Teach Soap

Hello everyone! I am a newbie (only on batch 2!). With both batches the temp of my Lye solution hasn't gone above 100 degrees. What's up? All of the info I see says it'll jump up to 180 and I will have to wait for it to cool. In both batches I ended up mixing them when the oil was about 115-120 and the lye was around 100 because I was afraid the lye would get too cool. The first batch was lye heavy, but it was one of those little one bar sizes. I determined this was way too little to work with and made a 1 pound batch as my "everything" book suggests. It's only been 24 hours so I haven't cut it, but of course I checked it a million times. It stayed nice and hot after trace and pour and tonight I couldn't help but touch it and it's still a little soft in the middle and harder on the edges sort of like a brownie . I am hoping for the best with this batch. Anyhow, my question is what's up with my temp on the lye solution not going above 100?? I am working in my basement, it's maybe 60 degrees...is that the reason? I am concerned that it will contribute to a poor bar of soap if my two temps are so far off. Thanks for any insight you can give!

How old is your lye? If it was just purchased was the seal on tight? What did you mix it in? The last batch I made I used fresh fallen snow and still got to 150 degrees although it cooled faster than using room temp distilled water.

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

Hi hope2soap! I'm not an experienced soaper, but I've noticed that for 1# batches my lye temp doesn't get as high as with larger batches. I generally make 2# batches and mix the lye water, then measure all of my oils etc. By the time my coconut oil has melted the lye and the oils are about the same temp. about 110 degrees. My 1# batches have been combined at temps as low as 90 deg. and have been ok. I gel them in the oven.

I'm sure soapbuddy will have much more insight for us!

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

Hi & welcome.

2 questions.

1) are you sure what you have is 100% lye?
2) what is the temp of your water starting out before you add the lye?

The disparity of difference between the mass of water, and the mass of the lye will change when you change the size of your batch. I doubt it's the temperature of your basement. You may want to check your lye because that's definitely not normal. How did your other batches turn out?

Oh....and one more thing. "still a little soft in the middle and harder on the edges sort of like a brownie". Don't say the word "Brownie" in here. You have no idea what you just started.

Now who's gonna make a batch?

Here we go again Supersoaper....and we already agreed that the brownie party was going to be at your place with horse riding afterward.

Back to the question - I would not trust that lye, that is not normal. Or....maybe your scale is not accurate enough for batches this small - are you using a good scale and measuring in grams?

For smaller batches, like 1 lb. change the ozs. into grams. The smaller the batch, the more accurate your measurements need to be. If the edges are cool, but the middle is warm that means the middle has not had the chance to cool off yet. I would give it more time, or put the mold in the fridge or the freezer to speed up the cooling process.

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

Thanks for the quick replies, this is great!! Thank you SuperSoaper for the tip on not talking brownies...I told you I was new!!

Here are my answers...
1) I am using Rooto 100% Lye (in big yellow letters on the front) bought at my local True Value Hardware Store 2 weeks ago. Could have been on the shelf much before that, but it has no expiration date on the bottle, I just checked.
2) Scale...it's my mom's old weight watchers digital scale I have a sneaking suspiscion it isn't exactly perfect AND I didn't measure in grams. The recipes in my "everything" book were ounces, so I went with it. I read some posts last night about grams for small batches (this was after I had made my soap)...next time...once I figure out how to convert them.
3) I mixed it in a 4 cup glass pyrex measuring cup
4) Water was basement temp (I just checked the temp in the basement...60 degrees)

I am needing to do more reading on this fridge and freezer and gel phase business. It's not soft in the middle, it's firm, but not rock hard. I assume this was good and that it will be easier to cut. The recipe said wait two days to cut...necessary or no? I really want to cut it!!

I'm such a rookie...tell me that with time and patience I will be good at this...I really should not have cheated off Tariq, my classmate, in Chemistry my Junior year!! Rats!!! Who knew????

Make sure that the can you bought is 100% (or thereabouts) lye. Some newer versions have some strange colored specks (maybe blue?) and those are not safe to use in soap.
I would get yourself a new scale. Sounds like yours is not very accurate.
Never mix lye, lye water or raw soap in a pyrex cup. The lye will etch the glass cup and it will shatter over time. Use either stainless steel or thick plastic cups/containers. The exception to this is your fragrance or essential oil. Those need to be measured in glass as it will eat the plastic up.
Always run the recipe through a lye calculator. There are many mistakes in online recipes and books make mistakes too.
Some people gel, some don't. it's a matter of personal preference. I would gel if I was you until you get the hang of it.
If the soap gelled, you can cut it as soon as it completely cools off. No need to wait two days unless it's a soft recipe. In that case I would change the recipe to get some harder oils/butters in there.
What was the recipe that you used?

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

I really do think my Lye is 100%...it says it on the bottle and there are no specks, it's sort of grainy like? Like sea salt, I guess, all white. thanks for the tip on the pyrex, I wouldn't want it breaking all over. I was looking at scales tonight on BB, I think I may spring for a new one.

I cut my soap! I felt empowered by Soapbuddy...thank you! It cut so nice, like cold butter! It has some darker spots (like they are still wet I guess is the best way to put it, sort of like what I see in peoples pictures, I assume that will go away as it cures. I'm so excited that I may have actually made usable soap!!! LOL!!!

Here is my recipe...
2.4 oz lye
6 oz. water
9 oz OO
4 oz CO
3 oz PO
It called for superfatting with 1TBL of Castor oil, but I don't have any... so I added like a .25 ounce extra of PO and CO...too much?

Thanks for all the insight everyone, you're a good bunch, I like it here!

Lye is still active at trace, so there is not need to add anything at this point. Add it all up front. There is no guarantee that your so called "superfat" oil will end up as your superfat. Never sub one oil for another unless you run it through a lye calculator again. This is very important, especially so when working with smaller recipes.

Here is what your recipe looks like with the added oils.
Coconut Oil 4.25 (25.76%)
Olive Oil 9 (54.55%)
Palm Kernel Oil 3.25 (19.7%)
Weight 16.5 ozs.
For that size batch you would need 4 to 6 fluid ozs. of water (or liquid)
You would also need 2.37 ozs. of lye for a 7% superfat.

Next time I would wait til you can get some castor as it adds bubbles. I would also change this recipe to grams to be more accurate.

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

A new scale is definitely in order. I purchased one of their Escali a couple years ago and have been very pleased with the quality and accuracy.

Yes, Dave. Party at my place when the weather clears. Horseback and swimming. Have a guest house with room for 3 couples and house can accommodate several more. We'll find room. If you're serious....then so am I.

hope2soap....................You are here by warned about SuperSoaper. He loves to talk soap but it also doesn't take much to get him off topic.............football, brownies etc etc. That said, he is a wealth of information. Soapbuddy is a goddess.

I heard that. But some birds in a hand are worth 2 in the bushes I always say. And plschrader isn't invited.....unless she brings brownies.

i love an excuse to party and eat brownies! i have a recipe for (LOL) brownies wink wink

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ASH

Someone I know is a dirty girl. My favorite. You may need a new bar of soap.