Teach Soap

I am a Ghanaian and just recently joined this forum in my search for more knowledge in the art of CP soap making. A foundation taught us CP soap making, but I am not satisfied with what I got. For starters, I want to make hard bars of laundry soap that lathers well for sale in local markets. This is the recipe I used for a sample yesterday. The recipe was developed using Chris Mathes's Soap Recipe Spreadsheet Template :

Palm Oil: 400gm
Palm Kernel Oil: 200gm
NaOH: 89gm ( with 3% caustic discount)
Water: 205gm ( with 30% Discounted Water Cold Process)
Fragrance: 18gm
Sodium Silicate: 33gm
Talc: 29.51gm
Starch Powder:10.93gm ( added in form of a suspension)
Sugar: 10gm

The resulting soap is presently curing. I however noticed traces of talc on the surface. I believe may be the talc was not properly mixed in. This brings me to my questions:

1. At what time in the soap making process should I incorporate the Silicate, Talc, and Starch, and in what order?
2. I seem to have issues with my mixing duration. How do I know the soap is ready to be poured into the mold?
3. I also noticed that after prolonged mixing, the soap begins to separate. Will it still come together if I continue mixing, or should I pour it into the mould the first time it froms trace?

Welcome!
I don't use talc, sodium silicate or starch in my recipe. What reason are you using these for?
The talc and the starch could end up clinging to clothes. I make a 100% coconut oil soap with 0% superfat to use in laundry.

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

Mine is also 100% coconut with 0% superfat. Or 100% lard/tallow with 0% superfat.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

Thanks guys.

The starch helps the soap to be a bit more slippery, while the talc helps in hardening and increasing bulk. the silicate is for hardening as well.
Over here cocont oil is expensive compared to Palm Oil and Palm Kernel oil. So to reduce cost, I always use these two oils.

I am open to new ideas.
Lol!!

What about lard or tallow? These work great as laundry soaps and also make an extremely hard bar (I cut my bars only 45 mins or so after making them).

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

Lard or tallow are great. They are however not readily available in the local market, unless you import them. The vegetable oils/fat under consideration over here especially for small scale start-ups like me are: Palm Oil, Palm Kernel Oil, Coconut Oil, Cocoa-butter, Shea-butter. But for laundry soaps, the oils almost always used are the first 3.

In a certain post, some one talked about adding salt to soap recipes to harden the soap. Does the salt have any negative effect on lathering or formation of bubbles during usage?

What is the role of Soda Ash in a soap recipe?
How and when should it be added?

Hope I am not too full of questions.......?

That recipe should work, with the Palm giving a hard bar and the palm kernel acting like coconut, to give you some bubbles.

As for the additives, you could try doing without, or this: subtract a bit of the water from the 205 grams and wet them down into a slurry, then add it all together into the soap at thin trace. Or used some salt as he hardening agent (dissolve it in water before lye).

Are you hand mixing? It sounds like you're having separation problems. It may take a long time to reach trace if you're hand mixing.

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Lesli Sagan
Avital's Apiaries
Like us: http://www.facebook.com/AvitalsApiaries

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

On the topic of laundry soap. Which type do you prefer? powdered? watery? slimy gloop? I made some powdered last weekend (100% coconut oil/0%SF) and this weekend will try some type of liquid (mom wants it) as soon as I figure out how.

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**ERIN**

**I've taken up photography because it's the only hobby I can shoot people and cut their heads off without going to jail**

You can make the liquid by adding water to a powder one (I do soap, washing soda and borax in my powder one). I THINK there is something on Soap Queen about it. But if not there is lot online about it. They all say to use "Nel's Naptha" soap, but any solid washing soap works! It is usually a bit slimy though!

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

I guess I will do without the salt in my recipes.

Yes, I do hand mixing with a laddle. I wish I could get a stick blender, it will make my day. I would sincerely love to get one shipped to me here in Ghana if possible.

Apart from the mixing issue, my soap is really good.

On the use of soda ash, what quantity should I use, when and how should it be used?

Make sure that your ladle is not made from wood, as over time, lye reacts to the wood and you could end up with splinters in your soap.

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

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

_________________
**ERIN**

**I've taken up photography because it's the only hobby I can shoot people and cut their heads off without going to jail**

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