Hi,
After many years of making soap bars, I decided to explore the fields of Liquid Soap. Pooh, it's like being thrown back into kindergarten. I am absolutely clueless again like I was 10 years ago with basic soap making. I cannot even use my senses to determine whether this LS is good or not.
I think something might have gone wrong or everything went ok without me realizing it.
This is what it look likes right now. I've been busy with this LS since yesterday afternoon, almost 24 hours ago now.
Recipe: coconut oil: 75%, lard: 25%, superfat 0%
I am not concerned about the texture, but... I had already done the clarity test. First time not ok, second time the diluted soap in water became very clear. I gave the soap another 30 to 60 minutes to rest and settle more (don't remember exactly, was busy with other things as well) and decided to add boiled water, some citric acid and a little bit of perfume oil (winter gardenia from BB) and the soap started to dilute slowly. I went to bed (left the crockpot on low) and this morning I found this surprise: the soap had become a clump again, it was floating like a big mold in some water. The taste is awful: salty and sour (but not like acid, I think it did saponify) but it doesn't taste like soap. During the process, I used my garden PH tester several times. Halfway it was in the red, later sometimes it was 8 and sometimes later (strange) it was 7. This morning the PH seems to be 6 or 5.
What am I supposed to learn from this first batch?
- Didn't I stir enough during the process?
- Did I have to wait before diluting the paste with water?
- Was it wrong to keep the crockpot on low after adding previously boiled water to it?
- I used the SoapCalculator for measurements, is there a better soap calculator for liquid soaps?
- Maybe I just have to start diluting again and there is no problem?
-Maybe 0% superfat is not a good idea for LS? (I aimed for laundry soap)
I really would appreciate some helpfull comments. Thanks in advance.
After many years of making soap bars, I decided to explore the fields of Liquid Soap. Pooh, it's like being thrown back into kindergarten. I am absolutely clueless again like I was 10 years ago with basic soap making. I cannot even use my senses to determine whether this LS is good or not.
I think something might have gone wrong or everything went ok without me realizing it.
This is what it look likes right now. I've been busy with this LS since yesterday afternoon, almost 24 hours ago now.
Recipe: coconut oil: 75%, lard: 25%, superfat 0%I am not concerned about the texture, but... I had already done the clarity test. First time not ok, second time the diluted soap in water became very clear. I gave the soap another 30 to 60 minutes to rest and settle more (don't remember exactly, was busy with other things as well) and decided to add boiled water, some citric acid and a little bit of perfume oil (winter gardenia from BB) and the soap started to dilute slowly. I went to bed (left the crockpot on low) and this morning I found this surprise: the soap had become a clump again, it was floating like a big mold in some water. The taste is awful: salty and sour (but not like acid, I think it did saponify) but it doesn't taste like soap. During the process, I used my garden PH tester several times. Halfway it was in the red, later sometimes it was 8 and sometimes later (strange) it was 7. This morning the PH seems to be 6 or 5.
What am I supposed to learn from this first batch?
- Didn't I stir enough during the process?
- Did I have to wait before diluting the paste with water?
- Was it wrong to keep the crockpot on low after adding previously boiled water to it?
- I used the SoapCalculator for measurements, is there a better soap calculator for liquid soaps?
- Maybe I just have to start diluting again and there is no problem?
-Maybe 0% superfat is not a good idea for LS? (I aimed for laundry soap)
I really would appreciate some helpfull comments. Thanks in advance.
