I made soap! (with pictures)

[Gaspar Navarrete]

Hello everyone,

While I am learning about oils. I will make the recipe that Susie and Shunt2011 suggested.

Below is my understanding of the soap making process. If anything below doesn't seem right, please let me know. I am still a novice.

This soap will be used for bathing and for washing dishes.

Thanks

 

[Cactuslily]

Great pictorial! I especially like #20. Now I can unequivocally prove to my DH that the zap test is actually real and not a practical joke being played on me

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

As for the process - I would zap test the batter (take a tiny bit out and let it cool) rather than using pheno and zap testing at the end. See the post about soap tasting sour for more about pH and safe soaps

 

[Susie]

Awesome post and I loved the pics! Good job, and beautiful soap! Congratulations!

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Also just looked through again - soap should cure with air flow. I know that you want to protect them from mice, but if that box is totally enclosed then the soaps can't really cure very well.

 

[KristaY]

Nice work and great job on the photo documentation! Your soap looks terrific ~ congrats!

 

[Gaspar Navarrete]

I was wondering about this very same thing.

How might I increase the air flow ?

Also just looked through again - soap should cure with air flow. I know that you want to protect them from mice, but if that box is totally enclosed then the soaps can't really cure very well.

 

[shunt2011]

You could increase air flow by putting holes in the box bottom and sides. Congratulations on making soap! I agree with zap testing the batter before molding, ph testing isn't accurate with handmade soap.

 

[Gaspar Navarrete]

The only reason why I used pheno was that I didn't want to burn my tongue or my finger, in the event that the soap still had unreacted lye in it. I am under the impression that it is good to give the saponification time to complete.

That thread on soap tasting sour is a long one. Still going thru and digesting it ...

As for the process - I would zap test the batter (take a tiny bit out and let it cool) rather than using pheno and zap testing at the end. See the post about soap tasting sour for more about pH and safe soaps

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

A little bit of zap won't kill you. I got a massive zap from one Liquid Soap but there is no harm done.

To expand on this, my typical method is -

Put some soap and water on my finger. If no tingle, tap the soapy-watery finger to the tongue. If no zap, touch the soap to the tongue. That way I have some measure of control

 

[hmlove1218]

Just a safety note. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but it appears that you used a glass bowl to mix your lye water. Please don't do that as the lye will etch the glass and eventually cause it to shatter. Please use either stainless steel or PP5 plastic. I believe PP2 and HDPE 1 plastics are also safe, but my brain is malfunctioning at the moment lol

 

[Gaspar Navarrete]

That was a pyrex bowl. Would lye also etch pyrex ?

A good thing to know. I have been preparing my lye-water in pyrex all this time. :wtf:

Just a safety note. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but it appears that you used a glass bowl to mix your lye water. Please don't do that as the lye will etch the glass and eventually cause it to shatter. Please use either stainless steel or PP5 plastic. I believe PP2 and HDPE 1 plastics are also safe, but my brain is malfunctioning at the moment lol

 

[Dorymae]

That was a pyrex bowl. Would lye also etch pyrex ?

A good thing to know. I have been preparing my lye-water in pyrex all this time. :wtf:

The Pyrex we use for home use would etch, if the bowl is over 35 years old it would be okay, but they have changed the formula.

You can buy lab quality Pyrex , that would be okay. However you are safer just going with plastic, no wondering.

 

[kchaystack]

And even lab grade glass wear can shatter with enough of a thermal shock.

 

[El_Granado_Loco]

And if you decide to work with plastic, be careful of the seams on the bottom. I just remembered that image TEG shared some time ago...
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=50555

By the way, congratulations on your soap!!!