flunked zap test

[jennikate]

Well i did the zap test on my new soap and it gave me a slight zap. So should I start over or wait a day or two due to fact soap less than 24hrs old. Thanks for any help you can give me. :shock:

 

[IanT]

what is your recipe?

 

[artisan soaps]

..

 

[jennikate]

mini batch 2 oz OO 1 Oz crisco .5 oz Castor oil .45 lye 1 oz water

 

[krissy]

wait for a week or so

 

[Guest]

Ditto the wait , if the zap is very mild it should be fine with time.

 

[Deda]

What kind of scale are you using? How low is the resolution?

What measures are you taking to ensure that no oil (or lye water) is left in the measuring container? With tiny amounts like that you have a much greater chance of lye heavy soap.

FWIW, I usually add about 5 to 10 grams extra oil in all my batches, just to make sure I'm not leaving any out, better a smidge more oil than too much lye.

 

[IrishLass]

I agree with Deda- that's a very small batch. One pound batches are the absolute lowest I go because I know my scale's resolution is not that good at very low measurements, especially where lye is concerned. At lower measurements, even being the tiniest bit off can make a huge difference and give you a lye heavy soap.

Having said that, though, it's best to wait a week before judging a soap to be lye heavy. Saponification is still going on in your soap with it being so new yet. I've had soap zap 5 days out, but then test fine by day 6 or 7.

IrishLass

 

[ChrissyB]

If your soap didn't gel it could take up to two weeks (in extreme circumstances) for it not to zap. That means all the lye has been used up.

I agree with everyone else, that is a very small batch, and the smaller the batch the bigger the room for errors, just because a few grams here or there is a bigger percentage of your total recipe.

Give it a few days then test again.

 

[MikeInPdx]

I agree.....a batch that small isn't a good idea, especially measured in oz. I hesitate to recommend it even in grams, which is what I use. It may be fine in a couple of weeks, or it may still zap.

If your soap does zap after the maximum time length......put on some gloves, and shred it finely. Mix the shreds into about 8 cups boiling hot water, stir until dissolved. Add 1 cup each borax and washing soda, stir to dissolve, then add a gallon of cold water. Store in a bucket or clean jugs.

Use 1/2 cup to wash a load of clothes, or glug some into your mop bucket to wash floors. Rinse with vinegar water (a tiny splash will do). Works just fine, and your soap doesn't go to waste.

This is the recipe that got me started on making my own soap. I used to do it with Ivory.

 

[jennikate]

Mike I already make my own laundry soap. I read batches that small are a bad idea. Just had to knock my hard head against this fact myself. From now on bigger is better. Thanks for all the input. i like the idea of going over by tiny amount just in case lye amount gets away from me a little. My next toy is gonna be a more accurate scale.

 

[MikeInPdx]

If you can find one in your budget, get a scale that measures in grams rather than ounces. I find that my smaller batches are much more consistent when I use grams.

 

[xyxoxy]

I got my scale at Bed Bath & Beyond for $20 bucks and it measures down to grams and 1/8 ounces... you can toggle back & forth. But I always use grams for the reasons already stated.

A 500 gram batch is just a little over one pound. I usually do a 1KG test batch (1000 grams / 2.2 pounds) because the math is so much easier. 20% Olive oil = 200 grams.
And if I really like it I have a few bars to keep and some to give away. If it doesn't go as planned I can almost always shred it into another batch so very little is ever wasted.