Eww...slime!

[lenarenee]

Any idea why this might have happened? I opened a year old, shrink wrapped bar (lard, co, ho sunflower, caster) scented with Nurture's black raspberry vanilla. It was soft - even slightly sticky to the touch and when I washed with it - I got strings of slime!

Now this soap sat in the mold for over a week before it could be cut - and it was still quite soft. I blamed the fo. It continued be softer than normal all through curing - again - I blamed the fo.

Now I'm wondering if I made a mistake and it contains too high a sf (I don't go over 5%)

Opinions?

 

[jcandleattic]

Sounds like the strings of slime people get with 100% olive oil soap, but since that's not in your recipe, I'd say it's probably just a bad bar of soap that has either gone rancid, or is in the process of doing so.

how does it smell?

I've never had any BRV I've ever used do that to a soap.

 

[lenarenee]

Sounds like the strings of slime people get with 100% olive oil soap, but since that's not in your recipe, I'd say it's probably just a bad bar of soap that has either gone rancid, or is in the process of doing so.

how does it smell?

I've never had any BRV I've ever used do that to a soap.

It smells great, looks great, lathers great, feels great. It's a mystery.

 

[jcandleattic]

How high was your castor? that can make a soft sticky soap if used at too high a percentage

 

[lenarenee]

5% - that's as high as I go.

 

[jcandleattic]

Hmm, yeah, I'm at a loss now. LOL Maybe someone else will come along and help?

 

[SaltedFig]

Any idea why this might have happened? I opened a year old, shrink wrapped bar (lard, co, ho sunflower, caster) scented with Nurture's black raspberry vanilla. It was soft - even slightly sticky to the touch and when I washed with it - I got strings of slime!

Now this soap sat in the mold for over a week before it could be cut - and it was still quite soft. I blamed the fo. It continued be softer than normal all through curing - again - I blamed the fo.

Now I'm wondering if I made a mistake and it contains too high a sf (I don't go over 5%)

Opinions?

I've had a similar effect in a soap where the superfat was too high (caused by an adulterated oil). The soap recipe did not usually produce a slimy soap.

It followed exactly the same pattern - soft in the mold, soft and slightly sticky, and producing strings of slime in use (although the soap did come good, after about 3 years ). Looking back at my notes, the indication was there - I made a note that it took a long time to trace.

Did your soap take a bit longer than normal to trace?

 

[lenarenee]

I've had a similar effect in a soap where the superfat was too high (caused by an adulterated oil). The soap recipe did not usually produce a slimy soap.

It followed exactly the same pattern - soft in the mold, soft and slightly sticky, and producing strings of slime in use. Looking back at my notes (from 11 years ago), the indication was there - I made a note that it took a long time to trace. Did your soap take a bit longer than normal to trace also?

And, if you are not wanting to rebatch it or shred it to include in another batch, keep it aside - my overly superfatted, slime-producing soap eventually became a fantastic soap (no slime and hard) ... at the 3 year mark

No it didn't take longer than usual to trace, but after adding the fo it sure did stay very fluid for longer than normal. But BRV fo's are known to be easy to work with.

It's either the fo, or I made a mistake with the recipe. Although it doesn't feel overly superfatted when I wash with it. Oh well. It's the last bar of the batch and I don't have a problem using it. But the poor people I gave the soap so....may have had the same issue and never said anything.

I have a lot more of the Nurture BRV fo to use up - I may reduce the amount I use a bit.

 

[lenarenee]

Update: we've been using the bar all day and it quickly lost the sliminess. I shrink wrapped these at exactly 1 month - maybe there were still not cured enough. Don't know, don't care.

And boy - I make good soap! So enjoying this freshly opened full bar of soap. The BRV sure has stuck good and strong btw, at 14 months of age.

 

[jcandleattic]

Update: we've been using the bar all day and it quickly lost the sliminess. I shrink wrapped these at exactly 1 month - maybe there were still not cured enough. Don't know, don't care.

I think you may be right.
I shrink wrap my soaps too, but never at a month. I only sell in the fall, and about 75% + of my soaps are made before June, so they have months of cure not weeks, before wrapping, and I've never opened an old wrapped soap that had these characteristics.

Glad it's working itself out and it's great soap.

 

[lenarenee]

I think you may be right.
I shrink wrap my soaps too, but never at a month. I only sell in the fall, and about 75% + of my soaps are made before June, so they have months of cure not weeks, before wrapping, and I've never opened an old wrapped soap that had these characteristics.

Glad it's working itself out and it's great soap.

Thanks jcandleattic. Yeah, I had a feeling at the time that it a month was too early, but didn't listen to myself!

 

[jcandleattic]

Thanks jcandleattic. Yeah, I had a feeling at the time that it a month was too early, but didn't listen to myself!

Technically, in most situations a month should be long enough, and from the recipe you seemed to use, I wouldn't have assumed otherwise. But soap is weird and who know what it'll do from one minute to the next!! LOL

 

[SaltedFig]

Update: we've been using the bar all day and it quickly lost the sliminess. I shrink wrapped these at exactly 1 month - maybe there were still not cured enough. Don't know, don't care.

And boy - I make good soap! So enjoying this freshly opened full bar of soap. The BRV sure has stuck good and strong btw, at 14 months of age.

That's good news!!

 

[dibbles]

I’ll just say that I use BRV from Nurture and have never had a problem with it. It does behave extremely well, and really sticks for me. Glad all seems well now anyway