Teach Soap

While there are people that make a business out of using recycled oils (I am thinking of pinkmonkey or something like that) there are inherit problems with using those oils too. So, especially when just beginning, it is much better to use normal, meaning clean and fresh, oils, then if you still feel strongly about trying the recycled stuff, do so after you know what a batch of "normal" soap is supposed to be like. In other words, give yourself a good strong base of knowledge, along with a better opportunity for success by using the more acceptable ingredients until you know what you are doing. Then experiment.

I agree with everyone else. There is no way that I would recommend adding ammonia to any soap pot, and it does sound like a laundry batch to me. But never ever should you add hot water or any liquid to lye. Always add lye to your cold liquid. You dont want a lye volcano spouting up in your face and chest. This is a serious danger, which is all I can think that adding ammonia would be as well.

The soap queen tv on utube has a wonderful video about lye safety and the making of cp soap. You really should watch it, it is quite good.
I wish you luck and welcome you to the forum and to soap making, but I, along with everyone else, wish you to be safe first and foremost.

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

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

[/quote]Thank you lav.lady, I did make the recipe already and so far all is ok, I may be NEW TO MAKING SOAP, but I have been making bio-fuel with KOH for some time now, and relized the dangers in the recipe, I always use a little common sense when someone tells me something that goes against the grain.
Also, wen I started making my own HYDROGEN GAS, with potassium hydroxide , I was told I would blow myself up! I agree with you and a lot of others, DON'T ADD WATER ,( HOT OR cold ) to LYE, add the LYE to the other ingredients, Slowly , with extreme caution, I use plastic sleaves,apron, and gogles ,when using LYE ...........!!
I will try to view the u tube vidio, but with only a DIAL-UP (MODEM )connection, it would almost be imposible to wait that long for it to load ![/quote]

Well I am glad that you survived the recipe and knew the proper way/order to add the lye. I still think that ammonia has no business in a body soap recipe, and that you would be much better served making normal batches until you know what normal is. There are so many things that can happen when making soap (ricing, seizing, acceleration,morphing), it would be all but impossible for you to know the culprit of any incident when you have no idea how "normal" reacts or what normal is. And, as previously stated, KOH is not normally used in bar soap making, only liquid soap, so I am curious to know what ph your soap ends up as, if it emulsified properly, if it zaps ect. So please update us when you test it, and much luck!

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

Well,checked on my -----(soap) today,
it does not seem to be harding enough to get out of the 20 oz. water bottles ,that I used as my molds,( cut in half) ( some came out with a shake and bang ), but most still too soft. Have not took a ph test yet,( too early )but there were a couple that actually look like the bottles !
Here in Batesville ,ark. there does not seem to be anywhere to get the oils or frangrances to do soap or candles. Wal-Mart ,GNC , Tractor suply ,no one has anything to mention did get some coconut oil ,olive oil, but no palm oil or fragrances,will have to order on-line,and wait the wait . Tried to find a stick blender, found a OYSTER-hand blender at wally mart, only it was 250 watts, and I was wondering if it was big enough?
Why not just use a regular mixer ?

In the mean time was thinking about using the recipe but with sodium hydoxide to see the difference ,and then maybe the palm oil will get here.

triked, you can't use a regular mixer because it would add too many bubbles to your soap. You need the high shear of a stick blender to emulsify the ingredients properly. 250 watts will be fine.

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

A regular mixer puts too much air into the batch. I have a 100 watt SB that the mixing part comes off to clean and I LOVE it, it works just fine. I also have a 300 w Braun and I use it when I am in a hurry or making castille soap. So I am sure the walmart one will be fine for you. I cannot get coconut oil in my local stores either. They do sell OO there and I get it for less than I would if I ordered it, so I buy it from the chain store. While I dont use palm oil or lard, I do know that the new crisco lard is a mixture with palm and it is sold in my walmart, so you may want to check that out.

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

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

please stay away from ammonia, it won't benefit your soap.