Lye Solution Temperature

[MoonBath]

How important is it? I've heard varying reports from experienced soapers. Some people say keeping the temperature of the lye solution within 10° of the oil temp is essential. Then I saw a woman give a class where she just dumped the lye solution on unmelted oils and stirred until they melted everything down. Another soaper says she doesn't pay any attention to it at all.

What's the real story?

 

[Obsidian]

I've used lye at different temps, even adding it hot to the solid oils to melt them. I really don't see much difference except for a quicker trace at higher temps.
My main recipe traces faster then I like when warm so I try to get my oils and lye to under 90*. For other recipes, I don't usually even check temps anymore.

 

[Kleine Teufel]

I've never once used a thermometer. I usually use room temp oils and fresh, hot lye to melt the solid ones down. Sometimes I soap with both hot, sometimes one is hot and the other cool, and sometimes both are cool. It all depends on what I'm doing. High speed oils = hot lye/cool oils or cool lye, warm oils. Florals, hot lye/cool oils. Slow movers I sometimes warm the oils and use hot or warm lye or just use hot lye, depending on how lazy I'm being. Some people *insist* that you *must* use a thermometer to make soap and each has to be the same temp, which drives me absolutely insane. Obviously a little bird tweeted in their ear and they never experimented or researched in full, then took that little bird tweet as the gospel truth and will fight tooth and nail claiming that they are right and you're wrong. Makes me bat **** crazy.

 

[Tienne]

I've read, that as long as the lye water isn't way hotter than the oils, then it really doesn't matter what temps you mix at. I used to religiously make sure there was no more than 10 degrees between lye water and oils, but not anymore. Now I just mix when the lye water and oils are at room temp or thereabouts. You can even cool the lye water even more than that. That'll slow down trace a bit if you need some extra time to work with.

 

[freesia792]

Hey, I got that tweet. Your saying it really doesn't matter about temps? I can use the heat of the lye solution to melt oils? Well, holy cow, if this is true, soap making just got quicker and easier.

I've never once used a thermometer. I usually use room temp oils and fresh, hot lye to melt the solid ones down. Sometimes I soap with both hot, sometimes one is hot and the other cool, and sometimes both are cool. It all depends on what I'm doing. High speed oils = hot lye/cool oils or cool lye, warm oils. Florals, hot lye/cool oils. Slow movers I sometimes warm the oils and use hot or warm lye or just use hot lye, depending on how lazy I'm being. Some people *insist* that you *must* use a thermometer to make soap and each has to be the same temp, which drives me absolutely insane. Obviously a little bird tweeted in their ear and they never experimented or researched in full, then took that little bird tweet as the gospel truth and will fight tooth and nail claiming that they are right and you're wrong. Makes me bat **** crazy.

 

[Kleine Teufel]

Yep. It saves me a lot of time. My favorite is hot lye and cool oils. If you use a high melt temp oil, break it up into small chunks or melt it a bit first so it fully melts. I've done 100% coconut oil melted purely with lye water, but cocoa butter might take a bit more if it's cold.

 

[MoonBath]

That's great! Thanks for the input.

Yeah, I wouldn't try melting cocoa butter with just lye. Too hard.

 

[shunt2011]

I room temp soap so my oils and lye are just that - Room Temp If it's exceptionally cool in the house sometimes I'll just warm my oils a little bit and add RT lye mixture to it.

 

[judymoody]

I use a point and shoot laser thermometer to do a quick check on temps. If the average of the two is somewhere between 110-120, I'm good to go.

When I first started soaping, matching temperatures was the thing that gave me the most anxiety.

 

[Dennis]

Oils out of my fridge are chunky. Into the microwave goes the batter bowl for 45 seconds. Chunks are softened, not melted. Pour the lye and stir.

 

[Moody Glenn]

I use a point and shoot laser thermometer to do a quick check on temps. If the average of the two is somewhere between 110-120, I'm good to go.

When I first started soaping, matching temperatures was the thing that gave me the most anxiety.

I also use a laser thermometer just to keep tabs on the temps. For me I like my melted oils and fats around 110 F. and the lye solution at room temp (around 70 F.) I keep the oils hotter so as to avoid any "false trace" problems and the lye solution cool to help slow down the trace time. After adding the lye solution the chemical reaction of saponification starts to make the batter temperature rise.