First Soap Batch A Big Disaster HELP!!

Soapmaking Forum

Help Support Soapmaking Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

CBZ1982

Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2011
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
I just tried to make my first soap batch. Let's just say it was a big disaster.

I had all of the precautions taken down about lye safety. The first disaster was I breathed in some fumes by accident several times and coughed a little bit. I was sitting next to the back door with the door opened letting air in so it would be more ventilated while I did this. Once I started coughing I also opened the front door. Could any damage be done to be health since I breathed in the fumes?

Then I measured my ingredients the oils and the lye. Here is what I did and maybe someone can tell me what I did wrong.

1. I poured all of the oils in one bowl and heated it up in the microwave to 115 degrees.
2. I filled a glass jar half way with cold tap water and added the lye and mixed it well.
3. The oils were 110 degrees and the lye mixture was 100 degrees.
4. I started mixing and then remembered the water I did not have distilled water and so I used rainwater that was about a week old.
5. I started using a stick blender and did not see a change in the mixture's thickness so I used a wire whisk. No change. Finally I gave up.

Here is the recipe I used that I created with a lye calculator:

Canola Oil 3 oz.
Castor Oil 2 oz.
Coconut Oil 8 oz.
Lye 2.24 oz
Liquid (Rainwater) 4.95 oz

I saved the mixture in a bowl and have it covered up outside where no person or animal can get to it. Is there any way of saving it?

If anyone can tell me what I did wrong I would appreciate it.
 
So sorry you had such a bad experience.

As for mixing the lye, I always do it in my kitchen sink so I don't have to carry it far. I put a fan in the window pointing out and wear a mask. Even with those precautions, I still have to turn my head at times to avoid the fumes.

As for the batch not tracing, I had that issue too; but it was also with a very small batch. Once I went for it and made a three-pounder, all went better.

Best of luck to you.
 
Hmm how long did you stir ? Also i got 2.02 oz for lye on mms calc. Some recipes can take time to trac even with sick blender. If it get hard in bowl you could zap test it touch it to your tounge if no burn cut it up and use it. Soap doesn't ave o be pretty. Welcome
 
jennikate said:
Hmm how long did you stir ? Also i got 2.02 oz for lye on mms calc. Some recipes can take time to trac even with sick blender. If it get hard in bowl you could zap test it touch it to your tounge if no burn cut it up and use it. Soap doesn't ave o be pretty. Welcome

About 20 minutes.
 
busymakinsoap! said:
Hi there,

Can you just clarify your water additions? Did you add lye to the tap water and then add rain water to the lye/oil mix?

I added the lye to the tap water and added that to the oils. Then I added rainwater to the lye and oils.
 
Ahhh O.K.......

The water content that is calculated on soapcalc is the water that is added to the lye (or rather lye to the water). Once this is combined you add this to the oil mix as per recipe. You dont add any other water to the soap.

You dont need to add distilled water or rainwater or whatever water to the batch after you have added your lye solution. :)
 
busymakinsoap! said:
Ahhh O.K.......

The water content that is calculated on soapcalc is the water that is added to the lye (or rather lye to the water). Once this is combined you add this to the oil mix as per recipe. You dont add any other water to the soap.

You dont need to add distilled water or rainwater or whatever water to the batch after you have added your lye solution. :)

This makes sense now. Maybe the recipe she used wasn't quite clear. Way too much water.
 
JackiK said:
busymakinsoap! said:
Ahhh O.K.......

The water content that is calculated on soapcalc is the water that is added to the lye (or rather lye to the water). Once this is combined you add this to the oil mix as per recipe. You dont add any other water to the soap.

You dont need to add distilled water or rainwater or whatever water to the batch after you have added your lye solution. :)

This makes sense now. Maybe the recipe she used wasn't quite clear. Way too much water.

You're right the recipe was not clear since I created it from a lye calculator. I thought I add to also add water to the soap mixture as well. I learned the hard way.
 
busymakinsoap! said:
Ahhh O.K.......

The water content that is calculated on soapcalc is the water that is added to the lye (or rather lye to the water). Once this is combined you add this to the oil mix as per recipe. You dont add any other water to the soap.

You dont need to add distilled water or rainwater or whatever water to the batch after you have added your lye solution. :)


I am glad you confirmed this. I asked this question also in a different post here in on the cold process forum about the recommend water being the water that the lye is poured into. Now I know for a fact that my second batch will be a success.
 
Well, experience is the best teacher. Keep us posted on your next attempt. I'm sure it will work out.
 
Never use a glass jar to mix your lye in. Over time the lye will etch the glass and it will shatter and make a terrible caustic mess! Use thick plastic instead.
 
I think the first batch would eventually be OK if you can put it in a mold and let it evaporate for a while.

My neighbor learned to make soap 40 yrs or so ago, and the way they taught her was to use lots of water and leave it in a mold for like 3 months.
 
Back
Top