Cleaning Utensils after Soap Making

[ShirleyHailstock]

I can't leave my things in the kitchen once I've finished making soap. However, I find that some of the plastic measuring cups don't come clean. I use Dawn Ultra yet they still have a greasy coating once dry. One of the hard plastic cups that had lye in it has a fine line crack going up the back side.

After cutting my soap using the pictured cutter, how do I clean the soap out of the bottom grooves. I lused a straight edge and slide it sideways, but there is still soap in there.

 

[cmzaha]

Spraying and wiping your containers with alcohol after washing and drying will usually cut the oily feeling. As for the hard plastic lye container with the crack toss it, it is not worth a potential spill. Not all hard plastic is resistant to lye. You need a container with a #2 of 5 inside the recycle mark on the bottom. Also, Rubbermaid pitchers work great. I have used the same Rubbermaid pitchers for over 10 yrs when I am making smaller than my 2 gallons of rebatch at a time. You can usually pick up Rubbermaid pitchers at Goodwill or second-hand stores cheap. I like them because they are sturdy, which dollar store containers are not.

As for cleaning your cutter, sometimes it is almost impossible to all out of the groves. You can try the skinny metal bottle brushes designed for cleaning tubes. They will usually get down in the grooves.

 

[ShirleyHailstock]

Spraying and wiping your containers with alcohol after washing and drying will usually cut the oily feeling. As for the hard plastic lye container with the crack toss it, it is not worth a potential spill. Not all hard plastic is resistant to lye. You need a container with a #2 of 5 inside the recycle mark on the bottom. Also, Rubbermaid pitchers work great. I have used the same Rubbermaid pitchers for over 10 yrs when I am making smaller than my 2 gallons of rebatch at a time. You can usually pick up Rubbermaid pitchers at Goodwill or second-hand stores cheap. I like them because they are sturdy, which dollar store containers are not.

As for cleaning your cutter, sometimes it is almost impossible to all out of the groves. You can try the skinny metal bottle brushes designed for cleaning tubes. They will usually get down in the grooves.

Thanks.

 

[TheGecko]

I can't leave my things in the kitchen once I've finished making soap. However, I find that some of the plastic measuring cups don't come clean. I use Dawn Ultra yet they still have a greasy coating once dry. One of the hard plastic cups that had lye in it has a fine line crack going up the back side.

After cutting my soap using the pictured cutter, how do I clean the soap out of the bottom grooves. I lused a straight edge and slide it sideways, but there is still soap in there.

I use an orange based degreaser that I bought from the Dollar Store for my soap dishes. I keep it in a spray bottle and spray everything down, let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes and then rinse with hot water and either hand wash or toss in the dishwasher...no greasy residue.

Toss the lye container, it's not worth the mess or hazard should it fail.

Agree with the skinny bottle brushes, or wrap the washcloth around the end of a butter knife and push through...think of cleaning the tracks of your windows or shower door. Key is cleaning it after using it and not allowing the soap to dry and harden.

 

[Todd Ziegler]

A timely conversation. I had the same greasy experience. Thanks

 

[dibbles]

I save used gift cards and use those to scrape soap out of grooves.

 

[Relle]

I use a skewer to clean the grooves in my cutter.

 

[ShirleyHailstock]

I use an orange based degreaser that I bought from the Dollar Store for my soap dishes. I keep it in a spray bottle and spray everything down, let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes and then rinse with hot water and either hand wash or toss in the dishwasher...no greasy residue.

Toss the lye container, it's not worth the mess or hazard should it fail.

Agree with the skinny bottle brushes, or wrap the washcloth around the end of a butter knife and push through...think of cleaning the tracks of your windows or shower door. Key is cleaning it after using it and not allowing the soap to dry and harden.

Thanks. I tossed the cracked cup and used a wet paper towel and butter knife to clean the soap cutter. I know that orange based cleaner from the Dollar Store. Looks like I need another trip there. Thankfully, there's one in my local shopping center.

Spraying and wiping your containers with alcohol after washing and drying will usually cut the oily feeling. As for the hard plastic lye container with the crack toss it, it is not worth a potential spill. Not all hard plastic is resistant to lye. You need a container with a #2 of 5 inside the recycle mark on the bottom. Also, Rubbermaid pitchers work great. I have used the same Rubbermaid pitchers for over 10 yrs when I am making smaller than my 2 gallons of rebatch at a time. You can usually pick up Rubbermaid pitchers at Goodwill or second-hand stores cheap. I like them because they are sturdy, which dollar store containers are not.

As for cleaning your cutter, sometimes it is almost impossible to all out of the groves. You can try the skinny metal bottle brushes designed for cleaning tubes. They will usually get down in the grooves.

I'm going to look for this the next time I go to buy measuring cups. I really prefer glass ones. Do they really get etched by the lye?

 

[penelopejane]

I'm going to look for this the next time I go to buy measuring cups. I really prefer glass ones. Do they really get etched by the lye?

Yes, don't buy glass for soap making.
It is just not worth the risk.

 

[ShirleyHailstock]

Yes, don't buy glass for soap making.
It is just not worth the risk.

Got it. I looked on the bottom of the plastic ones I have and the #5 is not there, but when I go out today, I'll be looking for the better ones.

 

[maxine289]

[QUOTE=.......... or toss in the dishwasher...no greasy residue.

Do you run a separate dishwasher cycle for the soap items or do you put them in the same load as your eating/cooking items?

 

[TheGecko]

Do you run a separate dishwasher cycle for the soap items or do you put them in the same load as your eating/cooking items?

Same load...no reason not too.

 

[maxine289]

Same load...no reason not too.

Do you wait till the oil/lye/FO soap batter residue has saponified before putting in the dishwasher with your plates/knives/forks? Should I not be concerned with fresh soap batter residue mixing with my eating utensils even though it's being washed off? Maybe I'm just being overly cautious??? The dishwasher would make things so much easier and faster. Washing up soaping tools is definitely NOT the highlight of my soaping day.

 

[TheGecko]

Do you wait till the oil/lye/FO soap batter residue has saponified before putting in the dishwasher with your plates/knives/forks? Should I not be concerned with fresh soap batter residue mixing with my eating utensils even though it's being washed off? Maybe I'm just being overly cautious??? The dishwasher would make things so much easier and faster. Washing up soaping tools is definitely NOT the highlight of my soaping day.

I’ve been doing it for a year and no one has gotten sick. Honestly, there is very little lye that makes it to the dishwasher between scraping out my bowls, spraying them down and ringing them with hot water.

 

[penelopejane]

I think it is personal choice but I don't want to clog up my drains so I wipe out my bowls and dishes as much as I can. Then I wait for a day or so and then, when the soap is dry, I wash them in hot water and detergent. (If I wanted to use my dishwasher to wash my soapy bowls and implements) this is the stage at which I would use it.) Then if they are still greasy I wash them with detergent again. Every so often I put my clean bowls and dishes through the dish washer.

I've heard of people having to have their drainage pipes cleaned by a plumber because the semi solid soap has congealed on the side of the pipes.

 

[NMBCreative]

I read somewhere that it is much easier to clean the dishes after the soap has saponified i.e a day or two after. I thought it was a brilliant idea.

 

[shunt2011]

I clean my soap cutter with a straw brush. It came with a package of re-usable straws and works great in the grooves. I don't put my soaping dishes in the dishwasher unless I've already washed them I did it once when I first started and anything plastic came out smelling like fragrance. So, that wasy my personal lesson. I just wipe them out well and then soak them in hot sudsy water.

 

[bookreader451]

My method of cleaning up changes depending on how full my dishwasher is. I usually wipe my SB clean with paper towels right after I am done and the rest I let sit until the next day. I fill everything up to soften the soap, wipe it all down and rinse then either put it in the dishwasher or scrub it with dawn.

To get soap out of cracks I find a wooden skewer works really well. I use skewers for a lot of things soapy, including swirling tops and moving embeds into place when gloved hands won't do.

 

[maxine289]

Thanks for the insights. I've had to get a plumber clean out my kitchen drain. He pulled a LOT of gunk out. I wasn't sure if it was soap related or food stuff related or a combination. Was probably a combination. If I have to get it cleaned again before too long, I'll know that it is soap related.

 

[Zing]

Shirley, if I haven't mentioned it before to you, I wipe all my utensils with newspapers first before washing. I do have space so let dishes go for a day or 2.