How long does a 100% olive oil soap (castile) last?

[AshleyR]

I made some castile soap tonight and I've read that it can be very soft at first but will get very very hard in time.

How long does it take to get super hard, and is there a time frame in which it might go bad?

I made quite a bit and am wondering when I'll be able to use it at it's best.

Thanks!

 

[Lindy]

Castille is a wonderful soap and yes it does last quite a while.... don't know how long, but it a long time.....

 

[heartsong]

x

christmas 2006 i gave my aunt 2 dozen 80% olive 20% coconut soaps and she just let me know she's down to her last few bars. so they've stood up well for 2 years with no problems.

it seems to me depending on temp, humidity, etc that about 8 weeks it hits it's peak hardess, though i've heard others say longer.

i've never had olive oil soap go bad on me, but i could just be lucky.

 

[ChrissyB]

As with all hand crafted soaps, make sure you use a well draining soap dish. And I think using a washer, or shower puff makes your soap last longer also. Don't leave it sitting in water or it will be smoosh.

 

[carebear]

How long it takes to harden up depends on how much water you've used. Probably an absolute minimum of 6 weeks - more likely twice that for maximum benefit.

How long it will be "fresh" for depends on the environment in which you store it. In my old house they always got DOS in 4 months, in this house some bars have happily survived 2+ years...

 

[Woodi]

Mine took a good 2 months to harden up the way I like it. Then it lasted 2 years or more. Doesn't lather as much as my recipes with coconut or palm kernel, and leaves my skin feeling a tad oily or sometimes sticky. 100% olive soap is not everybody's cup of tea, but for those who love it, they really love it.

 

[Deda]

In my old house they always got DOS in 4 months, in this house some bars have happily survived 2+ years...

To what do you attribute the difference? Humidity, recipe change, oil storage? I've only had a couple batches go spotty. For the last year I've dried my soap all over the house, trying to find the best environment.

Caveman's stuff says more to do with rancid oils than environment, but still.

 

[carebear]

the heat and humidity of the apartment, too much sunlight in the room too.

 

[Barb]

my bastille soaps ( 80% olive, 10% avocado and 10 % cocoa butter) are made with a very steep water discount ) and are hard enough to unmold the next day. i let them do their thing for 6 months before i offer them for sale.
soaps that are all olive or mostly olive are so much better the longer they sit.

i found a whole log in my soap pantry last spring. it was 6 years old.
it was so hard you could have used it for a legal weapon. the hubby sliced it with his band saw. it was awesome soap for it's kind. i'm not a big fan of this kind of soap, the suds are a tad to slimy for my liking but i have customers that this is the only kind of soap they buy. it most defineatly needs a good draining soap dish. even with all the humidity in my bathroom i've got a bar in the soap dish on the sink that has been there for at least a year and it's not showing any signs of dos.