Teach Soap

Does that mean trash it and give up?

I unmolded my second ever batch of soap LATE last night...just flopped it outta the mold onto the plastic rack I have and then flipped it over right side up and stared at it a few times before FINALLY going to bed (been nervous watching hurricane news for a few days and thus antsy and trying to stay busy too)

Anyways...I got up LATE of course today, fed, wandered off to my part time job for a few hours, came home, and RAN to check my soap...and it is leaking brown oozy goo...from the BOTTOM.....though the outside is a creamy white/light tan and NOT brown at all...hmmmm....what do REAL soap people call this? Because I call it "potentially dangerous call the hazmat team goo!" So far, to be honest, ON HERE THROUGH YA'LL is the ONLY source I have much faith in...books, the rest of the net, I just don't trust 'em any more....and yes I understand all about liability and disclaimers and such...but I am here to LEARN...so please teach me kindly as we learn through our mistakes and all....

What exactly could this be? Should I just trash it and let it go? Do I perform an autopsy of sorts? I made this batch the 25th in the evening...it is now 3 days old...I was gonna cut it tomorrow...but not if it's gonna squirt poison at me! (Unless an autopsy IS called for...I would do one then)

My first batch ever came out okay so far...cut it last night and left it on the rack as well...no leaking, no goo, no oddities that I can tell...even did the zap test for just because and it certainly tastes AWFUL...but no shock was received by my nervously twitching tongue (I had to take my tongue ring out even just to feel better before I attempted it...didn't want that to interfere with the results!)

So...I suppose I have one batch of "maybe soap" and one batch of "I dunno what this is" at the moment....Thoughts ya'll? Please feel free to throw the appropriate vocabulary and terms at me as well...I'm not very comfortable using my "soap words" yet if you couldn't tell....Give it a while and I will get better though

TO be honest again...I WANT to pick the dang log of soap apart and see what is IN THERE....but I'm looking for advice here from experienced people...

It sounds like your soap overheated. Is there any way you can post a picture of it?

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

Wet your finger. Lightly touch that finger to the goo, then lightly touch your tongue with that finger. Does it zap? Have some apple or orange juice handy to rinse your mouth out with and spit it out. If it zaps, I would just trash it.

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

k...hang on....here we are!




That's the bottom of it, which I flipped over BEFORE I posted this and when I went back I kinda squished it around with the plastic wrap I had on top of it....it's not gooey...feels runny through plastic....



And the top...has some questionable qualities I suppose...not for sure...from above I see only potential soap....

Sooooo......opinions? thoughts?

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Making soap one loaf at a time - it's better than bread 'cause soap doesn't have calories!

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Making soap one loaf at a time - it's better than bread 'cause soap doesn't have calories!

It's like licking a battery or having a rubber band snap. It's noticable, but it's not bad.

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

I closed my eyes...and nothing...no nothing...was my finger too wet? Not even soap TASTE really...a little...but mostly nothing....did I not touch it enough? UGH! I dunno that I will EVER be okay with the zap test...rather have to pull a stuck kid from a doe in labor than do the zap test!

ETA: Now I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to go poke at it! You have to understand, as a goat person first and THEN an aspiring soap person...my usual MO is to poke at things...it seems to be what goat people do....

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Making soap one loaf at a time - it's better than bread 'cause soap doesn't have calories!

Was you finger just damp or wet? It should be just damp. then touch the oily spot, then touch it to your tongue. Does the closing of the yes help?

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

My finger was obviously too wet the first time....

That is an EVIL HORRID TRICK!

My tongue has a tiny numb spot on it now....

Apparently closing my eyes DID help...because this time I kept them open and that zap things BLOWS!

So...trash it right? Or can I still put on my gloves and poke at it? I REALLY wanta poke at it for some reason...morbid curiousity maybe?

What did I potentially do wrong...as it the world may never know...but give me some stuff to think through and I will if I can...can you tell that I am an interactive learner? Sorry...it's the ONLY thing that works for me...

ETA: On a scale of 1 - 10...it's like a 3 or 4...small localized area of WHOA...but more painful due to location on the body being a soft tender tongue and not work hardened hands...

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Making soap one loaf at a time - it's better than bread 'cause soap doesn't have calories!

Just trash it. Now you know what the zap feels like.

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

No poking at it? You are telling an ex-funeral director NOT to poke at something that is technically dead...VERY hard to resist you know!

Now, for real, what might have happened here? Was I watching temps close enough? Measure incorrectly? A combo perhaps? Inquiring minds and all.... I gotta know how to avoid that zap in the future!

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Making soap one loaf at a time - it's better than bread 'cause soap doesn't have calories!

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

Okay...no poking...I am VERY tempted to go WAY OUT to the FAR BACK corner of our property (10 acres worth) and throw it VERY VERY HARD against a tree though...kinda like when I do "eggtopsies" from hatch failures....I will NOT do so...but you must know in general protocol here is to autopsy.....

But no....no poking then...and that is more disappointing then the soap failing you know...I think I am slowly over coming my fear of the lye though...still a VERY healthy respect for it....but now so scared....as long as my tongue doesn't fall off overnight that is

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Making soap one loaf at a time - it's better than bread 'cause soap doesn't have calories!

Your tongue will be none the worse for wear. I promise.

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

As for what went wrong, it could be anything or any number of things! My personal choice is that the soap overheated.

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