The soap and detergent market is experiencing rapid growth related to greater demand caused by demographic changes. In Africa, the quality of hand-crafted soaps found in markets is doubtful and education programmes do not include the teaching of improved production techniques. Local consumption is therefore focused on imported products. This document presents a simple demonstration of improved techniques for production of soaps and detergents, enabling the creation of jobs within some urban, though mostly rural, populations, while compensating for the lack of practical know-how on the subject.