Teach Soap

First my questions on cleaning up! I've been using warm water with dish soap, is that decent? Mom suggested that hotter water would work better, but I can't stand hot water I use tap water around 100-110 *F

My second question is to do with surface protection! Is freezer paper a good idea to keep the table protected? When I made my HP I didn't use anything, and I spilled a drop of lye water, its still slowly eating the table and we've been unable to stop it as its inside the wood fibers now... oops! Since then I was using waxed paper, which I discovered isn't soap batter-proof. Tonight I tried freezer paper, seemed to work well, but I figured you folks would know better than anyone =D

Here is a picture of the table, so folks can see what lye can do. This is a lacquered solid pine table (now with fancy chemical burn hole!) I dug out most of the remnants of wood that the lye has dissolved, its about 1.5 mm deep. It doesn't burn you if you touch it and I couldn't get anyone to zap test it =P I THINK I've got it neutralized now after a nice soaking of vinegar. I'll know for sure in a couple days.


Brief edit: only the round hole is from lye water, the rest of the damage is from other crafts, and moving big heavy snake vivariums which made the deep scratch like marks. Again... oops? Well used and loved table!

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

To protect from lye, I would use a plastic dropcloth or a plastic table mat. However that won't help you much if you drop hot soap on it. Can you sand your table down, then put another finish on it?

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

I think Mom is going to sand and paint it after I move to NJ. No sense in doing it while I'm still here... I have a tendency to harm my poor table over and over LOL Going to have to set up a soap and candle making bench in my fiance's house somewhere, his table is yet to be "Heather'd" as mom calls it.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

If you have the room, I would get a used table from a second hand or a thrift store. That way if it gets ruined cest la vie.

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

I get cheap Vinyl tableclothes that I protect my bench with.

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The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

That's a good idea Coolah.

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

Hehe thanks. I started doing it with clear plastic sheeting for my daughter as she used to sit up on the bench to do her colouring in, playdoh, painting etc. In a rental property, I was worried about stains, so put the plastic down. Was handy when she went crazy with the stickers one day too!!

When I started soaping, the plastic had seen better days, but at $24.95 a meter, I wanted to find something cheaper. The material store up near us has Vinyl by the meter, so I grabbed that and just used packing tape to make it stay put.

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The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

I used plastic sheeting when I started, then I spilled some lye beads once, and the static on the plastic sheet scattered the lye all over the kitchen.
Now I still use plastic sheeting, but I cover that with a piece of cardboard cut the size of the counter.

Hestey - for clean up of your soaping utensils & pots: don't use any water at first. Just squirt some liquid dish detergent into the pot and then use your gloved hands to work the detergent all over the pots, spoons, etc. Once they are well coated with the detergent you can rinse off using hot water (if you keep your gloves on you can use hotter water!) Most of the time that's all you need to do to get the greasiness off of everything. If not, just give it another quick wash. Or, if you don't need your stuff right away, let it sit for 24 hrs and it will turn into soap and you can was it away.

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

Leave it for 24 hours... I totally never thought of that! That's really sneaky! Thanks Linda!

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

Hehe I do that, but I just thought I was being lazy.

_________________
The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

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

I have vinyl that was left over from my dtr, I will cover that with a piece of old flannel sheeting. My lye is rested inside of the sink that is covered with a plastic bag until I need it.
I found that I cannot leave my equipment to the next day... I get busy and then it sits for a week on top of the fridge out of my site. I do take some paper towels and wipe out as much as I can, then wash in hot water. I do keep my gloves on until everything is washed and all surfaces are wiped down.

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