Teach Soap

Hello, I've got about 10 batches of CP soap under my belt.. so far mostly successful but with the help of these boards I've figured out my mistakes I think. Thanks to all of you!

My question so far I've always used distilled water.. I was all set up to make some soap today and realized I was out of distilled so off to the store I went. Does it have to be distilled? I'm in the Seattle area and our water isnt hard or really soft..

Thanks again to all!!!

It minerals and metals (?) in tap water that you want to avoid, they can react with lye. That's why distilled.

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Laura<3

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

I just use filtered water, not distilled.

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

Anyone use rain water? We have a couple rain barrels and I was thinking about using that instead of distilled. Of course, first it has to rain to fill the barrels and we haven't had much of that in our drought stricken area lately!

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Sudawn
Better to be wise by the misfortunes of others than by your own.

I would not use rain, especially from a rain barrel. Rain collects a LOT of contaminants as it falls, like micro pollutants such as carbon, lead, and other air borne particles which can potentially be very harmful, depending on where you live and what manufacturing is done nearby. Not to mention what the wind cells bring your way! Rain barrels are also generally highly contaminated with bacteria and other microbes, depending on what the water passes over to get into said barrel. Bacterial and fungal plates done from eaves swabs are incredibly fascinating (if you like that sort of thing... if not they are nasty).

All in all, if you want to use rain or rain barrel water you should filter it through a very fine mesh filter (micron sized mesh, not something like a coffee filter) and then boil the filtered water for ~20 minutes. This would clean it up microbe wise, and remove larger particles, but it could still have smaller particles or bacterial spores.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

I've seen a lot of soapers on etsy say they use rain water. Always wondered if that was safe, or if it's an overly used lie to sell soap lol.

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Laura<3

filter papers would work. Would take quite a while to filter enough for a larger batch of soap though.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

Fascinating Heather!! Isn't it funny though that the average joe blow thinks that rain water = rain = nature = must be the best option! Not thinking of your comment ksfarmgal, more the customers that would choose a "made with rain water" soap over the other...

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

I have a major in Biology and a minor in Environment studies/science. I've learned that a lot of "natural" things are really not very safe.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

Rain water has dissolved metals and other particulates which could speed up or create DOS in soap. I would not use rain water, as "natural" as that might be.

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

Who would have thought? LOL Must say I initially fell into the rain water must be better category! Now I'm rethinking watering my plants with it - but guess they ultimately get the rain water anyway. I did make my husband put netting over the top of our barrels because I was worried about mosquitoes and other bugs/debris getting in there. We live way out in the country, so althrough there is probably not manufactoring stuff in our air - there could certainly be chemicals blowing around from crop fertilization. Thanks for the wisdom and short lesson!

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Sudawn
Better to be wise by the misfortunes of others than by your own.

What about snow melt? There is a soap maker here who claims to make her soaps from melted snow from the Lake Tahoe area. I can't help but wonder what is in the snow since it would be not only what would be in rain water but also on the ground. It sounds natural and therefore better for you to people but I wouldn't do it.

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Linda

I learn so much when I can't leave well enough alone!

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