# neutralizing liquid soap



## ingrid81 (Feb 11, 2011)

I have tried to use borax to neutralize my liquid soap twice. The first time it seemed to create tiny little white flakes throughout my soap and the second time it made the soap thick and opaque can anyone help me know what I am doing wrong?


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## Bigmoose (Feb 12, 2011)

I use 3 parts water to 1 part borax and cook on the stove till it is clear and fully dissolved.  This might get rid of the flakes you had in your soap.  Borax will thicken your liquid soaps, but it is less effective if you have used alot of coconut oil.  So if you use more coconut oil in your recipe that would help some but better yet is lower your excess lye amount to a lower percentage then you can use less borax.

Bruce


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## lsg (Feb 13, 2011)

You might try Boric Acid or Citric Acid the next time.


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## lovethyscent (Feb 13, 2011)

I use the summer bee calc http://www.summerbeemeadow.com/ now so no need to neutralize, I love it!


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## lsg (Feb 14, 2011)

Do you superfat, is that why you don't have to neutralize?


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## lovethyscent (Feb 14, 2011)

lsg said:
			
		

> Do you superfat, is that why you don't have to neutralize?


Correct I sf between 3 & 4%. He coded the calculator so you don't have to neutralize


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## ingrid81 (Feb 15, 2011)

thanks for all the suggestions... I do use summerbeemeadow's calculator but I add a value of zero in the place for the percentage of superfatting. I thought that was how you got a completely clear soap. Are you saying that I should add a small superfat to my soap and I won't need to neutralize?


: )


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## Bigmoose (Feb 15, 2011)

If you superfat you will not end up with clear soap.  I superlye at 2% and need little borax to buffer it down then.

Bruce


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## CookbookChef (Sep 28, 2014)

ingrid81 said:


> thanks for all the suggestions... I do use summerbeemeadow's calculator but I add a value of zero in the place for the percentage of superfatting. I thought that was how you got a completely clear soap. Are you saying that I should add a small superfat to my soap and I won't need to neutralize?
> 
> 
> : )



So, I was reading this thread, and did not trully understand, was an answer given here? I went to the summerbeemeadows calculator too, and am NOT sure if I should place a 0% in the box, or a 2 percent or a 3, or what? I want clear soap, and what the BEST soap possible, meaning bubble action, cleansing, etc...I have HEARD that adding a neutralization can WEAKEN the bubble action of the soap. So, is this true? and what about Citric Acid, is this Better then the 20 Mule? Thanks


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## CookbookChef (Oct 30, 2014)

*Hi, What does Super Lye Mean Please*



Bigmoose said:


> If you superfat you will not end up with clear soap.  I superlye at 2% and need little borax to buffer it down then.
> 
> Bruce



Hi, not sure what you mean by Super Lye, I know what Super Fat means, so, are you trying to say that you add EXTRA LYE to your Soap? Thanks


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Oct 30, 2014)

I am no LS expert, but many processes call for making a lye-heavy LS soap and then using something else (like Borax) to get rid of the extra lye.  Using a superfat will make it hard (maybe impossible.....not sure) to get a clear liquid soap.


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## Susie (Oct 30, 2014)

The old way of making liquid soaps(before good lye calculators and fast internet) was to use too much lye for the oils, then using borax to bring the pH down to something that was safe to use.  We don't have to do that any more.  We have good lye calculators.  

Now, as to how much superfat to use, that depends on what you intend to do with that liquid soap.  Soap intended for hand washing or shampoo will need somewhere in the 2-3% superfat range.  So, you put that 2 or 3 in the superfat box on the lye calculator.  Soap intended to clean dishes or clothes, you want a 0% superfat, because you do not want oil left on your dishes or clothes.

And the advanced calculator gives better liquid soap results than the other one, at least to me:

http://summerbeemeadow.com/content/advanced-calculator-solid-cream-or-liquid-soaps

Please note that the thread you replied to was written in 2011.  It may be that the people having that discussion(except lsg, of course) no longer read or post to this forum.  It might be a better idea for you to copy the bit you have a question about and paste it on a new thread for us to help you with when the original thread is that old.


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