Teach Soap

Could you guys tell me more about this? I read that you can make a 50/50 solution and then use what you need in a batch later.

How do you store it? If you use the 50% solution, do you then add your other liquid in the beginning or at trace?

How would this work if I was making a yogurt soap? Can you use soapcalc like this? (I messed with it some but it never gave me a number for extra liquid).

I can see doing this if you are making large batches, like 20 lbs. at a time. If you are new to soapmaking, I would make your lye water when you are ready to soap. With that said; I've made 25 lb. batches at at time, and didn't masterbatch my lye water. Too many things can go wrong.

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

Here's how that works: Mix your 50/50 solution of lye and distilled water by WEIGHT. Always add the lye to the water. Make sure it is very well mixed. Store it in a HEAVY DUTY, PLASTIC container that is WELL MARKED. (I am not yelling, I am emphasizing ). When you are making soap, lets say your recipe calls for 10 oz. of lye - grab your container, again make sure it is well mixed, and measure out 20 oz.(50/50 mix = 10 oz. lye and 10 oz. water.) Now lets say that your recipe is calling for 20 oz. of water, add 10 more ounces of distilled water to your mix. (If you were going to use 5 oz of another liquid, use that as part of your 10 oz.) Now you can add this mixed liquid to your oils and bring to trace.

Keep this in mind - Lye water is more dangerous to store than dry lye. A spill will cause more damage and be harder to clean up. It is easier for an animal or a child to ingest fatal doses of liquid form lye than dry lye.

Hope that helps - I can't help you with the specifics of using yogurt, milk, or other special liquids because I have never used anything other than water in my soaps.

Check back here for more responses, because I am sure the are more experienced soapers that will chime in on this thread.