Teach Soap

Hi, I've been making soap for years, but feel like a newbie when it comes to my problem.
Why do I sometimes have a white dust on my soaps? This is mostly when I use the individual molds.
I was thinking that I used too much oatmeal, but reduced the amount and still have the dust.
The strange thing, in the same batch of soap, some of the individual bars are o.k., and others have the dust. What causes this, and how can I prevent this from happening? Also, what can I do with the bars of soap I have right now to remove the white dust? Thanks for your help!

It sounds like ash. I used to get it on my soaps too, then I started covering them with plastic wrap right after I poured and voila! No more ash!
To clean them up though, I've used pantyhose. Just wet the pantyhose and rub the top of the soap where the ash is, comes right off.
As to a reason, I chalk it up to the gremlins that like to come in and mess with my soap just for fun

Hope this helps.

Best of luck,
Brandy

My last batch of woodland elves had the same issue. The slab mold is fine, the few individual silicone molds have the ash. I do not know why. I have been able to rub it off or if it is a very textured top... I just leave it... does not hurt the soap or the person using it. One person said it was a soaping badge of honor... I liked that!

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

It's just aesthetic. If you don't like ash, you can wipe it off.

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

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Shieh Design Studio
https://www.facebook.com/ShiehDesignStudio
http://soapandrestless.blogspot.com

Not to mention that I did not gel this last batch. In fact I'm sure none of my individual molds have ever gelled. So where do you live? Would a constant room temp not help or is it more a sudden vs slow temp loss that is the culprite?

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

_________________
Shieh Design Studio
https://www.facebook.com/ShiehDesignStudio
http://soapandrestless.blogspot.com

I don't have a constant temperature in my house, since we heat with a wood stove. It cools down at night. This might be a crazy question to most of you. But, what do you mean when you say Gel Your Soap? I make my soap, pour it into molds, and usually cover the molds with newspaper. Sometimes i get the dust, and sometimes not. I just don't get it. Thanks for your help.

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