GLS soap recipe question...

[hlecter]

Hello all!

i just made another batch of GLS soap.

Here is the total recipe

SF 3%
Lye concentration 25%
Water : Lye ratio 3:1


Water 0.577 pounds 9.23ounces 261.77 g
KOH 90% pure 0.192 pounds 3.08 ounces 87.26 g
Oils 0.882 pounds 14.11 ounces 400.00 g

EV Olive Oil 70.00% 0.617 p 9.88 ounces 280.00 g

Castor Oil 10.00% 0.088 p 1.41 ounces 40.00 g

Coconut Oil, 76 deg 20.00% 0.176 pounds 2.82 ounces 80.00 g

Paste weight: 730 g

I first dissolve 3.08 ounces of KOH with equal amount water and then i added glycerin as the remaining "water" amount to the oils. I mixed lye and oils then with my SB and i got the golden paste at about 20 minutes (no zap)...

Then i continued with paste dilution and work with patience adding little amounts of water every time. So far i ve used 115% water of paste weight. There are no lumps inside anymore and soap is crystal clear inside, BUT there is still a little thin "film" on the surface of the soap ( i can describe it like a food plastic wrap on the top)... Does it mean it needs more water?

Last time i made the same recipe but using OO pomace instead of EVOO i totaly used 100% of water to get a stable liquid GLS soap...

 

[Susie]

If you have a skin, then yes, it needs more water. Just a touch, mind you.

However, I am wondering why you are needing to use so much water. That recipe should require no more than 0.8:1 ratio of liquid to paste weight. And I am only allowing that extra 0.05 for evaporation. That is close enough to IL's LGS recipe to not require that much additional water. Are you stickblending when you get down to the last 5-6 soap lumps?

 

[hlecter]

Yes, when i got those lumps i used my SB. I dont know if this was a right decision...

The differences between IL's GLS recipe and mine is that i used 1 part water and 2 parts glycerin (instead of 3 parts glycerin in her recipe) and that i used 20% coconut oil instead of 25%.

 

[DeeAnna]

And added the 5% to the olive oil? If so, I would think that will make some difference in the dilution ratio.

 

[IrishLass]

Yes, ditto what DeeAnna Said. When it comes to liquid soap, olive oil pastes are generally 'thirsty' and need more dilution water. And conversely, coconut oil pastes are not very 'thirsty', and can get by with less dilution water. I'm thinking that the reduction in coconut and the increase in olive may have created a slightly more thirsty paste.

Re: the skin on top.....how are you diluting, i.e., via the crockpot, stovetop, or canning jar method, etc...? And are you making sure to tightly cover it as it's diluting? Depending on your method, it's very possible that too much water may be evaporating out.


IrishLass

 

[hlecter]

Yes! As i mentioned previously my formula was 70% ev olive oil, 10% castor oil and 20 % coconut oil.

 

[Susie]

I've made (now that I've checked my notes) this recipe, and it took 1:0.8 dilution ratio. No where close to the 1:1 or higher he is getting. Just so the gurus know where not to start looking.

 

[hlecter]

Re: the skin on top.....how are you diluting, i.e., via the crockpot, stovetop, or canning jar method, etc...? And are you making sure to tightly cover it as it's diluting? Depending on your method, it's very possible that too much water may be evaporating out.


IrishLass

To be honest i cover it with a cardboard during dilution process (not tightly), i dont know if that makes a difference with water evaporation. I dont use crock pot or a canning jar method. I neither use any heat.

I simply heat some distilled water on a beaker and then i transfer it to my bucket where the paste is. Of course i measure the water after boiling process before adding to the bucket.

 

[Susie]

You are losing lots of water to evaporation. You need a well fitted lid to avoid having to add more liquid than is otherwise necessary. A way to be certain that this is the issue, weigh your paste, then weigh your diluted soap. The difference is your dilution water weight.

I stickblend my last few lumps into submission, it helps lower my dilution amounts.

 

[hlecter]

I know that it might be a stupid question but if we have after cook for example 1 pound paste and we add a total of 1,5 pounds water to dilute, but the diluted soap in the end weigh 2,1 pounds that means 0,4 pound water evaporating out?

 

[Susie]

Yep.

 

[hlecter]

Thank you Susie for that usefull information.

I had always on my mind that the final weigh of the diluted soap differs from the paste weight plus the total water amount you add due to the structure that soap takes during dilution...

 

[Susie]

The final weight has to take into account the amount of water lost during dilution. I now completely understand IL's Mason jar dilution technique. I add all of my water all at once, and stick a lid on it. I only take that lid off to stickblend.

 

[hlecter]

\ I now completely understand IL's Mason jar dilution technique. I add all of my water all at once, and stick a lid on it. I only take that lid off to stickblend.

The canning jar dilution technique must be easy and prevents evaporation during dilution...
But is it possible the jar glass to break because of the heat?

 

[topofmurrayhill]

The canning jar dilution technique must be easy and prevents evaporation during dilution...
But is it possible the jar glass to break because of the heat?

It's normal to heat canning jars. They are used for container candles too.

 

[hlecter]

It's normal to heat canning jars. They are used for container candles too.

You may be right but last time i used one to make some lavander oil (with oo infusion), it broke really bad during process on the double boiler...

What can i say... Perhaps low quality glass jar or high temperature but i cannot be sure about that...

 

[CTAnton]

I think the secret to preventing the jars breaking in the double boiler is to prevent them from coming into contact with the bottom of the pot....they make metal racks for canning for a reason...

 

[Susie]

I don't have a canner, or a canning rack. I just stick a dishcloth or washcloth under the jars. All you need is a tiny bit of separation to be sure the bottom of the jar does not meet the pot.

 

[McMomWV]

For smaller pans, I crocheted a little square to put on the bottom. Recently forgot to use it and the canning jar broke. If you don't have a rack or it's too big, washcloth will work.

 

[hlecter]

So could we use a double boiler and a washcloth in the bottom of the jar (so it doesnt meet the pot) ?

In IL's method she put the canning jar above a cake rack into a large soup pot...