Teach Soap

Ok. My next batch I made a castle. I used 95% olive oil and 5 % castor oil. 80 oz vs 4.2 I think. I ran it through the calculator and I just checked on it. It's mushy in some places and hard in others. It is looks wet and kinda dry in places. When I made it I didn't have a big enough container so I split it and then poured both into the same mold. I proceeded to mix it together in the mold to make sure it was well mixed. It may not have set long enough? It's only been 24 hours. I sprayed the alcohol on the top, covered it with plastic and wrapped it in a blanket. Maybe it got too hot? Any ideas are welcome. As soon as I can get a small enough Mb picture I'll post it.

Thanks

Ginger

It's possible when you split the batch, one part got too much lye, making it dry and and the other portion didn't get enough, making it soft. I would get all of it out of your mold, put it in a crock pot and let it all melt into the consistency of mashed potatoes. Mix very well, then glop back into your mold.

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

It kinds looks like shiny mashed potatoes you see in the pictures of the hot process videos. Kinda like the shiny Vaseline edges of the crockpot when it heats up. Ahhh I can't get the picture.

Ok, so maybe you got a partial gel, but it shouldn't be still in the vaseline stage like when you do hot process.

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

I'd do as Irena suggested and get it out of the mold and HP it...it shouldn't look like that after 24 hrs. Also since you are new to making it, maybe try some smaller amounts like a 1 lb loaf, until you get a handle on it...much less waste and less daunting..{I even have a 1/2 lb mold I use that I built specifically to test with}

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~Jani

I just finished putting it in the crock pot. Here's to seeing how it turns out. I have a small mold. How should I scale it back? The only recipes I found were for large batches.

I just finished putting it in the crock pot. Here's to seeing how it turns out. I have a small mold. How should I scale it back? The only recipes I found were for large batches.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

I hot process batched this baby and at about 12 hours it's still soft (in some places and starting to get hard in others) and Vaseline looking. I'm going to give it another day or so and go from there.

Yea if its still soft and mushy and looks like vaseline by tomorrow, then you probably don't have enough lye. When you say "80 oz vs 4.2" is that your oil and lye ratio? If so, that's really too much oil for the lye amount.

I personally would toss the batch if its acting the same by tomorrow, and then make your own recipe with around 20 oz of total oils..and this includes your superfat.

Maybe try starting with something other than an almost pure castille soap so you can see what the soap is supposed to do {Castille will take longer to harden because its all softer oils you are using} Choose oils that will lend some hardness such as coconut in place of the castor oil....run it thru the calculator again and make sure your lye is correct.

Do you use a digital scale to weigh everything?

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~Jani

I use 10.9 oz lye and 4.2 of castor oil. If it is still soft I am going to have to throw it out. Although it does have 3 tbsp of colloidal oatmeal in it, but it shouldn't still look like Vaseline.

Yes, I did use a digital scale.

Yea, something went weird somewhere..I found when I started out that if it just would not come under submission, Id toss it and start fresh. You will be so excited when you get that first smaller loaf made and it suddenly makes soap 24 hrs later..I know I was..I was dancing around in my kitchen hehehe

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~Jani

I am waiting. I have no clue what went wrong. I just tossed the entire thing. I have several big molds, but they have self made dividers. I am going to go on a small loaf making party this weekend when I'm off from work. Any good recipes I should try? I'm grateful for any suggestions. I'm trying to find a reliable recipe to make over and over again. I plan to make a business out of my soap making, but I'm just getting started.

Try 95% olive oil and 5% castor with a 7% superfat.
Or
Castor Oil 1 oz.
Olive Oil 15 ozs.
Water 5 ozs.
Lye 2 ozs. (7% superfat)

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

So Soapbudy, what's a good reliable recipe otherwise? I mean what's a good recipe to use everyday and just change the scent or colors?



Thanks for the recipe for the olive oil and castor soap! Greatly appreciated!

What are your favourite oils to use in cold process soaping? Anyone?