Another Ash on Soap question

[crazyk]

Hi all,

I've been looking into heaps of posts with people that have experienced the white ash on their soaps.

I'm starting to get this on my soaps and want to stop it. IT"S TERRIBLE

I've read about adding
bees wax
salt
sugar
covering etc....

I pour my batch into a wooden log mould and then place a piece of timber over the top and cover with a couple of old T-shirts.

I still get the white ash. I haven't tried putting any of the above ingredients in because I'm not sure on qty.

Any suggestions on an elimination methodology to follow when you start having this problem? ie first try this, if that doesn't work try this and so on.

Thanks,

 

[georgiastray]

After pouring into the mold, do you place plastic wrap over the surface of your soap before covering/insulating it? I think that's what soapers do to prevent ash from forming. That's what I do and I've never gotten ash on any of the soaps I've made so far.

 

[crazyk]

No I don't put plastic, but even after the bars are cut it forms on the surfaces and I leave it to gel for 24hrs.

Does it tend to happen more in cold weather?

 

[georgiastray]

I haven't heard one way or the other if the weather has any effect on ash forming on soap. Maybe someone else will pitch in with an answer to that question. I just know a LOT of soapers who use the plastic wrap. Maybe give it a try and see what happens.

 

[Barb]

ash is a result of the soap reacting to the air ( carbon dioxide) during the first 24 hours. sometimes it still happens a day or two afterwards.

ash is one of the world's greatest mysteries. you can make two batches of identical soap, one will have ash the other may not. if you google ash on handmade soaps you'll get as many theories about this as you will different soaping methods or more. one of the larger soap makers says they get more ash on humid days and i have more trouble in the winter when the air in the house is dry. so go fiqure.

i place saran wrap right on the surface of my soaps and leave them in the mold for a couple of days, but i also don't gel all of my soaps so that's the reason. unless i do a textured top then don't cover and hope for the best.

i find that soaps that gel don't get ash as much as those that don't. i always thought that my soaps with lard ashed more then those that don't but again this is not 100% percent of the time either, so that threw my theory out the window. some essential or fragrance oils seem to cause some ash, but again not all the time.

i have more problems with it in the winter because the air is dryer here and i do a steep water discount. this again may be the fault of the fragrance oil

i've just learned to embrace it, ( unless it goes thru the whole bar, which is one of the problems i have in the winter on occasion ). sometimes i leave it, sometimes i wipe it off.

some soaper will spritz the tops several times with rubbing alcohol till the soap sets up, it doesn't work for me. but others swear by it. saran wrap on the surface of the soap is the only thing what works for me.

beeswax is an additive that is suppose to help with the reduction of ash. i have never used it. so i'm not sure about the amount.


sugar helps with the later, salt helps with the hardness. up to one 1TBL spoon per pound of oils. mix with water and dissolve well before adding lye.

 

[Black soap n candle lady]

Ash adds character

If you have just a bit of ash just go with it. It can be rinsed off anyhow. To me , this is one way of knowing that you have a handmade quality soap. Lovingly made from your own home! Happy soaping!

 

[cdwinsby]

I've found that I get the ash most often when I open up the soap and it is still a little warm. Leaving it covered in the mold until it is completely cool seems to help. This is a theory...not proven by any means.

 

[ilovedoxies]

All of my milk soaps have ashed. However, the others did not. Humm....

 

[mandolyn]

Recent Experience with Ash:

Same recipe for 4 batches. One formed ash. What it contained that the others didn't:
coffee
coffee grounds
honey almond essential oil

I have a basic 3 oil recipe that always produces ash no matter what the additives or soaping conditions. I just don't use that recipe any more.

Draw your own conclusions.