how do I make without smelling up house?

[honor435]

ok, my hubby doesnt like the smells of soapmaking, how can i make it without smelling up the whole house? even if i cooked and molded outside, i still have to cure and wash out pot. I have a small cottage outside of house that i could soap, but have no water or ac out there, i dont want to leave soap in the humidity to cure, help!

 

[carebear]

then leave him out there. you have to choose. before he does

and seriously - don't cure soaps in your living space. it's not healthy for either of you.

 

[LJA]

Tell him "Man up, Nancy Boy!"....

Heh... :wink:

 

[Deda]

I find the smell of burned dinner is efficient at masking the smells of soapmaking.

 

[Val]

LOL your so bad!

Val

 

[carebear]

Honestly, though - it seems that this is an ongoing issue. So I think the two of you need to work things out.

sit down and come up with a plan - you may both have to compromise.

no, you WILL both have to compromise. so make a pland and execute it.

 

[Artephius]

A clothespin on his nose?

Seriously though, soapmaking doesn't smell that bad to me (unless you're doing a beer soap or some kind of other water substitute). The lye fumes don't last for long and soap that's curing has a pretty mild smell. Other than that it just smells of whatever FO you're using (if you use one).

Do you know exactly what smell he's objecting to?

 

[xraygrl]

So sorry for your troubles. I think my Dh has only ever complained a couple of times in all the years I've been soaping....and one of those batches was a pine tar batch.....and that one stunk so bad I had to put it out in the garage.

Is there anyway to add water and A/C to the cottage, or at the very least A/C? You could always wash the pots inside, that would cut down on the smells in the house alot. i can't imagine anyone not liking the smells (unless of course it's pine tar LOL)....I always get compliments on how good my house smells.

 

[artisan soaps]

..

 

[honor435]

i dont cure soaps in the living room, they are in a spare room with the door closed! it mostly just smells after i pour into mold, then it fades alot, he must be sensitive? I said as soon as he gets me table set up, i will move all soap out to cottage. thanks for listening.

 

[carebear]

maybe if it's not too hot in the cottage then a dehumidifier would help?

People who are sensitive to scents may object, even if it's not a "bad" smell. There are lots of folks who are - poor dears.

 

[Guest]

I think the soap cottage would be wonderful for both of you . I am the one in our house who is sensitive to scents . I understand your hubby's plight and yours too. I store mine downstairs so the scents don't bother me to much . I am in the process of building a drying room , so I can make soap without being in the middle of all the scents.

Kitn

 

[ChrissyB]

Maybe you could move his fave armchair, tv and bed out to the cottage?

 

[xyxoxy]

Sounds like a very good incentive for him to fix up the cottage for you. You could probably get along without plumbing if you HAD to but I agree you should have some sort of climate control.

 

[safire_6]

I have the same set up. I moved my soaping out of the house because the smell was getting to both of us. I don't have water out there but here is what I do:

I store 2-3 gallons of distilled water under my soaping table. In another empty jug I keep soapy water.

I have two large plastic bowls that I bought at Walmart for $1 and I keep them on the table when I'm working. In one, I put some of the soapy water to use for spills and if I get a little lye on me. As i finish using my utensils and containers for measuring, i place them all in the empty bowl. When I'm all done, all I have to do is empty the sudsy water out and take both bowls with all of the stuff I used back in the house and put it in the dishwasher. I had concerns about not having water but It really does work out well.

It would be interesting to hear what others are doing?

 

[kittywings]

I don't get it. I only have the smell of whatever FO I used... and that's only if the soaps are out on the counter. I mix the lye outside because of the smell and the many furbabies roaming around.
That said... maybe you could say to your hubby that you will be more than happy to soap in your little cottage if he puts in an air conditioning unit and a dehumidifier.

Problem Solved!

I guess I'm lucky that my husband thinks it's so cool and smells good.

Then again, he DIDN'T love it when I filled the house with smoke at 2 am trying run the cleaning cycle on our "brick oven" (we have a gas range and I lined it the other day with fire bricks to make pizza... but there was corn meal on the bricks)

 

[Deda]

I have a separate "kitchen", just for soaping, closed off from the rest of the house, with separate HVAC. A separate closet fitted with curing racks and dehumidifier.

Yet still, I put a few drops of FO/EO in a bottle and spritz the whole house.

 

[gekko62]

I have a separate "kitchen", just for soaping, closed off from the rest of the house, with separate HVAC. A separate closet fitted with curing racks and dehumidifier.quote]

Green eyed monster here! I am so jealous of all of you! I live in a 2br flat,make soap in my kitchen,store everything in my spare room....but I love the soaping smells-would be big trouble if I didn't eh?

Definitely go with the soap cottage idea I say.I've lived with no running water-that's do-able. And you could have everything set up,no need to clear everything away....dedicated soaping space...lucky duck!

 

[honor435]

ok
i got a countertop in cottage, but it is very humid, without ac i cant let my my soaps cure out there right? what did they do in the old days, i guess they couldnt do anything about it or used lots of lard that hardened up fast?

 

[Val]

Possibly water discounting could help there. Less water to have to evaporate.

Val