# Liquid Castile Help - New from Florida



## sussala (Apr 12, 2013)

Hi all .. been working on getting the hang of liquid castile soap and not sure where I messed up. I have been reading that KOH and LYE are not the same. I have a batch in my crock pot, has been cooking for 7-8 hrs and still a paste. I need to leave so I am turning it off..but I need to tackle this again... please can anyone help me????


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## Badger (Apr 12, 2013)

KOH or Potassium Hydroxide is used in liquid soap making, it is different then NaOH (Sodium Hydroxide, usually called lye) which is used in making cold process or hot process soap.  There is a liquid soap section of the forum where you will likely be able to find answers and help with questions.  Welcome to the forum and good luck!


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## Hazel (Apr 14, 2013)

Welcome to the forum! Both potassium hydroxide (KOH) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) are lye. As Badger already stated, KOH is the lye to use for liquid soap and NaOH the lye to use for solid soap. 

I don't understand why you say you've messed up. You're supposed to cook the soap until you reach the paste stage. Then you just add enough water for dilution. Perhaps you haven't added enough water for dilution? 

http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/liquidsoap/ss/basicliquidsoap_6.htm
http://candleandsoap.about.com/od/liquidsoap/a/dilutiontable.htm

I moved your post to the Liquid Soap Forum since you're asking for help with LS and more people will see it here.


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## whitetiger_0603 (Apr 14, 2013)

Yeah you've done nothing wrong.  And at this point you can stop cooking and I'm pretty sure it's neutralized as well with how long you cooked it.  Just go to the next step and dilute.


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## sussala (Apr 14, 2013)

Thank you all !!! I will dilute now...LOL.. ought to nice!!!


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## Smee (Apr 15, 2013)

Hi Sussala!  Welcome to Soapaholics Anonymous!

You can dilute the soap, but be sure to check the ph level before you
use it, just to be on the safe side.  (aka: the zap test or use phenol)  

I'm a bit confused reading your message as to which form of lye you used?
If you used sodium hydroxide (NaOH) then diluting it may result in what I
not-so-affectionately refer to as Snotty Soap.  It's still soap, but it may have
a slick, or "slimy" texture as the NaOH is trying it's best to turn it into bar
soap, while the dilution water is trying to keep it liquid.

If you used KOH, which is intended for liquid soap, the next step is to dilute
with water (preferably distilled or filtered imo) and Voila!  Liquid Soap!  

The paste will take on different characteristics depending on what oils or
additives you've used.  Some pastes become tougher than two-year-old 
caramels.  Others may be must softer and easier to dilute.  Recipes with
lots of coconut oil dilute with much less water than ones with predominately
olive oil.  
Here's a link to a site that helped me a lot when I made my first few
batches.  Now I can ruin them all by myself!   :mrgreen:

http://chickensintheroad.com/house/crafts/how-to-make-liquid-soap/

P.S.  If jcandleattic or green soap or any of several other liquid soapers
stop by, they will have much better info than me, so take their word for
things over mine.


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## sussala (Apr 22, 2013)

*Soap !*

Hey again there Smee! Well even though I used the sodium, the diluted soap looks and feels amazing!!!!


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