Grrrrrr, soda ash - what to do?

[MsBien]

I did not have a good soaping week. First of all I made a batch on Monday where I split it (supposedly in half) and made two different kinds.d BUT, I miscalculated and it was more like 65-35 and now I have one that is way too strong scented, and another that is not enough!

Then I made another batch on Thursday and tried to make a chunky swirl with kelp (to color it green). Well, it is not green at all, but has a nice fishy smell.

Then, the only thing that went well was my first attempt at making a beautiful frosting-like top on the above mentioned fishy soap. It is really pretty, but now it has SODA ASH all over it! Aughhhhh...

Okay, now that I am done venting, what can I do to prevent soda ash? All of a sudden I am getting lots of it. Is it caused by the oils, the lye, the weather? I have recently started buying all of my supplies through new suppliers so I have no idea what I'm doing differently. Any comments would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Stacie :?

 

[MsBien]

No ideas?

 

[topcat]

Hi MsBien - just logged on....it's 10am Sunday here in Aus!

I have found a spritz of isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) directly on the soda ash is marvellous for 'disappearing' it! HTH.

Tanya

 

[MsBien]

Thank you Tanya! I've heard of people doing that, I just didn't know what they did it for. I've never really had a problem with it before so I've never had to pay attention...

Stacie

 

[Barb]

how cold is it there, dumb question it's minnesota and colder then snot right? cause it's darn cold here in michigan.

i swear i have more ash in the winter ( michigan) especially since i do a heavy water discount. my theory is the colder it is the dryer the air and combine that with the heat of gel it just plain sucks way to much moisture from the bar in the beginning. so i have cut back ( or actually addeded a tad more liquid to lye water) on the water discount and it has seemed to help some.

the alcohol spritzing has never worked for me, i've tried it after the soap has set up a bit, just before unmolding, after unmolding it just doesn't work for me. so i just put the saran wrap on the top of the soap. if i do textured tops i put another mold upside down on top of it so i don't squish the tops and then cover with a towel or blanket or just leave on the counter. if they do ash a quick clean up with a stiff brush before packaging and a light brush of some colored mica helps cover any leftover ash.

 

[AshleyR]

Someone also told me that it depends how "pure" your water is. Are you using tap water? You might want to make sure you are using distilled or at least filtered water and see if that helps...

 

[IanT]

soda ash results as a biproduct of the soaps contact with the surrounding air, its what happens when the top of the soap oxidizes. What i usually do is as soon as my soaps have hardened enough to where if i put plastic wrap or my favorite...wax paper on top that it wouldnt sink in... i rub the wax paper on the top while the soap is in the mold to get all the airbubbles out and then the soap is sealed off from the air. when the soap is set the wax paper will peel off the top nice and easy and will also make it nice and flat

 

[christellita]

How sturdy is saran wrap? I never really use it- will it melt when the soap gels!?

 

[IanT]

no it wont melt, im not sure at what temperature it would melt but id guess somewhere near 400 or 500 degrees, CP rarely reaches above 250, to my knowledge.

Ive used it quite a few times with complete success... the only thing i do have to say, is that i find my soap has more creases from the saran that from the wax paper... might be some useful info