# mashed potato looking paste



## wigwom (Jun 19, 2014)

I was making a new batch of liquid soap today. Did everything like i normally do but instead of it becoming transparent like usual, it goes to a mashed potato like consistency and stops there. I tested it with phenolphthalein to see if there was any lye left in the soap and there wasn't. Here's what it looks like:








And this is the recipe I used:







I have had this happen just one time before and everything turned out fine, it became transparent once deluted but at the top the soap it would solify. Once I shook it up, however, it became a liquid. Is it the type of oils I used or is it something else? I did everything precisely the way it should be done and even measure out the ingredients on a digital scale exactly right. Thanks in advance for any advice you may have for me.

wigwom


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## Susie (Jun 20, 2014)

OK, let's start with the fact that sometimes soap gets to that stage and stops there.  I don't know exactly why, but I go to 3 hours cook time, and test.  No more cooking forever. 

The most obvious thing I see that is going to lead to cloudy soap is 5% superfat.  That is going to give you some cloudy top to that soap once it sequesters.  It is not the end of the world, but that is the cause. 

I have never soaped with corn oil, so I am no help there.

You really need to stay between 0-3% superfat to get clear soap.


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## wigwom (Jun 20, 2014)

Susie said:


> OK, let's start with the fact that sometimes soap gets to that stage and stops there.  I don't know exactly why, but I go to 3 hours cook time, and test.  No more cooking forever.
> 
> The most obvious thing I see that is going to lead to cloudy soap is 5% superfat.  That is going to give you some cloudy top to that soap once it sequesters.  It is not the end of the world, but that is the cause.
> 
> ...



This is my first time using corn oil as well, I just wanted to see the outcome lol. I guess once you start making soap you kinda do that every time you see different oils just to see what kind of soap it will make . Anyway, having true clear soap doesn't really bother me, this was just the second time it happened this way and it just made me curious as to what would cause it. I tend to do that a lot with stuff, my wifie is always rolling her eyes and shaking her hear, picking at me, when I want to find out how or why something to doing a certain thing because she always knows I will take things apart and tinker with it lol. 

Thanks for the advice,
wigwom


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## Susie (Jun 20, 2014)

I learn much that way also.  Start with instructions from someone else, run it through a lye calculator, then make it exactly like that to get a control type sample.   Then I start tinkering with it.  I change one thing per batch until I get to what I like better.

But, there are some firm guidelines that you need to keep in mind.  Good liquid soap without using Turkey Red Castor Oil will need to have superfat of no more than 3% if you want any kind of consistency in the end product.

And when that wooden spoon tears up from the lye, switch to dollar store plastic spoons for safety.  Splinters in soap are not attractive.


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