# Soap Batch - Bubbles?



## bridgetmoon (Feb 15, 2013)

Hi.

Just wanted to double check, i have noticed on my first few soaps I have got a few bubbles. just wondered if this is bad in any sort?
:wave:

see picture below


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## froggybean37 (Feb 15, 2013)

This is totally normal when you make M&P soap! you can get rid of them by spritzing with rubbing alcohol (70%)


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## paillo (Feb 15, 2013)

Yes, the rubbing alcohol spritz works wonders. The bars will smell like rubbing alcohol at first, but the smell will totally dissipate as the alcohol evaporates.


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## Genny (Feb 15, 2013)

Also, make sure you're not mixing the soap too much, because that introduces bubbles into the soap.


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## bridgetmoon (Feb 17, 2013)

Ahh. you've' just all caught me out! This one i have been mixing a little to much but i'll get some alcohol and give it ago


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## Mandarin (Feb 17, 2013)

I have never use alcohol and I do not have bubbles.  I have found that if your base is too hot when pouring,  bubbles will form.  Using alcohol is fine. However, if you just let your base sit for a while,  the bubbles should be gone.


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## paillo (Feb 17, 2013)

Mandarin said:


> I have never use alcohol and I do not have bubbles.  I have found that if your base is too hot when pouring,  bubbles will form.  Using alcohol is fine. However, if you just let your base sit for a while,  the bubbles should be gone.



Have to disagree here. If the soaps have hardened with bubbles, the bubbles won't go away. If the air has left them, you'll still be left with bubble scars. Alcohol, imo, is the way to go.


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## Shannon_m (Feb 17, 2013)

I've been doing MP for a while now... I mix in colorants and FO/EO... it's been my experience that if I leave it alone for any period of time longer than about 20 seconds, it forms a skin on the top and I have to stir even more to incorporate that. I've never not had bubbles form when I poured. The best and easiest way to get rid of them is a spritz or two of alcohol.


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## Mandarin (Feb 17, 2013)

> Have to disagree here. If the soaps have hardened with bubbles, the bubbles won't go away. If the air has left them, you'll still be left with bubble scars. Alcohol, imo, is the way to go.


 
I never mentioned hardening the soap with bubbles. I understand that bubbles will harden if you leave it. The point is to have no bubbles at all. I let the base cool down before pouring. I do not harden it. I have been making MP for 15 years with various bases. I have used the microwave and also a melter. I have never used alcohol. I let the base cool down, gently stir prior to pouring and then pour slowly into the mold. My soap is bubble-free every time. Alcohol is fine if you want to use it. I never have had to use alcohol, and it is a step that I would rather not bother with if I can correct the problem in advance.  I have also never in my life had a skin form on my soap in 20 seconds.


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## paillo (Feb 17, 2013)

Mandarin said:


> I never mentioned hardening the soap with bubbles. I understand that bubbles will harden if you leave it. The point is to have no bubbles at all. I let the base cool down before pouring. I do not harden it. I have been making MP for 15 years with various bases. I have used the microwave and also a melter. I have never used alcohol. I let the base cool down, gently stir prior to pouring and then pour slowly into the mold. My soap is bubble-free every time. Alcohol is fine if you want to use it. I never have had to use alcohol, and it is a step that I would rather not bother with if I can correct the problem in advance.  I have also never in my life had a skin form on my soap in 20 seconds.



I misunderstood you, agree that the goal is not to have any bubbles at all, either before or after pouring. Great that you've been able to achieve this for many, many years!


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## bridgetmoon (Feb 18, 2013)

I did another batch last night and I left it then started popping some of the bubbles but it came out alot better but yeah stirring it using mp makes a lot of bubbles. Ill deffenetly get the alcohol to stop bubbles soon


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## sperry (Feb 19, 2013)

I had bubbles my first few batches.  Never since.  I didn't "try" to get rid of them, they just stopped happening.  I've been doing exactly the same thing for a while now... same size batch, same time in the microwave.  When I pull the measuring cup out microwave, sometimes there is a tiny bit of still hardened soap in it... sometimes not.  So it seems obvcious to me that I probably have the microwave time nailed right at where the base is melted, but not overdone.  Long story short, tonight I changed something and overcooked it.  Bubble city.  (But... as an astute 6th grader could point out, there were two variables... heat wasn't the only thing I changed... it was a smaller batch, too.  But I'd give 2:1 it's heat related.)


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## bridgetmoon (Feb 19, 2013)

ahhh now that's interesting and could be also why it's happening, maybe i'm over melting the temperature instead  I'll give it ago see if i can melt it at a lower heat.


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