I would not be using a food processor (with a plastic bowl) for food as well as soaping. You need to use a stickblender, regardless of what temperature you process at.
I hate DOS!
- Thread starter LilyJo
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If the contamination is from the blade of the processor metal you will have recurring problems with DOS.
Metals in very small amounts can be the root cause of DOS. For an experiment try a wire swirl using a copper wire. Dos is almost guaranteed.
If there is cross contamination it will be random.
I use an inexpensive SB that is devoted to soap making. That way I don't have any worries about whether or not I didn't get all the apple butter off the tools.
Metals in very small amounts can be the root cause of DOS. For an experiment try a wire swirl using a copper wire. Dos is almost guaranteed.
If there is cross contamination it will be random.
I use an inexpensive SB that is devoted to soap making. That way I don't have any worries about whether or not I didn't get all the apple butter off the tools.
LilyJo
Well-Known Member
Of course I dont use the food processor for food and for soaping, that would just be silly!
I dont see that it matters using a food processor or a stick blender to blend at the beginning, it does the same basic job - the processor has a stronger motor than my SB and breaks up the hard oils better in the early stages. Once the oils are smooth its probably 50/50 which is better.
The DOS experienced in the last couple of batches does seem confined to only two batches made on the same day - all the batches made over a two week period have now passed at least a six week cure - and it doesn't look like the DOS I experienced earlier in the year with old oil. In those cases it was pretty much all over the soap and spread quickly; with these ones it is random odd dots here and there.
I am pretty sure now that this is related to either contamination from the metal blade OR from a less than scrupulous clean up between batches. So, am going to try another uncoloured and unfragranced batch using a squeaky clean FB today to see what happens - if it comes back then its definitely the blade!
I dont see that it matters using a food processor or a stick blender to blend at the beginning, it does the same basic job - the processor has a stronger motor than my SB and breaks up the hard oils better in the early stages. Once the oils are smooth its probably 50/50 which is better.
The DOS experienced in the last couple of batches does seem confined to only two batches made on the same day - all the batches made over a two week period have now passed at least a six week cure - and it doesn't look like the DOS I experienced earlier in the year with old oil. In those cases it was pretty much all over the soap and spread quickly; with these ones it is random odd dots here and there.
I am pretty sure now that this is related to either contamination from the metal blade OR from a less than scrupulous clean up between batches. So, am going to try another uncoloured and unfragranced batch using a squeaky clean FB today to see what happens - if it comes back then its definitely the blade!
The likeliest source of contamination is going to remain your water unless you switch to distilled or demineralized. Not every bottle is necessarily the same.
Are you getting DOS with and without the shea butter? Is it refined or unrefined?
LilyJo
Well-Known Member
I have had DOS in two batches made the same day and using the same recipe.
All soap use the same water and the same oils from the same batches and the same shea butter. The fact that it has narrowed down to just two batches (different FOs ) out of about ten batches makes me think it is indeed contamination and not coming from any of the ingredients.
It happened in one unfragranced and uncoloured (control) batch and one with colour and FO.
Given everything and the number of unaffected batches at this point, I think I will assume its contamination and try and move on....with my fingers and toes crossed that it doesn't happen again!
All soap use the same water and the same oils from the same batches and the same shea butter. The fact that it has narrowed down to just two batches (different FOs ) out of about ten batches makes me think it is indeed contamination and not coming from any of the ingredients.
It happened in one unfragranced and uncoloured (control) batch and one with colour and FO.
Given everything and the number of unaffected batches at this point, I think I will assume its contamination and try and move on....with my fingers and toes crossed that it doesn't happen again!
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
I don't think your reasoning here is right. Contamination is random too. It can come from:
Dust or dirt or skin transferred to the top of the wardrobe.
Random particles / minerals in the bottled water
Tiny bits of metal that could come off your food processor once every 2,000 revolutions
A spoonful of one of your ingredients that was contaminated
From your hand while cutting
From your blade / wire while cutting
The possibilities are endless. However, you are doing two things that no one else does - you are using a food processor and bottled water. I would change both of those even if it required changing your method to heating your solid oils first.
Oh and I'd move your soap out of the bedroom unless it isn't used as a bedroom. Bedrooms can be a moist environment.
That is just my opinion.
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Nevada
Well-Known Member
Possibly the Olive Oil is actually mostly Soybean.
Distilled water, Citric acid and ROE is what works for me.
Distilled water, Citric acid and ROE is what works for me.
