Teach Soap

Just venting here, because I am sick of cleaning soda ash, and who would understand better than the folks on this board?

I have dozens of wedding favors with embeds that developed soda ash despite spritzing alcohol on them when they were made. I expected it would happen, but having to clean around the embeds is frustrating. I did 10 of them earlier and then took a break because it was taking so long my neck started hurting from the position it was in.

I'm reluctantly going back to it now, hoping to finish at least 40 of them before picking up kids from school.

Some soapers have had good luck steaming the ash off.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I was afraid to try steaming because the embeds are M&P and they are on top where the soda ash is. I'm using alcohol and pieces of nylon hosiery, somewhere on this forum I read about that and it works, it just takes time and patience. It's like polishing tarnished silver. I have 33 done, I think the rest have to cure some more because they're from the 2nd batch and are still a bit soft, I don't want to ruin the shape.

I'm so glad I started this very early!

I steam my CP soap and they have MP embeds on top and haven't had any trouble with them melting! The bars come out nice and shiny and it is quick. I bought a handheld garment steamer at walmart for $20.

I used to get soda ash on almost every bar I made, not just a light coating, but thick and furry. Grrrrr!!! Like you, I hated it. I could never "embrace the fuzz." I started using the alcohol spritz method and didn't notice any difference, so abandoned it, until one day when I reread the instructions and noticed something I had overlooked before. The instructions said to use 91% alcohol. I ran to check mine......NOT! So I tried it again,with the stronger stuff, with MUCH better results. So, are you sure your alcohol is 91%? It does make a difference. I'm hoping not, so that you can switch and have smooth, unfurry bars in the future. Fingers crossed.

Yes, my alcohol is 91%, too bad, huh? The ash is just thick enough to have a white coating, but at least it's only on top, I made individual 2 oz bars and it only developed where it was exposed to air. I'm wondering if having them cure out in my sunroom may have made it worse because my second batch doesn't look as bad as the first one and it was inside.

I have a garment steamer, so I may try it when I clean the next batch. If I ruin one or two I still have one more batch to make, so I can just make a few extra.