# How do you clean up a soap pot?



## Soapin (Feb 17, 2015)

Hello!

A basic question here: After each batch of soap (cold-process), I have trouble getting the pot clean.  It always seems like an oily mess.  I'm only discounting by 4%, and the resulting soap is good, so I don't think I'm using too much oil.  I generally have better luck letting the soap residue sit overnight and then cleaning the pot the next day, but still, tons of hot water just doesn't seem to get the job done.  Any secrets?

Thank you!


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## snappyllama (Feb 17, 2015)

I scrape out as much as possible then let it sit for a few days. Then I scrape any small amount of dried soap out before using very hot water on it. I try to get the least amount down my drain since I'm on a septic system.


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## Susie (Feb 17, 2015)

I scrape every bit I can into the mold, then wipe with a paper towel.  Then wash as usual.  Many people let the pot sit so there is soap in the pot, not oily mess.


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## Soapin (Feb 17, 2015)

snappyllama, thank you!  That sounds like a great method.  I hadn't thought about the septic system thing.  That's my situation, too!  I was just thinking that at worst, I'm washing a bunch of soap down my drain, and that can't be too bad, but I think I was wrong!  Your method of wiping it out first so that it goes in the trash and not the drain is a much safer way to do it.  And leaving it for a few days should let any stray oil and lye saponify so that it will wash out cleanly.  I think this will help me save a lot of time.

Thanks again.


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## Soapin (Feb 17, 2015)

Susie, thank you for that.  It really does seem like my problem is that I'm not wiping the pot out first.  This is so helpful.  Thank you again and again.


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## cmzaha (Feb 17, 2015)

Like Susie, I wipe out my soaping buckets with paper towels, add in some commercial grade degreaser and soap to my bucket and wash the bucket then toss the water over the bank. I do not run the oily water down my drain. I usually add in a bit of degreaser to the soapy water in the sink for washing the utensils. I cannot bring myself to let anything not cleaned sit around. I even wash my buckets before starting the next batch even though I do not need the bucket for the next one.


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## lillybella (Feb 17, 2015)

cmzaha, do you do this for oily & waxy bowls too?
I think I need to get some degreaser!


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Feb 18, 2015)

I have no septic tank and also no space to leave soapy things over night, so I do it slightly differently -

For pots that had oils or batter in them, I take out as much as possible with a paper towel then put some normal washing up liquid in before I go near the water. I smear it around the pot and then put it in the water. It makes a big difference.


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## Cindy2428 (Feb 18, 2015)

I've tried both methods. My soap studio in my basement doesn't have water yet so everything comes upstairs in buckets. I will fill the sink and soak the leftover saponified batter, rinse,  and then into the dishwasher with tablet and vinegar. Everything comes out great - not even EO/FO smell.


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## shunt2011 (Feb 18, 2015)

I too scrape out all I can then give them a wipe with paper towels or an old towel (can just throw that in the wash after setting up).  Then wash in hot soapy (dawn) water.  I don't have the space to leave dirty soap dishes laying around.


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## Susie (Feb 18, 2015)

I have an issue with having dirty dishes left in the sink between meals, so leaving soap dishes for 24 hours is just out of the question.  If the dishwasher is full, I hand wash with my 100% CO liquid soap.


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## DeeAnna (Feb 18, 2015)

I pretty much do what Shunt does. I use "soaping towels" (squares of old, thin terrycloth about half the size of a hand towel) to wipe up drips and spills during soaping. I also use these towels to wipe my bowls and utensils after I'm done soaping. I then wash the bowls and utensils by hand with hot water and plenty of soap. Some of the utensils that are hard to clean go in the dishwasher as well. 

The used towels go in a plastic bucket set high out of reach of my cats and dogs. I leave them there for at least a day so the soap batter saponifies, then they get washed as part of a load of dirty chore clothes. If I had a super oily towel, I would probably toss it rather than gunk up my washer, but soap batter washes out well, especially in a load of dirty jeans.


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## Soapin (Feb 20, 2015)

Wow, everyone, thank you for sharing your methods!  I was away from this forum for a few days, and now that I'm back, I'm amazed at the responses to this question!  Frankly, it's overwhelming!  It almost feels like I need to read through them again and take notes on all the different cleaning techniques.  The keys seem to be to wipe out the pot first (ideally with rags that you can wash after) and also to not rinse a bunch of oil down your drain.  Great tips.  Thank you again!


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## reinbeau (Feb 20, 2015)

DeeAnna said:


> I pretty much do what Shunt does. I use "soaping towels" (squares of old, thin terrycloth about half the size of a hand towel) to wipe up drips and spills during soaping. I also use these towels to wipe my bowls and utensils after I'm done soaping. I then wash the bowls and utensils by hand with hot water and plenty of soap. Some of the utensils that are hard to clean go in the dishwasher as well.
> 
> The used towels go in a plastic bucket set high out of reach of my cats and dogs. I leave them there for at least a day so the soap batter saponifies, then they get washed as part of a load of dirty chore clothes. If I had a super oily towel, I would probably toss it rather than gunk up my washer, but soap batter washes out well, especially in a load of dirty jeans.


This is a me, too post, but I wanted to say I do the exact same thing, and really like the saponified soapy rags in with an extra dirty load of work clothes, they always seem just a bit cleaner.  I bought a bag of 100 cotton work rags years and years ago, I'm using them when I'm soaping, I've had a few that were too oily, as DeeAnna mentioned, they've been tossed.  I'd hate to be tossing paper towels at the rate I use the rags!!


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## hud (Feb 20, 2015)

I do the same as DeeAnna ,Shunt and Ann , but I leave my soap towels for  few days then toss them in the washer with dirty load that has similar  colors. I noticed that my loads become cleaner. I stopped using paper  towels as using cotton towels is greener and less waste.


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## maya (Feb 21, 2015)

Everything sits in the soaping sink until I am forced by generations of guilt to wash them. Usually this doesn't take long.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Feb 21, 2015)

I did cp today for the first time in a while as I usually do hp - was odd having to keep the gloves on to clear up!


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## cmzaha (Feb 21, 2015)

lillybella said:


> cmzaha, do you do this for oily & waxy bowls too?
> I think I need to get some degreaser!


Yes I do, I initially but the bowls, utensils etc in the soaping bucket I added the degreaser into. I do use old rags for soaping but still use paper towels for wiping out the initial leftover batter


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## Soapin (Feb 24, 2015)

Thanks, everyone for your posts.  You are all so generous with information.  I made two batches on Saturday, and I wiped out the pots immediately after.  I used paper towels because I haven't had a chance to buy some rags.  Then I let the pots sit 24-hours, and they washed out pretty well.  Like everything else in soap making, I hope to get better with practice.

Thanks again!


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## TBandCW (Feb 27, 2015)

I wipe everything out with cheap paper towels then wash with hot water.  On a septic tank and can't afford to have anything go down the drain.


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