# Pure Canola Oil Soap



## pickles (May 17, 2010)

I decided I wanted to try a soap using 100% Canola because it's the cheapest veggie oil, and was curious to see how it would turn out.

I got tired of stirring it and went to bed. Don't have a stick blender yet. 

It was 12 hours before I checked it again. There was a darker fluid on top, lighter color underneath which had thickened up. I stirred this for awhile and got real good trace. I left it sit for another 2 hours and saw no separation so poured it into the mold.

I wondered if anyone had tried 100% Canola and how it turned out for them. 

Also, I was wondering at what temp I should keep the soap while in the mold. I have a garage which reaches about 100 degrees throughout the day or I can keep it in the house with AC running at about 78-80F. Also what temp while the cut bars are drying?

Sorry for stupid questions but I'm new at this. 

Hope it turns out because it smells so good. Creamy and slightly sweet. I have very dry skin so I'm looking forward to seeing if it will help that.


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## krissy (May 17, 2010)

it will make soap. it will probably go rancid rather fast though... :?


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## Jezzy (May 17, 2010)

Check out this link about one oil soaps. Canola is on there too.

http://www.zensoaps.com/singleoil.htm


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## honor435 (May 17, 2010)

i wouldnt do it,
 get a sblender, I got one from used store for 5$.


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## pickles (May 17, 2010)

Oh dear. If it goes rancid that fast, who will I be able to talk into using it if it turns out as ugly as that bar of Canola soap in the link? LOL At least it's not a big batch.

Yes, after all that stirring I'm convinced I do need a stick blender 

I'll post pix after I unmold it and after it dries. No matter what it looks like


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## Sunny (May 17, 2010)

haven't made it myself but I have read that it's prone to DOS (goes rancid).

I recommend a stick blender, you can hardly make soap without it! I always see one if I go to a thrift store or goodwill (although for goodwill's prices you can almost just go to target ...jk.)


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## pickles (May 19, 2010)

Well, here is a pic of the Canola soap right after I cut it. I put it in the freezer for 1.5 hours to make it easier to get out of the mold. I'm wondering if I made a mistake doing that, because the soap started sweating after it warmed up some. Is this normal?


http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4017/462 ... 57f3_o.jpg


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## madpiano (May 19, 2010)

The sweating would be normal (just condensation). 

Did you use Canola or Rape Seed Oil ? Canola seems to be DOS prone from what I read on here. We don't have it in Europe and I use Rape Seed Oil in my soaps and don't have problems with DOS. 

But any experiment I have seen that uses 100% of either doesn't make nice soap. Slimey, soft and just generally not nice to use.


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## saddigilmore (May 14, 2021)

Sorry to resurrect an old thread!



madpiano said:


> Did you use Canola or Rape Seed Oil ? Canola seems to be DOS prone from what I read on here. We don't have it in Europe and I use Rape Seed Oil in my soaps and don't have problems with DOS.
> 
> But any experiment I have seen that uses 100% of either doesn't make nice soap. Slimey, soft and just generally not nice to use.



I,also have access to some really affordable rapeseed oil, which seems to he mid-oleic!

I also have heard that a lower superfat% could stave off potential DOS.

Also, since this thread popped up, and the recipe (Zany's no slime castille) which i have had my eye on for a while... it got me to wondering...

What would a pure rapeseed (or mid-high OA canola) behave like, when made with seawater, and a 0% superfat, ala Zany's no slime castille?

Has anyone experimented with anything like this? If I want to experiment myself, I have to wait another few weeks 
Just hoping for anyone else's experience with the matter .Thank you all!


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## ResolvableOwl (May 14, 2021)

At high (>10%, I'd say) linoleic content, low superfat against DOS is useless without ROE and chelators.

Pure canola soaps, even if they eventually harden up after a painfully long cure, will suck up water quickly, become mushy and dissolve really quickly. Advanced Castile recipes can't magically mitigate this.

What you _can_ do, however, is maxing out the canola content (50-60% is possible) in a balanced recipe, that also uses hard oils like tallow, palm oil or soy wax, as well as coconut oil. Much shorter cure time, harder and longer lasting, nice lather, lower DOS risk, and still quite some economical advantage from the cheap canola.


Btw, feel free to just open a new thread for such requests in the future


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## saddigilmore (May 14, 2021)

I don't know what the proper etiquette is! Making a new post on some other forums, when one already exists,  is considered rude  then I get told to use the search bar PP



ResolvableOwl said:


> What you _can_ do, however, is maxing out the canola content (50-60% is possible) in a balanced recipe, that also uses hard oils like tallow, palm oil or soy wax, as well as coconut oil. Much shorter cure time, harder and longer lasting, nice lather, lower DOS risk, and still quite some economical advantage from the cheap canola.



Would you consider lard a hard oil? Although I do have access them to them, Coconut oil is pretty pricey also, as well as castor oil.  I'm going to make a new thread!


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## Tara_H (May 14, 2021)

ResolvableOwl said:


> At high (>10%, I'd say) linoleic content, low superfat against DOS is useless without ROE and chelators.


Would you say this is true even at zero or negative superfat? Theoretically speaking?
I would have thought that if there's no unsaponified oil left that would lead to less or no DOS?


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## ResolvableOwl (May 14, 2021)

saddigilmore said:


> I'm going to make a new thread!








						Maxing out Rapeseed oil %
					

Hello everyone,  So I have access to cheap mid-oelic rapeseed oil. I'd really like to try to turn this into some decent soap... I also have access to pretty cheap lard.  I have access to coconut oil and castor oil, two ingredients that I bought, in preparation for making a "perfect soap" based...




					www.soapmakingforum.com


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## ImpKit (May 14, 2021)

saddigilmore said:


> I don't know what the proper etiquette is! Making a new post on some other forums, when one already exists,  is considered rude  then I get told to use the search bar PP


So this forum has announcements / rules / etc. I would heartily encourage you to read through the following 2 posts:
1) SMF Message Board Rules
2) SMF Culture and Tone (note second post, item 7 regarding thread necromancy)

The rest of the pinned threads are worth a once over too but those two will be most applicable to the concerns you've expressed.


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## Professor Bernardo (May 14, 2021)

pickles said:


> I decided I wanted to try a soap using 100% Canola because it's the cheapest veggie oil, and was curious to see how it would turn out.
> 
> I got tired of stirring it and went to bed. Don't have a stick blender yet.
> 
> ...


Personally, I would avoid Canola oil aka Rapeseed oil.  It's not a good oil at all IMHO.  Probably because in it's raw untreated state it is highly toxic and it takes a lot of chemical processing to achieve the end result.  You would be better off using high oleic Sunflower oil, olive oil, etc.  Again, this is just my opinion on rapeseed oil, the processing part is true however.  Rapeseed oil is one of the oldest known vegetable oils, but historically was used in limited quantities due to high levels of erucic acid, which is damaging to cardiac muscle of animals, and glucosinolates, which made it less nutritious in animal feed. Rapeseed oil can contain up to 54% erucic acid. Food-grade canola oil derived from rapeseed cultivars, also known as rapeseed 00 oil, low erucic acid rapeseed oil, LEAR oil, and rapeseed canola-equivalent oil, has been generally recognized as safe by the United States Food and Drug Administration. Canola oil is limited by government regulation to a maximum of 2% erucic acid by weight in the USA and 2% in the EU, with special regulations for infant food. These low levels of erucic acid are not believed to cause harm in human infants. 

You should add at least 15-20% Coconut oil to get a good lathering ability of the soap you intend to make, regardless of the other oils you intend to use.  Use the Soap Maker Friend Calculator associated with this website to get a better understanding of the parameters of suds building, cleansing and conditioning factors involved.  Always try to strive for Green in the bar graphs.  

Just keep your molds at room temperature and you'll be fine for both the initial cure / saponification and the drying time of several weeks. Most of the saponification is done in the first 24-36 hours and then the rest is just allowing the soap crystal structure to develop while allowing the excess water to evaporate producing a harder, longer lasting bar of soap.  

Since you suffer from dry skin you might want to consider trying lard as a hard oil.  It is very beneficial for dry skin.  Unless you are averse to using animal fat products.

Good luck in your quest!  I hope you find a soap that will fit the niche you're trying to fill.  

Check out the recipe on this website:  Best Homemade Soap Recipe to Soothe Dry Skin


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## KimW (May 14, 2021)

So, I've made 100% Canola and 100% Corn Oil recently as a test while doing challenges.  RE: the original old post et al, my two cents FWIW:
Both do tend to slime, though not as much as 100% OO, but using @Zany_in_CO 's method of adding faux seawater, the slime becomes minimal.  
I found that the addition of potato starch at 1% TOW, further minimized the slime and yielded bars that didn't turn too soft/gummy with use.
I use non-gmo Canola and non-gmo Corn Oils.
I do not use ROE.
I use Citric Acid at 3% TOW as a mild chelator in all my soaps (traumatized by a past soap scum experience!   ).  
I have many bars (oh these challenges!) that are now 4 and 6 months old and have no signs of rancidity (DOS).

One thing I do not like about these bars is that while the lather is more akin to a 100% OO soap (nice, but not too bubbly), the bars deplete very quickly.  I'd say they deplete as fast as a 100% Coconut Oil bar.  
I haven't taken the time to look into why this is, but I did do a somewhat subjective test (which is somewhere on here - sorry busy today) of four different single oil soaps and how complete each one dissolved (soap shavings, shaken in water, and then observed).  If I remember right the Canola dissolved the most completely, then the Coconut, then the Corn, then the OO...but again, I can't be sure until I look at my notes.

OK - that is all.   Soap on!


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## Zany_in_CO (May 14, 2021)

saddigilmore said:


> What would a pure rapeseed (or mid-high OA canola) behave like, when made with seawater, and a 0% superfat, ala *Zany's no slime castille*?


I say, go for it!  Then post results in a separate thread linked to ZNSC.   
Enquiring minds want to know. 

BTW, for better lather, I do the 85% OO, 10% coconut, 5% castor oil variation and am happy with the result.


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## saddigilmore (May 14, 2021)

I'd start a 100% rapeseed oil w saltwater, and a  85% rapeseed, 10% coco, 5% caster (i'm very curious about this)  w saltwater today, to compare them, if I could. I have to wait til next week 

0% superfat for sure, right??

for the 100% rapeseed, I was thinking of throwing in some coffee grounds, to maybe distract against potental sliminess, and lack of lather... any thoughts on that?

the scientist in me wants to try it all, and compare them side by side in 4-6 weeks from now.
the economist in me wants to not waste any lye,fat,time,space on bars that are known to be no-good.
this hobby, and the ppl here have been around the block enough times to give me an idea of what's tried-and-true.

I was just hoping someone else did this 100% rapeseed/canola thing w salt already, and could share their experiences.  I can't be the first one to think of this, after seeing your recipe, with canola/rapeseed being so inexpensive, and similar to OO


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## tashiany (May 15, 2021)

Hi,

I had about the same contemplation, but the scientist won  (plus I was running out of soap )

However, I didn't have canola/rapeseed, I made five very small batches with faux sea water according to Zany's no slime castile recipe (masterbatching NaOH) and used:
Olive (100)
olive (90) castor (10)
jojoba (90) castor (10)
jojoba 100
Almond (100)

Unfortunately I didn't try almond-castor (I might have simply run out of dishes )
It has been about five or six months, so they are still curing. From time to time I test them, and the results so far are:

Olive (100)- nice bubbles, quite stable but small, feels a bit dry-draggy on the skin (might improve with curing).
olive (90) castor (10)- more stable, bigger bubbles, very soothing to the skin
jojoba (90) castor (10)- very nice soap, great suds and feels good.
jojoba 100- feels slimy, hardly any suds
Almond (100)- same as jojoba 100, not as slimy but hardly any suds.

However, as they are still curing, things may change, as Zany says on her recipe. In addition, since they have not been in use, I can not tell whether they are going to be slimy.
Sorry I can not give more specific info about canola, hope that could still be helpful.


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## saddigilmore (May 15, 2021)

tashiany said:


> I had about the same contemplation, but the scientist won


IT HURTS!! (my wallet )

5-6 months is a hell of a long time for a cure, isn't it? It sounds like your 90/10 olive castor came out the best? I hope that carries over to canola!!!! I'm going to give that ratio a shot, maybe throw in 5% castor


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## tashiany (May 15, 2021)

LOL, as I only made two bars of each, and they turned out usable, and I used leftover oil, I am happy with it 
I was under the impression that these "castilikes" need a year-long cure to bring out their full potential, so I took a deep breath before making them, and am ready for another six months or so of curing.

I agree that the 90/10 olive castor is the best., would love to hear about your experience with canola!

(BTW- I now recall that I did make a 100% soft oil soap in the past, which was either canola or sunflower, but not with Zany's recipe. As others said, it didn't turn out very well, so I ended up adding some water to it and using it for the kitchen sink. It worked great, and no soap was wasted).


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## Zany_in_CO (May 16, 2021)

tashiany said:


> I was under the impression that these "castilikes" need a year-long cure to bring out their full potential, so I took a deep breath before making them, and am ready for another six months or so of curing.


_"Castiles need a year-long cure"_ is an urban legend, or more correctly, a forum legend. When I first joined a forum in 2004, the cure time for castiles was *12 weeks/3 months* (and still is). Some time later, a soaper announced she was going to make her castiles at the beginning of the year in order to be ready for the holiday season. Others followed her lead. Then it became a mantra, _"castiles need a year to cure."_ Nonsense. I and many other old-timers know the difference between a 3-month cure and a year-long cure is minimal at best. 


Zany_in_CO said:


> UNMOLD in 12-24 hours
> CUT Day 2
> CURE Ready to ship in 2 weeks. 6 weeks is best. The longer the cure the better the soap.


Go back and read the intro again. *ZNSC* not only has no slime but cures fairly quickly. I start using a bar at the 2-week mark with no negative results. 



tashiany said:


> It has been about five or six months... the results so far are:
> 
> Olive (100)- nice bubbles, quite stable but small, feels a bit dry-draggy on the skin (might improve with curing).
> olive (90) castor (10)- more stable, bigger bubbles, very soothing to the skin
> ...


Interesting results -- especially using jojoba (pricey! LOL) It would be great if you could post your experiments and results in a new thread, linked back to the original *ZNSC*. That would help others who may be thinking along the same lines.  

*ETA:* Also, the topic of this thread is _"Pure Canola Oil Soap"_ and your comments about ZNSC will get buried here.


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## tashiany (May 18, 2021)

Zany_in_CO said:


> _Castiles need a year-long cure"_ is an urban legend, or more correctly, a forum legend. When I first joined a forum in 2004, the cure time for castiles was *12 weeks/3 months* (and still is). Some time later, a soaper announced she was going to make her castiles at the beginning of the year in order to be ready for the holiday season. Others followed her lead. Then it became a mantra, _"castiles need a year to cure."_ Nonsense. I and many other old-timers know the difference between a 3-month cure and a year-long cure is minimal at best.



Well, that definitely makes me feel stupid, but at the same time *very *happy (since I can use them right away!) 
So the "Legend of the forgotten soap" found in the a distant cupboard after years, presenting miraculous qualities, is just a legend, after all?  



Zany_in_CO said:


> Interesting results -- especially using jojoba (pricey! LOL) It would be great if you could post your experiments and results in a new thread, linked back to the original *ZNSC*. That would help others who may be thinking along the same lines.



Thank you, that's the right way to do it, will absolutely do.


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