did I ruin it?

[spotts71]

What happens when while your are mixing to trace and it started to get very hard clumps????? The goat milk/lye was thick when I added it. Then I stopped for just a sec to grab the scent and there was this big chunk about the size of a base ball. Went ahead and mixed and mixed and mixed and every time I found a clump I put the SB on top and mixed and mixed and repeated everytime I found one. The only way to decribe it is the vaseline stage in crock pot (only seen on line not actually made) was what I clumped into the mold. It gelled very quickly fixen to go get temp on gel.

did I ruin it?

 

[cdwinsby]

Awhile back I made a soap with 15% cocoa butter and used Grapefruit seed extract. I had an almost instant sieze happen. It was a solid block of jelly. Took some pictures, broke it up some and by the time I was done it had started to go into the gel stage. I threw it on the stove and helped it along to a full gel and then put it in a mold. Came out just fine. I imagine if your batch has hit gel stage it will be ok.

 

[spotts71]

it has hit complete get stage.
it is sitting at 140 degs. now I just laid the thermo. on top of the gel-- I did not stick it inside the gel.

its kind of foamy looking on the top under the plastic wrap. I lifted the wrap up and all the bubbles started popping and smoothed out some.

Do you think I should keep it insulated or should I unwrap the blankets and let it cool.

Normally I leave it wrapped 24 hrs and then pull off and unmold and cut. No tongue tinkle and will test soap and is fine to use.

 

[cdwinsby]

That's actually not such an easy question to answer. To wrap or not that is! Climate can play a big part in whether or not the soap will get too hot or cold. I would just keep an eye on it for awhile. You said it was a goat's milk soap so it probably won't need too much covering as goat's gets quite hot anyway.

 

[Woodi]

When I make milk soaps I don't cover it nearly as much as recipes without milk.
I'll bet it will be ok.

 

[spotts71]

goats milk is all I have used so far (with the exception of one that turned out ugly-- for a different time and place)-- so I have always wrapped to heat. I can't say I have been good at journaling along other than the ingredients I've used and weather or not I've like the recipe or changes I've made. But the few times I have taken temps its been around 140 ish degs best I can remember.


ok just checked temp again and its down to 130. starting to firm around egdes but still soft jelly in center (sort of a slab mold) looks like water on the top--- like its sweating--- does this give a better option to uncover or not?

 

[zajanatural]

There are a few factors that could make your soap go to instant soap on a stick. Were your oils and lye mix at room temp? Or did you soap hot? Were they equal temps? Did you use a water discount? Did you use a fast tracing butter (cocoa, shea, etc?) and a high percentage of it. Did you use a fast tracing FO?

When working with a high percentage of butters and/or a steep water discount, I find it best to soap as cool as possible, and I stir it by hand until its emulsified rather than stick blend. The sugars in milk are what is thought to make a batch heat pretty fast and cause instant gel. However if you soap at the right temps you should not have a problem at all.

Also you did not mention if you used a fragrance oil or not. Fragrance could have also caused it to go instantly into soap on a stick. Fragrances that are also not recommended for co soap will do this.

 

[spotts71]

There are a few factors that could make your soap go to instant soap on a stick. Were your oils and lye mix at room temp? Or did you soap hot? Were they equal temps? Did you use a water discount? Did you use a fast tracing butter (cocoa, shea, etc?) and a high percentage of it. Did you use a fast tracing FO?

When working with a high percentage of butters and/or a steep water discount, I find it best to soap as cool as possible, and I stir it by hand until its emulsified rather than stick blend. The sugars in milk are what is thought to make a batch heat pretty fast and cause instant gel. However if you soap at the right temps you should not have a problem at all.

Also you did not mention if you used a fragrance oil or not. Fragrance could have also caused it to go instantly into soap on a stick. Fragrances that are also not recommended for co soap will do this.

Don't know what soap hot is. degs were with in 10 degs. no water discount. used 4 oz of mango to 16oz CO 19 oz PO 25 PKO 9.5 lye 24 goats milk 2 oz FO. Last 2 batches worjked great only difference the milk more on the slushy side than frozen solid like past done. lye got thick after resting few mins to try cool down a bit. did not take temp just felt side of container felt warm. normally-- very cool-- thats the difference so i think that the lye was starting to sponify (sp?) the fats in the milk?-- is that a possibility?

checked inder blankets a few mins ago and I think it will be ok. Its still warm on the cool side. Fairly solid to the touch. Very slick feeling under plastic wrap. (kind afraid to touch to see if its oils incase it still has lye in it--lol-- i like my fingers) I'll let it cool thru the blankets like I normally do and recheck it the morning. The liquid on the top may be excess water the rose to the top. Is that possible?

Thanks again for ya'lls support.

 

[spotts71]

ok pulled it out of mold today and its very firm but still feels alittle oily. I had another bar do this too but its for the most part dried out.

will read up on how attach pics and will try to do that soon.