Cured soap losing scent

[fmernyer]

I created soap using a recipe I had for coconut oil, olive oil and vegetable shortening. I made a batch of orange/lavender, lavender and peppermint. All the soaps were divine but they were way too soft and didn't last long. I left them in the basement to finish drying in hopes that they would become a little harder and last a little longer...

I wouldn't call my basement noticeably humid (I know its not *dry*) - but orange spots formed on it just the same.

In addition - there is NO scent left.

Is the lack of scent because they were in the open air for too long?
Is it related to the humidity and the orange spots?
And finally - can I do anything about it? Can I rebatch it with the orange spots on it?

 

[hmlove1218]

The orange spots are DOS (dreaded orange spots), which means that your soap is going rancid. I would strongly suggest getting them out of the basement and somewhere with a bit of air circulation so they can actually cure properly. you can cut the orange spots off if they bother you.

I would guess that them not having any scent is linked to the DOS, but just to rule out all posibilities, how many ounces of fragrance/essential oils are you using per pound of oil?

 

[KristaY]

I agree with hmlove that the reason you can't smell the EO's is due to the DOS. What you should be smelling now is the scent of rancid oil. Pretty icky smell. Don't bother trying to rebatch, it won't fix the DOS problem. My guess is the DOS is from the vegetable shortening but check the expiration dates on the other oils and give them a sniff to make sure they aren't going bad. I've only gotten DOS once and threw the whole batch in the trash.

Also, how long have they been curing? I keep mine in the open air with a light covering for 6-8 weeks then wrap them up.

 

[fmernyer]

Its been several months they've been down there in the open air. It was just a convenient place to keep them. They don't *smell* rancid - I read elsewhere that I could still use the soap if it didn't smell badly. Ugh. Thankfully they're not covered in orange spots - just a dot or two on the corners.

The recipe I followed was 2#12oz of oils and 3 oz EO.

ETA: I gave away a couple of the bars before they were cured properly (visiting far away) and they stored the bars in a dark dry place and they are perfectly fine and still smell lovely.

 

[Chefmom]

I set my soaps on a tray in the open for about a week. Then they get packed into cardboard boxes, labeled and finish curing packed up. My basement has a dehumidifier in it and I believe it cures them slowly and I haven't had DOS in a long time, even in soaps that were 3+ years old. If the soaps lose scent it is usually a scent that I won't use again. If it doesn't hold 6 months I'm not using it again.

 

[DeeAnna]

A few spots of DOS don't generally smell, at least to my nose. If the DOS is widespread or all-over orange, then I do agree the soap will smell rancid and overwhelm any scent you added.

It just may be that you've stored the soap in the open long enough that the scent has dissipated from the surface of the soap. Either plane a thin shaving off the soap or use the soap in the shower. The scent may well magically re-appear, especially the mint. The lavender may also be detectable, but don't be surprised if you don't ever smell much orange. Citrus EO tends to fade in soap.

DOS can happen to anyone at any time. No shame in it -- just a learning experience. Storage conditions can accelerate rancidity, as can the use of tap water rather than distilled water. Tiny traces of metal from utensils and metal contamination in your oils can also be an issue. Older, oxidized EOs can trigger DOS, but this would be an all-over type of rancidity, not spots. Store your EOs in the fridge to keep them fresher. I also think higher superfat and the types of fats used can increase the probability of rancidity.

I don't know that I would rebatch, since rebatching will not solve the problem of rancidity. I'd just pare out any objectionable spots and use the soap promptly.