# Removing glycerin from CP



## phpworm (Jun 18, 2010)

I found this tutorial and thought to myself, what a great way to deal with my leftover scraps that have been piling up: http://www.millersoap.com/glycerinsoap.html

But I'm left with a few questions... Like, how do you separate the glycerin from everything else, or is this tutorial just semi-transparent soap? Isn't there alcohol (or ethanol) left over which would dry out your skin, or does it all evaporate with the heat / time?

Does anyone have their own, possibly simpler methods?



> Glycerin soap is made by melting and continuously heating soap that has been partially dissolved in a high percentage alcohol solution until the mixture reaches a clear, jelly-like consistency. *With home- and hand-made soaps that still contain glycerin left over from saponification, the grating, melting and cooking can proceed without the addition of anything into the mixture*, though sugar or more glycerin is sometimes added. Glycerin soap can also be produced without remelting soap through directly cooking raw home-made soap.


 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycerin_soap

It sounds like I can just melt down my scraps, keep it on a low heat, and eventually end up with a semi-transparent soap? Has anybody tried this before?


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## NancyRogers (Jun 18, 2010)

I have never tried it, but here are some links you might like:

http://www.millersoap.com/glycerinsoap.html

http://www.bearchele.com/soap/Tutorial.html


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## donniej (Jun 18, 2010)

To remove the glycerin, heat a pot of salt water and add the soap to it.  The soap will float in curds, the glycerin will dissolve in the salt water.  

Scoop out the soap curds and boil off the water.  The glycerin and salt will remain in the pot.  Salt does not dissolve in glycerin and will drop out.  

There, now you know how to do it... and it will be easier to buy glycerin from the drug store


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## Tacoma (Jun 18, 2010)

I think donniej nailed it. That is pretty much the way the large soap manufacturers do it. Take the glycerin out of the soap and use it in cosmetics...hmmmm..what's wrong with having glycerin in your soap? I'd say your going to have to melt a LOT of scraps to get an oz of glycerin.


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## donniej (Jun 19, 2010)

Tacoma said:
			
		

> what's wrong with having glycerin in your soap?



Glycerin makes the soap sweat in high humidity and causes it to get soft(er) in poorly draining soap dishes.

The way industrial manufacturers made soap back in the 1800's was to boil the fats/oils in a solution of water, salt and lye.  This way the soap curds float to the top and you scoop them out and mold them.  With this method, the chemistry does not have to be even remotely accurate.  This method does however leave the glycerin behind in the salt/lye/water.  This is why soapmakers were once known as "soap boilers".

And by the mid 1800's, the profit margin on soap was very thin, as it still is today.  With invention of nitroglycerin around this time the demand for glycerin exploded (pun intended) making it a necessary revenue stream.  I've read soapmaking books from this era that suggest that it's impossible to make a profit without selling the glycerin...

Now you know


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## phpworm (Jun 19, 2010)

Thank you, very educational.


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## NancyRogers (Jun 19, 2010)

Oh, duh.  I just realized I posted a link that you already shared in your request.  I'm pretty sure there's something about the summer that robs me of brain cells.


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## Northland Naturals (Jun 19, 2010)

donniej said:
			
		

> Tacoma said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



this sounds interesting... do you or anyone else on here use this method?  any benefits (aside from the removal of glycerin) to using this method?  sounds like it might be fun to try...


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## xyxoxy (Jun 19, 2010)

Northland Naturals said:
			
		

> ...sounds like it might be fun to try...



  Sounds like torture to me...!


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## rubyslippers (Jun 19, 2010)

NancyRogers said:
			
		

> ...  I'm pretty sure there's something about the summer that robs me of brain cells.




   rofl


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## donniej (Jun 19, 2010)

Northland Naturals said:
			
		

> this sounds interesting... do you or anyone else on here use this method?  any benefits (aside from the removal of glycerin) to using this method?  sounds like it might be fun to try...



I've done it to familiarize myself with the process but I don't do it regularly.  

Benefits are it makes a very hard ( because of lots of sodium), light color soap, it's a hot process method so the soap can be ready to sell fairly quickly and most importantly is that you need not measure any chemistry (which is why it was used so much way back when).


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## Best Natural Soap (Jun 21, 2010)

*but, but but but but...*

...but, without all that lovely, valuable glycerin, is the soap still moisturizingly wonderfully humectant? Or, knowing that you'll be extracting the glycerin, do you superfat with another oil, or maybe add honey (since it's a great humectant as well)?
I've always loved the my soaps in part, _because _of the glycerin,


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## donniej (Jun 21, 2010)

Soap without glycerin is just like Dial, so no, it's not nearly as nice as our CP soaps.  Our soaps contain approximately 10% - 15% glycerin by weight of oils.  This is a huge amount and obviously has a big effect on the finished product.


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## Lets_Soap (May 3, 2019)

I understand that this post is old but I am so happy that I stumbled upon it! I'm going to do this to the soap that I make for laundry. My cloths don't need the glycerin.  My only concern with doing it with left over soap ends is the expiry date.  I wonder if the glycerin gotten from older soap may trigger early rancidity in new soap due to traces of oils left over from the extraction.  I'd only use glycerin from soap ends in products I made for myself just incase.


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## Relle (May 4, 2019)

Lets_Soap said:


> I understand that this post is old but I am so happy that I stumbled upon it! I'm going to do this to the soap that I make for laundry. My cloths don't need the glycerin.  My only concern with doing it with left over soap ends is the expiry date.  I wonder if the glycerin gotten from older soap may trigger early rancidity in new soap due to traces of oils left over from the extraction.  I'd only use glycerin from soap ends in products I made for myself just incase.



Yes, this thread is 9 yrs old, it would be best to start a new thread and ask your question and you can link to this if necessary.


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## meena.shah (Jul 14, 2019)

donniej said:


> Glycerin makes the soap sweat in high humidity and causes it to get soft(er) in poorly draining soap dishes.
> 
> The way industrial manufacturers made soap back in the 1800's was to boil the fats/oils in a solution of water, salt and lye.  This way the soap curds float to the top and you scoop them out and mold them.  With this method, the chemistry does not have to be even remotely accurate.  This method does however leave the glycerin behind in the salt/lye/water.  This is why soapmakers were once known as "soap boilers".
> 
> ...


I am facing the problem of soaps sweating and becoming mushy.


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## DeeAnna (Jul 14, 2019)

@meena.shah -- Please ask your question in a new thread to get the help you need. Be prepared to explain your recipe and how you make and use your soap. I will add this -- removing the glycerin is not the only way nor necessarily the best way to get better soap, so it does not make sense to bury your question in this very old thread.

As Relle said -- "_Yes, this thread is 9 yrs old, it would be best to start a new thread and ask your question and you can link to this if necessary_."


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## GmaK (Jul 15, 2019)

.


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## LaPrairieLady (Jul 17, 2019)

DeeAnna said:


> @meena.shah -- Please ask your question in a new thread to get the help you need. Be prepared to explain your recipe and how you make and use your soap. I will add this -- removing the glycerin is not the only way nor necessarily the best way to get better soap, so it does not make sense to bury your question in this very old thread.
> 
> As Relle said -- "_Yes, this thread is 9 yrs old, it would be best to start a new thread and ask your question and you can link to this if necessary_."



Yes, it's an old thread, you can join Facebook group for Melt&Pour. we make a  Crystal Clear soap and Opaque, you get a lot of recipes.  "Melt & Pour Basemakers"   https://www.facebook.com/groups/1392165574132576/


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## DeeAnna (Jul 17, 2019)

I do not do melt and pour soap, but it's good to know there are facebook groups for those who do. 

Here's a third request to let this thread die a graceful death. Kindly move further discussion to a new thread or threads, please.


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