# Being as green as I can be *Question Totally Re-Worded



## kahea2018 (Oct 22, 2009)

Ok so I am going to completly re-word the question...thank you for the responses. Ok so with Melt and Pour, a lot of times when people are doing layers they spray rubbing alcohol to get rid of the air bubbles and they spray alcohol to make the layers stick together and they spray alcohol to get rid of the finger prints. So my question is, is there another way to get rid of the air bubbles (caused by either adding mica or just pouring it into the mold too fast) besides using alcohol? Do you have to use alcohol when adhearing layers (like making watermellon bars)? Is there something else I could use besides alcohol to get rid of the air bubbles and make sure the layers stick together? Thanks  
I will add a link so you can see what I am talking about..this is just one example but I've seen this spraying alcohol used in every video i've watched, from multiple melt and pour soap makers (melt and pour is what I want to do). 

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52VRkZ_dt5M"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52VRkZ_dt5M[/ame]


*didn't expect to get answers back so soon :") 
Thanks


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## kittywings (Oct 22, 2009)

What applications are you talking about?  I don't use alcohol for anything.


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## donniej (Oct 23, 2009)

I've never heard of using alcohol for handmade bar soap.


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## IanT (Oct 24, 2009)

Are you talking about MP or CP?.... In my experience with CP...Its odd I have never heard of that being done before?.... I think the alcohol would get cooked off during the saponification process, and being that im pretty sure you are not using 100 percent grain alcohol in your soap (or planning to) due to prohibitive costs... I would say that there would be impurities that are from the alcohol in the soap... Kind of like when you reduce an alcohol on the stove... 

If your talking about making glycerin soap I know that to make clear glycerin soap ya need it but other than that... hmmmm lol


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## Lindy (Oct 26, 2009)

I don't do M&P - however - from what little I do know I understand that misting alcohol on does help to remove bubbles plus it is used to get layers to adhere.  That's all I know - hopefully an MP expert will drop by to help you.

In CP spraying the top of the soap helps keep ash down.....


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## carillon (Oct 27, 2009)

You need something to burst the bubbles.  I've onlyused alcohol simply because that's all I've ever read to do.  I don't know if anything  else misted on it might work just as well, or if using water, for example,  would create more bubbles or prevent layers from sticking together.  

Good question, and worth some experimentation to find an answer!


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## carebear (Oct 27, 2009)

the alcohol reduces the surface tension so that the bubbles can burst on their own - if you don't want to use it you can try popping all the individual bubbles with a pin or something but this can be time consuming and may not leave you with a totally smooth surface if the soap cools as you work.

as for layers, I have read of people scraping the surface of the bottom layer with a fork and pouring the next layer on but I'm not sure how successful this is, and it may leave you with an odd appearance.


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## pops1 (Oct 28, 2009)

I only do M & P and l use alcohol all the time for getting rid of bubbles ,layering and helping embeds adhere to the soap.The alcohol evaporates within seconds so it doesn't stay on the soap so l am happy using it
If you want to try something else it would have to be Witch Hazel, l have seen it recommended in Melt & pour books using it in the same way as alcohol.Have no idea if it works or not but l think it must because the authors of the books would be in trouble if their instructions didn't work. 
Hope this helps


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## carillon (Oct 28, 2009)

Good tip, Pauline.  I'll have to try that.  I looked up witch hazel vs. alcohol and see that it is made up of alcohol, yet it has many beneficial properties compared to alcohol.  Just spritzing it probably has little to no effect on the "powers" of your soap, but it sounds good, just to say you use it!


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