Cleaning after making soap

Crazy8 · Dec 2, 2013

So I have been making some soap when I can. My latest is a facial soap. The two highlights with this recipe is that I superfatted for the first time and I used silk. This stuff is only 1 week into curing and the leftovers sample I made feels amazing and seems to work great. Cant wait to see how it is after 4-6 weeks of curing. Anyways my reason for this post is about cleaning. Not cleaning with the soap we make but cleaning our dishes and hardware that are used in making soap. I first found out about a big issue when I cleaned my soap dishes with our regular dirty dishes we use daily. A LOT/ALL of our dishes were covered in white film. So after 2 times of trying that and still getting white film on our dishes I decided to wash my soap dishes in a load by themselves. Well they do still get white film all over themselves but at least its not getting all of our dishes covered in it. So I guess what I am wondering is how should I be cleaning my soap stuff so that it isn't covered in that film and doesn't cover the rest of my dishes in that film?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

The Efficacious Gentleman · Dec 2, 2013

Maybe by hand?

Derpina Bubbles · Dec 2, 2013

Your soap sounds great. About the cleaning- are you leaving your pots and utensils overnight before cleaning them so the soap can saponify? I don't get a film as long as I do this. If you're still getting a film despite doing that I'm not sure why.

Tienne · Dec 2, 2013

The bowls with just oils or mixed mica oil, FO's etc, I wipe out with newspaper or kitchen towel or whatever first to get as much out that way first. (They are really good mixed with some tinder for starting up my wood furnace. LOL) Then I handwash them with ordinary dishwashing detergent and with a little vinegar in the water. The bowls with soap batter and the removable part of my stickblender etc, I leave until the next day. By then the sticky lye-heavy gunk will have saponified and it comes off ever so easily and is really easy to wash. I scrape off what I can (easy to do) and then just dump them in a sink of hot water and let them soak a little while and then most just rinses off. Then I wash them. (I hand wash all my soaping stuff. I don't want any FO's or the likes getting in my dishwashing machine.)

AKjulz · Dec 2, 2013

When I put soap pots from several batches in the dishwasher without wiping off (or washing) the excess soap, I get that white film too. It's like the ash that can form on your soap and can just be wiped off. It happens to me regardless of the age if the soap. My solution is to wipe the pots out with a rag first. Also, I always wash my soaping stuff separately from our food dishes.

pamielynn · Dec 2, 2013

For bowls and utensils that come in contact with the batter - wipe them down as well as you can with a rag or paper towels, then leave them out until the next day. Use water and/or some dishwashing liquid. If you have dedicated pots and utensils, you really don't have to wash them every time, if you wipe them down well. I only wash my buckets out once a week. Never put anything that has touched fragrance oils into the dishwasher or you can end up with soapy tasting plastics - wash them with soap and finish them up with some 91% alcohol.

neeners · Dec 2, 2013

I don't soap often, so when I do, I leave everything until the next day (longer if i'm lazy) - even things that had only the EO or the lye container. then, when i'm ready, I put on a pot of water, pour hot water in my soap containers, and stick blend. gets everything nice and clean, and I have soapy water to do the rest of my dishes with (or clean the sink with). laziness pays off sometimes!

Dennis · Dec 2, 2013

Soap pot is half filled with warm water after scraping out as much batter as possible into the mold. Add a big shot of Dawn and stick blend. Stick blender comes clean as does the pot and spatula. Empty, wipe, presto! Easy. I just hate to leave the mess for a day and there is something satisfying for me about cleaning it up by hand right away. Believe me, that was not the case when I was a young bachelor!

dixiedragon · Dec 2, 2013

Be careful about using your dishwasher. The oils, etc, will gunk it up if you are doing a lot of soaping. I wipe down everything very very well with paper towels, then wash in hot water and Dawn.

One thing that really helps is using a silicone spatula to squeegee out as much soap as possible when you are pouring into your mold.

Crazy8 · Dec 2, 2013

WOW! Thank you all for your input. I will be sure to wash them according to all of your instructions. Seems like the general consensus is to wipe as much as possible with paper towel (leaving over night if I feel like being lazy, and I do at times), wash by hand using Dawn, Rinse, and finish with 91% alcohol as being an option. Just so happens I have a bottle of 91% alcohol so that may be an option.

Thank you all again. Hopefully now I will have white film free soaping equipment.

The Efficacious Gentleman · Dec 2, 2013

.............and a longer lasting dishwasher!

shunt2011 · Dec 2, 2013

I wipe everything out with a paper towel then add hot water and dish soap and wash everything with a sponge. Easy Peasy and all cleaned up. I can't stand having my dishes sitting around dirty.

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