Strong smell while doing HP cook ...

Gaspar Navarrete · Mar 17, 2014

Hello everyone,

While my HP castile soap was cooking in the crock pot, someone in the household said that there was a strong smell :eh:. So much so that the windows had to be opened.

I mixed my lye & water until clarity and then combined it with the oils outside on the back porch. The HP cook was done inside.

Is this smell normal ? What is it ? Is this the fumes from mixing lye with water ?

The person said that it didn't smell like olive oil, which was the only oil.

The smell eventually went away. The bars are now curing and they now have no scent.

Thanks.

dixiedragon · Mar 17, 2014

Can you describe the scent? For me, soap batter has a definite smell. I actually really like it - it's a mild, sweet smell. For me, 100% olive oil smells like that, but with an olive oil scent.

I think it's weird that the smell was so strong you had to open a window, though.

Obsidian · Mar 17, 2014

Sounds like they were smelling the scent of fresh saponified soap, its distinct but very mild to me. I can't imagine it being so strong that windows need to be opened. Maybe that person is just sensitive to the scent.
After 9 months of making soap, my hubby finally told me that scents give him a headache and make him nauseous. Don't matter if its a scent he likes or not, he is just really sensitive and now I only make soap when he is at work.

AustinStraight · Mar 17, 2014

I've never noticed a strong smell when making HP soap, but there is definitely a smell to it. It's very sweet and "soapy" smelling I guess. It's not an offensive smell, though, especially after it's done curing.

FlybyStardancer · Mar 17, 2014

I've noticed a scent when HPing soap (most of the attempts have been for LS). I would describe the scent as like a butternut squash cooking, especially the one with canola...

cmzaha · Mar 17, 2014

While soap is cooking it will have a bit of a smell but I certainly do not find it strong or offensive as long as all oils are fresh and not rancid

songwind · Mar 17, 2014

What's strong and offensive can be very subjective. It was probably just the smell of the soap cooking. My wife doesn't like it, either. Not so much that she wants the windows opened, but enough that she doesn't stay in the room with me.

Gaspar Navarrete · Mar 17, 2014

The person described it as a "strong chemical smell" that burned her eye and nose. The person smelled the lye I used, and the resulting soap, but it didn't smell like either of those.

I understand that the entire HP process has to be done with an exhaust fan running to suck out all the fumes, is that right ?

A theory: If the overhead fan wasn't working, and the fumes filled the room, could that give rise to a strong chemical smell.

lpstephy85 · Mar 17, 2014

I make HP frequently and the only time a smell is strong is when I add fragrance after the cook. Are you putting milk or any other liquid besides water in the batch? I have never read anywhere about having a vent on. You should make soap, or at least mix the water and lye in a well ventilated area but I don't see where you would need to while actually HP'ing the soap.

new12soap · Mar 17, 2014

I'm betting they were smelling the fumes from mixing the lye solution. You should always mix your solution in a very well ventilated area, but it is not necessary at all while HP'ing your soap.

Gaspar Navarrete · Mar 17, 2014

new12soap,

The lye and water were combined and mixed together outside. Once the lye water was clear, I brought the crock-pot containing the olive oil outside and poured the lye water into it. I mixed it for a few minutes with a spatula.

Then I brought the crock-pot inside the house and started to mix it with the stick blender.

lpstephy85,

The only ingredients in my soap was Sadaf brand Pomace Olive Oil, distilled water, and Roebic Lye.

songwind · Mar 18, 2014

new12soap said:
I'm betting they were smelling the fumes from mixing the lye solution. You should always mix your solution in a very well ventilated area, but it is not necessary at all while HP'ing your soap.

Are you saying you add your lye in solid form when making hot process?

FlybyStardancer · Mar 18, 2014

I'm not sure where you got that, songwind. I thought he was saying that you should mix your lye and water in a well-ventilated area, but that when you actually start hot processing your soap (adding the lye-water to the oils, mixing, and cooking), you don't need to be in a well-ventilated area.

songwind · Mar 18, 2014

Well sure, if you're going to be reasonable about it.

Dennis · Mar 18, 2014

Any chance there was an old bulldog asleep in the corner? I had one of those and quite often had to open the windows. :wtf:

Kansas Farm Girl · Mar 18, 2014

My hubby doesn't like the smell of the soaping process. He really found HP offensive and claimed the soap maintained that odor weeks later. I used mint FO in it, which is a must for him, and he still picked up the HP smell. It may have been that I cooked it in the house and have moved all my other soaping out of the house so I don't have to listen to him.

DeeAnna · Mar 19, 2014

Dennis -- It's not a bulldog at our house, it's our elderly collie Ellie. Whew!!!!

KS Farm Girl -- It's a bummer that you have a complainer. Been there done that, traded in the old model some years ago. The new one seldom complains, happily eats my cooking, and still likes to hold hands, even after 18 years of practice. Not that I'm advocating such an upheaval for anyone else, mind you, just that it was the only reasonable solution for me.

Strong smell while doing HP cook ...

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