Hot weather and cp soap - help

[marigold1]

We've had an unusually warm couple of months. I've soaped as normal and have found that my last few batches has not looked, felt or cured as well as previous soap. I feel so disheartened as for the first time ever I've had orange spots...... what on earth is that about.

Has anyone else suffered with the weather and these issues. How do you hot weather soapers keep your batches nice?

Getting desperate now as time is running out on a big show coming up and I feel as if I'm losing more than i'm making.

 

[la-rene]

Yes, the hot weather is affecting my soap as well, but what effected it more for DOS was some bad oil, otherwise hot weather just gave me a lot of soft soap and partial gels.

Are you using an oil prone to DOS (the dreaded orange spot aka oxidizing oils) examples are an oil blend from the grocery store or canola. That is really the cause of DOS more than the weather, I've found. I switched canola for avocado and I've had a tester bars on the window sill for two months in full sun and humidity, one in my room and one in an un-vented bathroom with out any anti-oxident added and they are perfect, still smell like lavender, dirty and hard as a rock.

Is your lye discount excessive? Some find a lye discount over 6% could be a problem especially with those oils that are prone to it. Do you use a recipe with a lot of soft oils? I've also noticed that not gelling a soap that is prone to DOS can add to the problem, as some of my canola recipe that were fully gelled are still viable a year later, but those that are not gelled, some have developed spots. Any kind of contaminant could cause DOS too. I have a loaf that was fully gelled that started to get DOS from the inside... seriously... I cut a bar in half and there is was....

For other things like soft soap or sweating; is your house air conditioned? If not, try a dehumidifier where you store it. Keep the air moving with a fan, turn your soap often, don't dry it out on cardboard.

There are a lot of discussions about DOS out on the interwebs and in this forum, hopefully you can find your trigger in time to switch out your problem maker. It takes time, you have to make one switch and wait for DOS. If you think about it logically though, with the help from all the comments out there, you might guess your problem right the first time.

La-rene

 

[CaliChan]

the hot weather has made my soaps need to cure longer (like a month longer ) but thats about it. most of my soaps are superfatted between 8%-12.5% (with the exception of the pure CO soap thats at 20%) and none have had trouble with DOS, the kinds of oils you use like la-rene said can contribute to that. or poor storage.

 

[Sapwn]

Hot weather here, full of sun, no humidity.
No DOS so far.

My canola soaps behave excellent.
In fact, I am very satisfied with canola soaps.

 

[marigold1]

La-rene
Thank you for your very detailed response. It has apricot oil in - no canola. We don't have air con as in the UK its not really something we've ever needed before.

I don't use colour in my soap at all. Any colour is from the essential oils. This particular batch looked a 'murky' beige colour rather than the creamy colour it normally does. As mentioned it had the DOS in on a couple. I was quite dissappointed with how it turned out. When I cut the bar down the middle it looked the regular colour in the centre so looked liks some sort of candy bar darker round the edge and cream in the middle.

My percentage is usually around 7% and as I said have never had an issue as i vary between Sweet Almond, Avacado etc. Just over the last month i've had issues in a few bars and it would appear Apricot is the common factor. Just wasn't sure about the discolouration and thought it may be the heat.

De-humidifier sounds worth a try too. Forecast isn't good going forward as the rain has started so I may find with my new oils it won't happen again.

Thank you for your help you've been very kind.