investment. It is as good as that of bar soap dividends.
When all the expenditure has been subtracted the cash at hand becomes your gain. Remember that in this business the more you produce and sell, the more profits you make.
Nice to meet you guys