Ash What is it?

[Psalm 23]

Hi there
I just had a question about ash. Does anyone know what it is exactly? I am new to soap making, in fact, I haven't even made my first batch yet
Thanks so much!

 

[jennikate]

Ash is a mystery. So far I have not had it happen to me. Covering soap with plastic wrap seems to help keep it away. It is ugly but not a real problem for soap use. HTH

 

[IanT]

Ash is the biproduct of the saponification process and occurs when the soap is in contact with oxygen...air etc.. which is why it is best to cover your soaps after theyve set a bit in the mold with plastic wrap or insulate the mold very well...

to get rid of it just spritz with rubbing alcohol...

Its totally inert and wont hurt you so dont worry about it if ya see it I dont even bother spritzing mine...but i have a nice lid on my mold too so not much air gets in...

 

[Ollieblue]

.........

 

[soapqueen]

I used to cover with cling film to prevent it, but that left marks on the soap. Now, when it occasionally occurs, I just run the soap under hot water for a few seconds whilst still in the mould, and drain it off. Then when it's dry I unmould and cut as usual.

 

[Psalm 23]

Ok, so ash really isn't like left over lye or anything? I read an article somewhere that the ash is a remnant of the lye and you should be careful not to touch it. (That article was a very old one too I remember.) Maybe the person that wrote it was experiencing a lye-heavy batch and was mistaking the lye crystals on top for ash or something
Does it slow down the curing process at all to cover the soap with plastic wrap? Is alcohol ok to use on soap you are planning to sell?
OllieBlue, I kinda thought the same thing the first time I saw a picture of the ash...It's not TERRIBLY ugly. Almost pretty in fact. I think it would look nicer though if it covered the whole bar...not just the top of it :wink:

 

[IanT]

Ok, so ash really isn't like left over lye or anything? I read an article somewhere that the ash is a remnant of the lye and you should be careful not to touch it. (That article was a very old one too I remember.) Maybe the person that wrote it was experiencing a lye-heavy batch and was mistaking the lye crystals on top for ash or something
Does it slow down the curing process at all to cover the soap with plastic wrap? Is alcohol ok to use on soap you are planning to sell?
OllieBlue, I kinda thought the same thing the first time I saw a picture of the ash...It's not TERRIBLY ugly. Almost pretty in fact. I think it would look nicer though if it covered the whole bar...not just the top of it :wink:

Nope the ash is not leftover lye so you are safe ... it wont hurt you or your potential customers.... Now if you come across lye pockets...thats a diff story.. but ash is harmless...

It may slow down the curing process a little bit...at least while its in the mold, but after its cut...you can transfer to an airtight container like a tupperware and they should be fine... I n my experience as you get farther from the date that you poured and cured the soap... the probability of ash forming is lessened.... so i dont think youd need to keep the soap covered past say 1 week?... whats everyone elses thoughts on that?

Alcohol is ok to use because it basically just evaporates off...but IMO I think I would go with the water or just leave it be I always like a nice ASHHH 8) :shock:

Soooooooooo....wheres the pics!

 

[Psalm 23]

Well thank you! I like all your smiley faces
Sorry to say...I haven't even made soap yet :roll: I haev just wanted to be as informed as possible before I do it. So I don't have pictures. I guess I don't even know if I will have a problem with the ash yet, but if I do...it's nice to know before hand what to do about it

 

[IanT]

Well thank you! I like all your smiley faces
Sorry to say...I haven't even made soap yet :roll: I haev just wanted to be as informed as possible before I do it. So I don't have pictures. I guess I don't even know if I will have a problem with the ash yet, but if I do...it's nice to know before hand what to do about it

WOW didnt realize how many smileys id used lol..... someone is s'posed to smack me arent they!?!?!

lol dont be sorry bout trying to be informed before you go into the craft! I think I was up for WEEKS til the wee hous of the morning reading every thread I could... I went back to the first threads of the forum and then started from there!

More powa! please feel free to ask as many questions as you can muster!.... questions are goooooooooooooooooood

 

[Ollieblue]

This is the sort of thing I meant by "pretty" ash.

deleted by Ollieblue

 

[Psalm 23]

IanT,
I really really appriciate you being so awesome This is a great place...it is so nice to know I can ask questions that may seem rather dumb to you guys that I just really don't have a clue about Thanks for your encouragment!
bye for now
L

 

[Psalm 23]

OllieBlue, that does look really interestingly pretty I don't really know if it is ash, but if it is I kinda like it!
L

 

[IanT]

IanT,
I really really appriciate you being so awesome This is a great place...it is so nice to know I can ask questions that may seem rather dumb to you guys that I just really don't have a clue about Thanks for your encouragment!
bye for now
L

lol please please I need to fit my head back out the door 8)

I love this forum! Everyone here is pretty darn helpful. I wouldnt have the knowledge Ive got (though i consider it reallllly limited still) if it werent for this forum!...

There are nooooo dumb questions! Id be willing to bet that if your thinking of it theres a 100 other people out there viewing the forum who are too... just might be afraid to ask So lift your voice and be heaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaard lol Soapmongers of the World UNITE!!!!



(alright ...see that one wasnt that bad! 4 smileys and 1 lol.... I think Im improving... yaaaaay)

 

[Psalm 23]

I must say you have improved on your smiley faces and lol's IanT

 

[artisan soaps]

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[Psalm 23]

Ya, I like using the ...'s too!

 

[holly99]

I have realized that i like ash! I especially like them on soaps that haven't been gelled.

 

[ohsoap]

I hate hate hate ash, and lately it seems I get it all the time. It sort of makes me miss hp soap.

 

[Miss_Melissa]

Hi!
have you noticed any correlation between ash and rancid soap?
May soda ash mean that it's something wrong with the soap?
Some of my soap with ash bacame rancid very soon (((((

 

[artisan soaps]

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