Mechanic's soap

[Zing]

Nothing special here, totally utilitarian. Don't look at the drag marks! I scented with rosemary, litsea, basil essential oils. I'm not crazy about the smell but it does smell earthy. Mrs. Zing loves the scent so there's that. My gardening hands are hard to keep clean so it's full of scrubbies -- coffee grounds, poppy seeds, and loofah shreds. Made with strong brewed coffee and red palm oil colors it. I meant to include sugar in the lye solution because I recently discovered what a lather booster it is -- BUT it is one more ingredient/step for me to forget now!

 

[dibbles]

Love it! The color from the red palm oil is very pretty.

 

[Zing]

Love it! The color from the red palm oil is very pretty.

Thank you. I like red palm oil but can only do a max of 5% -- it'll take me years to use up my jar!

 

[KimW]

Beautiful soap, once again Mr. Zing! I have to admit I was a bit taken aback reading the EOs you used but, hey, if the Mrs likes it then I say it smells FANTASTIC. Wish I had man-hands that could take all those scrubbies as it sure would making cleaning up a lot quicker. Go you.

What are your base oils? How much SF do you find is best for soap that will be on one's hands for a goodly amount of time? I've always added mineral oil to my garden and mechanics soap, but this darn SMF has me wanting to change up everything and experiment!

 

[Jersey Girl]

Nothing special here, totally utilitarian. Don't look at the drag marks! I scented with rosemary, litsea, basil essential oils. I'm not crazy about the smell but it does smell earthy. Mrs. Zing loves the scent so there's that. My gardening hands are hard to keep clean so it's full of scrubbies -- coffee grounds, poppy seeds, and loofah shreds. Made with strong brewed coffee and red palm oil colors it. I meant to include sugar in the lye solution because I recently discovered what a lather booster it is -- BUT it is one more ingredient/step for me to forget now!

I just want to grab one through the screen and scrub with it! Lol. They look great!

 

[Zing]

Beautiful soap, once again Mr. Zing! I have to admit I was a bit taken aback reading the EOs you used but, hey, if the Mrs likes it then I say it smells FANTASTIC. Wish I had man-hands that could take all those scrubbies as it sure would making cleaning up a lot quicker. Go you.

What are your base oils? How much SF do you find is best for soap that will be on one's hands for a goodly amount of time? I've always added mineral oil to my garden and mechanics soap, but this darn SMF has me wanting to change up everything and experiment!

Mineral oil?! Now you are really shakin' things up, aren't you?! Is it saponifable? I'll have to research this.

So several women in my life have said "there's no such thing as too much exfoliants." However, I recently used one of my gardener's soap from last year and found it too scratchy, so I used 0.5 Tbsp ppo this time for each.

My base oils are my normal basics, palm, coconut, avocado, rice bran, castor, but added shea butter. I always superfat at 3%. But now you have me thinking I should do a higher SF but I also get paranoid about oil in my pipes. Lotion bars are my friend year-round.

 

[KimW]

LOL!! Mineral Oil is not saponifiable. It gives a feel to the soap that some might call slimy, but I liken it more akin to the hand cleaning goo you can buy at auto parts stores, but with bubbles. Whips that grease right off, I tell ya. DARN TOOTIN'.

Thank you for so generously sharing your oil list! Some of my favs on there.

So, I normally use 2% SF for the same reason. hmmmm...perhaps my hands could take some loofah....

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I like red palm oil but can only do a max of 5% -- it'll take me years to use up my jar!

I really like the look of your mechanics bar. Well done!

Here's a recipe you might like to make to use up your Red Palm Oil if you haven't done so by its 1-year mark. It was my dear hubby's favorite shampoo bar, although he used it all over.

ZANY'S PALM OLIVE (CP BAR)

 

[Zing]

I really like the look of your mechanics bar. Well done!

Here's a recipe you might like to make to use up your Red Palm Oil if you haven't done so by its 1-year mark. It was my dear hubby's favorite shampoo bar, although he used it all over.
ZANY'S PALM OLIVE (CP BAR)

Love this suggestion -- thank you! @Zany_in_CO, I'm past the date already BUT I've stored it in the refrigerator. Do I still need to toss it? It smells normal.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I'm past the date already BUT I've stored it in the refrigerator. Do I still need to toss it? It smells normal.

Nah. I wouldn't toss it; I'd soap it! Sooner rather than later! There's more where that came from I'm sure.

 

[Zing]

After requests, I'm posting the secret recipe:

 

[ResolvableOwl]

Wrt unrefined palm oil: I love that colour (and its natural odour), but I found that 80% (in LS) were too much. I guesstimate that anything above 20% only contributes to yellowish lather (and stains around the sink).

Don't look at the drag marks!

Just sell it clever. Say you have sawed them up with a chainsaw!

 

[Rivendell Rose]

I've always added mineral oil to my garden and mechanics soap

Really? Does it help remove grease? I use it to remove waterproof lipstick. What percentage do you use?

 

[KimW]

Really? Does it help remove grease? I use it to remove waterproof lipstick. What percentage do you use?

In my subjective experience, yes, it works better than "regular" soap at removing engine oil and such, and garden dirt, from hands and nails. Of course, one can also remove most if not all used engine oil from the hands with just clean (unused) engine oil or any other clean petroleum based product, like the hand cleaning cream found in auto parts stores with the main ingredient of mineral oil.
I use 2% TotalOilWeight for a gardeners soap and 3% TOW for my mechanic's soap. I calculate my soap recipe at 0% SF and mix the mineral oil with my other oils before proceeding as normal. I tried 5% TOW once and it left a little oil slick. LOL

ETA:
Like this cream, which was my favorite:
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NCB5000

 

[Trinidad Kelly]

Nothing special here, totally utilitarian. Don't look at the drag marks! I scented with rosemary, litsea, basil essential oils. I'm not crazy about the smell but it does smell earthy. Mrs. Zing loves the scent so there's that. My gardening hands are hard to keep clean so it's full of scrubbies -- coffee grounds, poppy seeds, and loofah shreds. Made with strong brewed coffee and red palm oil colors it. I meant to include sugar in the lye solution because I recently discovered what a lather booster it is -- BUT it is one more ingredient/step for me to forget now!

This soap looks lovely! The Essential Oil combination sounds divine. I want to make a mechanic soap really bad. I bought some pumice the regular and finely ground ones to include in it together with coffee grains. Plan to use Orange Essential Oil for sure, been thinking what others to use. I also have Red Palm Oil, never used it; may I ask is the SAP Value the same as Red Palm Butter in Soap Calc?

 

[Trinidad Kelly]

In my subjective experience, yes, it works better than "regular" soap at removing engine oil and such, and garden dirt, from hands and nails. Of course, one can also remove most if not all used engine oil from the hands with just clean (unused) engine oil or any other clean petroleum based product, like the hand cleaning cream found in auto parts stores with the main ingredient of mineral oil.
I use 2% TotalOilWeight for a gardeners soap and 3% TOW for my mechanic's soap. I calculate my soap recipe at 0% SF and mix the mineral oil with my other oils before proceeding as normal. I tried 5% TOW once and it left a little oil slick. LOL

ETA:
Like this cream, which was my favorite:
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NCB5000

Wow! Thanks for sharing this. I have been battling with how to ensure my mechanic soap actually cleans and removes oil and dirt from the hands. I was thinking to use the 0% superfat as I really don't want it to be too moisturizing because the purpose is to remove oil and dirt. Your comment confirmed my thoughts . Will definitely take your tip and try it out. Truly appreciate you sharing. Thank you.

 

[Basil]

After requests, I'm posting the secret recipe:

Thanks so much @Zing ! I have those EOs on hand and will try that blend today! I have some infused colorants I'd love to try it in ! I'll let you know

 

[ResolvableOwl]

I also have Red Palm Oil, never used it; may I ask is the SAP Value the same as Red Palm Butter in Soap Calc?

Yes. Palm oil, red palm oil, red palm butter are literally the same thing: Elaeis guineensis oil (except that for non-red “palm oil”, the colourful and fragrant phytochemicals are removed).

Just for some reason, the vague term “butter” is used for most hard plant fats except palm, although consistency and melting behaviour of “palm oil” really is one of the closest of all to dairy butter. Whoever came up with the brillinat idea to call cocoa butter a “butter” never has bitten into a bar of chocolate nor has spread a bread and butter sandwich. And where please is pork butter (aka lard)?
Another obvious example of stupid PR parlando to increase perceived value of (expensive) non-palm plant fats. (Another example is murumuru “butter” that really is a lauric oil like coconut or babaçu, although neither of these appears worthy being called a “butter”.)

 

[Trinidad Kelly]

Nothing special here, totally utilitarian. Don't look at the drag marks! I scented with rosemary, litsea, basil essential oils. I'm not crazy about the smell but it does smell earthy. Mrs. Zing loves the scent so there's that. My gardening hands are hard to keep clean so it's full of scrubbies -- coffee grounds, poppy seeds, and loofah shreds. Made with strong brewed coffee and red palm oil colors it. I meant to include sugar in the lye solution because I recently discovered what a lather booster it is -- BUT it is one more ingredient/step for me to forget now!

Do you shred your luffa or buy it shredded?

 

[Trinidad Kelly]

Yes. Palm oil, red palm oil, red palm butter are literally the same thing: Elaeis guineensis oil (except that for non-red “palm oil”, the colourful and fragrant phytochemicals are removed).

Just for some reason, the vague term “butter” is used for most hard plant fats except palm, although consistency and melting behaviour of “palm oil” really is one of the closest of all to dairy butter. Whoever came up with the brillinat idea to call cocoa butter a “butter” never has bitten into a bar of chocolate nor has spread a bread and butter sandwich. And where please is pork butter (aka lard)?
Another obvious example of stupid PR parlando to increase perceived value of (expensive) non-palm plant fats. (Another example is murumuru “butter” that really is a lauric oil like coconut or babaçu, although neither of these appears worthy being called a “butter”.)

Ah yes, thank you. Cocoa butter is so hard lol!