Cleaning up between batches

[mysticmoon]

In several of the books I have they say to clean up your equipment the next day. I was curious what you do if you are making more then one batch in a day? I know a lot of you make ALOT of soap on a daily basis!
Maybe someone can offer some tips or suggestions? I have such a limited window to make soap with a toddler that I want to take advantage of the time that DH takes DS out while I make soap.
Thanks!

 

[Bean13]

I clean up right away. Can't stand a mess sitting around, although you wouldn't know it looking at my office right now. If your worried about the lye just rinse everything and then wash it.

 

[anita]

I have a second stainless steel pot and jug for my oils and lye.

 

[bodybym]

I wipe everything off with rags that I only use for soap - I wipe off everything that touched the raw soap - if I need to wash out my lye container I just rinse it in the sink until clean. I save the rags in a bag and when the bag gets full I let it sit a couple of days and then throw it in the washer - the soap on the rags washes out in a hot water cycle - I dry them and they are ready to go again.

 

[Bubbly Buddha]

I wonder why it would suggest to clean up the next day. To let the lye become neutral? :?:
At any rate, I clean it up right away. I have two small children and a dog and I would not like to risk one of them getting into anything that might hurt them. That and I hate a mess sitting around.

 

[loveit_latherit]

I love cleaning the next day. So much easier! Everything that you soaped in is soap and less harsh than raw soap - although I wear rubber gloves 95% of the time. Easier to clean soap off stuff than oils. Also I fill my containers I used for lye water with water and dump out the next day and wash with warm sudsy water. I don't care for washing live oily fresh soap.

I prefer it. I have a studio to sopa in so if it were in the kitchen I would want it done right away.

When I HP I wash right after as all is soap.

 

[cwarren]

I clean up right away .. as soon as I'm done, it all goes in dishwasher.

 

[rubyslippers]

I have always cleaned up right away because I cannot stand the mess. Even if I make 2 or 3 batches in one day, I will totally clean everything between batches.

 

[dubnica]

Yes, mee too, I clean up right away.

 

[soapbuddy]

The reason some soapmaking book say to clean the next day is because by that time it will become soap, unlike the raw soap right after pouring. I prefer to clean up right away too.

 

[mysticmoon]

Thanks for the replies! I think it would drive me nuts to let it sit uncleaned, that's why I asked. And, like Bubbly Buddha, I have a toddler and dog that I would worry about somehow getting into something.
The books mostly state that you can save the soap crumbles if you clean the next day and it's safer when dry.

 

[paillo]

The reason some soapmaking book say to clean the next day is because by that time it will become soap, unlike the raw soap right after pouring. I prefer to clean up right away too.

i would KILL for a dishwasher in this case it's me...

 

[soapbuddy]

The reason some soapmaking book say to clean the next day is because by that time it will become soap, unlike the raw soap right after pouring. I prefer to clean up right away too.

i would KILL for a dishwasher in this case it's me...

You would not want to put your used pots and pans in the dishwasher. It creates so many bubbles, that you will be cleaning up your whole kitchen besides the dishwasher. I am the dishwasher here too.

 

[Bubbly Buddha]

I don't put much of my soaping stuff in the dishwasher and when I do (for things that held oils or colours only) I wash it once first and then put it in.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I mainly leave the stuff to saponify and wash off the next day. So much easier and less harmful to the environment. I don't know about you guys, but it seems that anything that we wash down the sink here, ends up in the ocean. :wink:

 

[maryannm]

I clean up the next day also - I hate trying to clean oily stuff. In the summer, I just set it all outside on a small back porch until I get around to cleaning it - sometimes not until I'm ready to make soap again. Now it all goes into a basement sink, and if I'm lucky, it will be in my husband's way, and he'll clean it up. I do generally clean up my lye water containers though, usually just a good rinse unless I've used goat milk or something like that.
Mary Ann

 

[jennikate]

I am a next day cleaner myself I use the extra soap to wash the rest of dishes also.

 

[madpiano]

I do both - between batches i clean up straight away. I have a tiny kitchen, so I have to. I hate doing it though as the oil tends to stick to the plastic. If I soap straight away again, that isn't a big issue though and if things aren't 100% clean it doesn't really matter. After the last batch I pile everything into a plastic sink bowl (the bowl some people use for washing up in the sink) and clean the next day before putting it into the dishwasher. It's then proper clean for my next soaping session.

One question though. We have a fairly old dishwasher and I have noticed that if there is soap on some things or too much oil, all plastic pieces come out of the dishwasher with white powder on them. Is that Ash? Is the soap reacting with the dishwasher tablets? It's annoying and I would like to know what it is.

 

[evatgirl73]

I clean up quickly between batches, but when I'm done for the day I pile everything soapy in the big pot, set it up on the highest shelf in my laundry/soap room and let it sit until the next time I make soap.

 

[xraygrl]

I always clean up right away too. I don't have a designated soaping only space and my kitchen is very small.