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Welcome to the world of CP!
1. I've read and read about useing large pyrex measureing cups.
Now I've seen here that they can shatter, explode, or simplely fail.
Is plasitc better? If so what kind?
Thick, heavy plastic works the best. Pyrex can develop microtears on the surface, which can make the glass weaken and shatter over time.
2. I have 5 cats & 3 dogs and allergies. Will the fumes from the lye be a problem? My cats are only indoor. And one dog is inside. I was thinking I should keep them locked up.
You can mix your lye water outside. Keep your pets away or locked up during soapmaking. Or turn your kitchen fan on high and mix the lye under your kitchen hood
** I could mix the lye outside on good days. But thats not easy to find ..lol NM weather is never the same..lol
3. Storage. I know I need to store the soap anywhere from 3-8 weeks. Where do I store it? Cool dry place. Warm in the sun? My storage room is kept at 65-70 degrees to keep the fo/eo in. Is it ok if I make shelves in the closet and store the soap in there? It will be cooler and dark.
Definitely keep away from any sun or a heat source. Shelves in the closet will be fine. Make sure they are high enough so your pets can't get to them.
4. Does anyone buy FO from bitter creek? I get my oils from there and another supplier. BC notes which ones are CP safe. But is useing FO's instead of EO's ok? Or only EO's? (I'm concerned about flash points) and have little experience with EO's. The ones I have bought stink..lol just spent 16 bucks on 1/4 oz of Absolute jasmine and it is gross.
Flash points are really more for candles. There are many online vendors, including BrambleBerry for good quality FO's or EO's which are fine for soapmaking. Don't judge the scent out of the bottle. A lot of times the scent changes for the better as the soap cured.
5. What is a good starter receipe to use? I've looked and have found large batches. I could break things down. But when I am getting 20% palm oil and 12% coconut oil.. That tells me Nothing..lol Receipe's with ounces I can break down. But my mind doesn't work well with %'s.
(veggie receipes )
moonshadow's recipe sounds fine. As with any recipe, always run it through a lye calculator as writing mistakes can happen.
6. I use a cheap kitchen scale. Its digital but was like 20 bucks. Should I get one that is probably more reliable? I don't use it except to weight my MP soaps, and lotions etc that i sell.
If your scale is accurate to 0.1 of an oz. you should be fine. The smaller the recipe, the more accurate you need to be. Somewhere down the road, consider getting a better quality.
Ok that is all I can think of for now =) .. I like to know what I'm getting into before I jump..lol so sorry for all the questions. I just can't seem to find what I'm looking for anywhere else.
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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.
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