Bars harden, but soap scraps/residue on jugs staying soft..... why?

[saddigilmore]

Hey, I just whipped up some soap yesterday, and something that always seems to happen to me has finally got me here to ask if you guys all experience the same thing, or have an explanation as to why this phenomenon is happening....

when beveling my fresh soap, the scraps are staying soft, even after days/weeks, some are still soft in my "scrap bag" from months ago... however the bars themselves, are rock hard after a few days.. Same goes for the soap batter I leave in my pots, to saponify to clean after 48-72 hours... they are "soft" and rinse off, but leave an oily residue, not completely cleanly, what I'd expect from fully saponified soap batter....

however, the bars themselves, even after 48 hours are rock hard, and if I try to lather up wit them, feel like regular soap... no oily residue...

why are the scapings/leftovers on the pots behaving so differently than the bars of soap themselves?? has anyone else experienced this?

Thanks all

 

[akseattle]

@saddigilmore , I actually have that experience, too. I haven't given it much thought- because I sometimes, when I get around to it, I press the scraps/ bits together into a little ball or rectangle. I have assumed it had something to do with the moisture in the air effecting the little soap bits differently than a bar. But, now you have me wondering ..... so, hoping one of the chemists on this forum might have an answer for us!