Teach Soap

Hello all. I have a question and was wondering if anyone can help me. I am patiently waiting for my BB shipment so I can begin my journey into CP'ing. Is it necessary to use a stick blender? Can I do it by Hand? What's suggested if I do blend the ingredients together by hand, a silicon spatula or stainless? Also, I keep reading about insulating; do I have to? Can I use a styrofoam cooler to pour the soap in, like as a mold? If I do, would I need to line the cooler with a plastic bag? I am trying to have a successful 1st soap and just want to makesure that I do everything correctly. I can't afford a wooden mold from BB just yet.

I used a stick blender for my first and only batch because I had one and I could. But people have been making soap for a long time without them. I've read recently that quick, consistent stirring is important. The same article or blog post or whatever said that you could use a stand mixer for small batches. I don't see why a hand mixer wouldn't work, too. But I think I would use one dedicated to soap or crafting at least, and not the kitchen mixer for making cakes. (My stick blender is cracked and on it's last leg. I need to replace it, anyway.)

Also, I used a large round, blat bottomed plastic bowl for my first and only batch of soap. It was a half-batch and the bowl worked for me. I didn't line it, just stuck it in the freezer for a few mintues before 'unmolding' onto a wooden cutting board. Then I cut the soap and put it back in my pantry, still on the cutting board, to cure. Insulating wasn't difficult. I just used a couple of bath towels. If you used a styrofoam cooler, you would need to line it so you wouldn't have to bust up the cooler to remove the soap.

But all of this is just my experience.

I've only done one batch as well, but I've talked to plenty of people who stir by hand. What I've read and learned is that the best spoon to use is stainless steel, but you can use a wooden spoon as long as there are no splinters or chips. You won't be able to use the wooden spoon for anything but soap again (though, I personally wouldn't use anything for food again that touched lye).

Also, I'd think that no matter the mold, you'd need to line it. Unless it's something you can rip apart to get out the soap (however, cp soap is far softer when you unmold than mp is). My first batch I used wax paper and it worked, but I did buy some freezer paper for the next batch.

You insulate to cause your soap to go through gel stage, which isn't necessary. I've read that some people will put their soap into the freezer/fridge right after pouring because they don't want the gel stage. I would think you may want to use something other than the cooler just in case your soap needs to lay off the heat a bit to keep it from overheating.

Good luck!

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Amy in Soapland

I use a stick blender for my batches except for the ones that I know will accelerate trace. Then I use a stainless steel whisk. I would strongly suggest getting a stick blender. Depending on your recipe, you could be stirring for hours by hand. I don't insulate since I don't gel. If you are not familiar with gel, I would insulate til the soap reaches full gel. Then you can take it out and let it cool off. When cool, you should be able to cut. Unless you are using a silicone mod, then line your mold.

Please do NOT use a wooden spoon! The lye will eat it up and you WILL end up with pieces of wood or splinters in your soap!

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

also-

raw soap might eat the styrofoam... you may want to just pick up an inexpensive silicone mold from any craft store.. i use them for my very small batches and they work well. you can usually pick them up for under ten dollars.

Once you use a stick blender you will always want to, unless like soapbuddy says a recipe that goes to trace quickly. The concern is that if you wisk by hand you may tire and give up before trace. As for molds, I did many batches before I got a loaf mold. Just look around for something silicone, plastic, or line a wooden box. I would say make a trip to your thrift store and look. I recently bought a stick blender for 3.00 and I found plastic popsicle molds in the shape of gingerbread boys - 1.00 for about 15 of them. Mostly I did this so that I would limit my investment until I knew making soap was for me.

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