Teach Soap

Subtitled: Apple Jack Continues to Plague Peggy

I decided to make an 8# batch of apple jack soap. Despite the difficulties I've had, it remains my most popular scent right now. I measured everything out, waited forever for the temps to cool and was just about to mix the lye and oils when I realized the apple jack FO had eaten through the plastic cup I measured it in...and there was apple jack FO ALL OVER my granite counter top!!!! Panic. As quick as I can, I wipe up all the apple jack (5 ounces!!!) and wash the counter top. I get back to my work and start to mix the soap. By now, the oils and lye are pretty cool (maybe 100F) and the soap starts to set up pretty quickly. I think I should have used more water because it was pretty much thick pudding consistency within 5 minutes.

Anyway, once I'm done I get back to really cleaning the kitchen. I wasn't sure what to do with the counter top so I just washed it several times with soap and water. The area where I work is right above my dishwasher so I put some of the already cleaned equipment in the dishwasher and ran it. However, several hours later my house still has an overpowering smell of apple jack. It seems to come from the dishwasher area even though the load I put in the dishwasher had already been hand washed. I don't know if some of the FO dripped into the dishwasher or if what I am smelling is coming from the counter top.

Has anyone ever done something equally brilliant? How can I get rid of this smell? The counters appear to be OK although I can still smell the apple jack on them. Same for the dishwasher.

I like apple jack but this is really too much!!!

I don't have any answers from you but I thank you for posting your disaster! I never knew FO's could eat through plastic!! I put mine in little plastic cups all the time! My husband would freak if he thought it would get on the new granite countertops because he worries of some substances such as tomato etching the granite. I don't know what FO's would do to it but possibly yours soaked into the granite a bit as it is a bit porous. Perhaps over time it will fade out! My concern now is if my soapmaking has slowed my drain a bit! I let my soap batter pot sit for a few days before cleaning but I think my drain is backing up a little....
Sherri

Yikes! I only use glass or stainless for my FO's because I read about that happening.
Could you make a baking soda & water paste and spread it over where the FO spilled?

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

You could try washing it with vinegar or putting some vinegar in a spray bottle and spraying it on top and letting it sit there for a while.

Wonder if some Febreze would wrestle it to the ground?

Also, doesn't activated charcoal absorb odors too? Wonder how that could be employed?

Maybe bring in an ionic air cleaner into the room?

try scrubbing down the tops with a baking soda paste.

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Dawn

The FO is an oil, so I would use a solvent to remove it. Probably acetone. Heaven knows what is in that FO if it goes straight through a plastic cup!

Try inexpensive liquid soap, some polysorbate (if you have some), or the baking soda paste. It sounds like the FO spilled into some crevices. I would not use acetone as that can dissolve some plastic.

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

I ended up washing it (numerous times) with dish soap; it's gotten a lot better. I promise I'll be a lot more careful in the future!!!