Teach Soap

Hello!
I have been reading lately that this can really vary from soap creator, to soap creator. Lye temps. I have always heated up my lye, (not hot! just to take the chill off, room temp approx) or cooled it down to be within 10-20 degrees of my oils. It's how I was taught, in a very "this is the only way it should be done" type of way. Out of pure curiosity one day I added the Lye mixture cold to my soap. Noting terrible happened. In fact, nothing out of the ordinary at all happened. I have made several batches this way recently and they all turned out gorgeous! In fact, more stable than a lot of other batches when the summer heat was hot and I had trouble with overheating. So, is this something that others do? Is there a reason I should not? I see once in a while that people do this, but general searching comes up with no results of an indication if this should be done.

Rachel

I don't know... I soap pretty cool. I melt my oils, mix my lye solution, and wait for both to cool off until the containers are no longer warm to the touch. The first few batches I used a thermometer and aimed for about 85 degrees, give or take 5 degrees, but once I got the hang of it and realized once the containers are cooled (and stay cool when I gently swirl/stir) then both mixtures are roughly room temp, then I didn't bother much with checking temp.

I don't know though how it affects the whole process technically. It takes quite a while for my soap to reach trace usually. Like 20 minutes or so, depending on the oils and additives. Nothing I can't handle- in fact, I like it because it leaves a lot of room for doing stuff.

The funny thing, though, is that I soap cool and then I almost always CPOP or insulate to ensure gel. Am I working against myself by doing that? So far all my soaps but one have turned out well, and the one that didn't was the only batch I've actively tried to stop from gelling...

I like that method! I am not much a fan of taking temps and getting really technical. I too have good luck with "cool to the touch" temps. Nothing has exploded yet.

I go by the feel of my hands. If the oils and the lye water is just warmer then my hands I soap. You should not be heating up your lye. That's very dangerous.

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

I mostly soap hot lye, room temp oils. I reach trace quickly, but don't do multiple color swirls etc. My question is: how far in advance are you mixing your lye to have it at room temp. I never leave my lye once mixed, always worry about what could happen, although my lye container is very well marked what it is and sits in the sink.

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

If I mix it early in the morning, and can't get to it when it's the perfect temp...in the late afternoon it's cold. I am not talking days, although that is done all the time. Master batching your lye and slightly re-heating is super common with long time soapers I know. I know that gets people riled up, and freaked out, but it's a lot more common than you might think. The gal who taught me how to make soap years ago has been making soap for 40+ years and that's just how she does it regularly. *I don't*, I like to use mine fresh. But from time to time, I can't get back to it until it's cold. That's where I was experimenting with using it as-is. I know that people seem to have extreme cautions on how exactly to do it. Turns out, it's got a little wiggle room. I am just curious if anyone had had troubles with their lye once it's been fully cooled. I have just cured roughly 15 batches of soap using the cooled down lye and have had great results. Honestly, I tend to soap hot much more often. But I have had better results here in the summer with the lye being cooled. Just thought it was interesting, and wondered if that seemed to be true for others.

To each his/her own I guess. I've been making soaps since 1969, so that's 44 years, and I would never heat up my lye. If I have to, I would use it at room temp.

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

Thank you Irena!
In your experience, have you come across any bad luck (yourself, or others) using room temp lye?

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

I have tried cold lye and oils, I have tried warm lye and oils, pretty much every way possible. I have recently come to the conclusion that it is more about the brand of lye you buy. I hate this most recent lye purchase. I have had nothing but troubles with it and I still have about 5 pounds of it to use. Any suggestions on using lye from Essential Depot would be awesome.

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Haven

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Linda

I learn so much when I can't leave well enough alone!

hvrba,
What a bummer! I have a local soap supply shop here in town, so I too buy mine locally. I used to buy it from BB a couple years back though, and never had any trouble it.

For all of you -- you should know that Irena starting soaping at age 2! (OK, I'm just kidding! Especially since I only know her from the blog.)

ED lye -- never had an issue with it that I can remember. That being said, my two bad batches were made using ED lye, but it wasn't necessarily because it was ED lye. At that time, I was relatively new to soap making. I buy my lye locally now that I've found a source. If you are really having a bad time with it, then don't waste your oils.

Contact ED and tell them your issues -- maybe they'll take it back for a credit.

I tend to mix my lye into ice water and sometimes don't remember to check and make sure oils/lye mixture are close in temperature and that could have been the issue. I DEFINITELY WOULD NOT reheat my lye mixture and would use it room temperature instead.

I have made 5 batches with this lye. Small to big. Tried and true recipes and a couple of new recipes. Tried and true fo's as well. The lye water stays very very hot for a long time and I always end up having to put it in an ice bath in the sink for a a bit. I mean it is still 160 degrees after an hour. Yesterday I waited 2 hours and it was still too hot to soap with. My soap batters turn to spackle before I am done pouring. I have gotten one batch to swirl successfully without issue but it seems like all the other batches (despite what I do) is just a mess. Yesterday, I tried the technique I used on the successful swirl and I was trying to do a mantra swirl (first one ever), so I got the batter to a light trace, split, colored, started pouring. I have to work quickly though cause I just knew it was going to set up fast. I couldn't even finish pouring into the mold before it was setting up. I end up plopping the rest of the batter into the mold. No pretty mantra swirl for me. The bars look ok and unique but not what I was going for. I just don't have any time to work with it. Not what I am used to. I used to have plenty of time to make awesome swirls. I have made many many batches over the last 5 years or so and this is the first time I have had these issues and the first time I have used this brand of lye. Hence my conclusion.

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Haven

Again, I think I would contact ED and see if you can return it for a credit. Explain the issues. Maybe you got a faulty batch of lye. Do your soaps come out lye heavy with ED lye?

I use ice directly as a part of the water.