Melting Soap in the Shower/Soap Scum Questions

[Jaccart789]

Is there anything you can do to prevent soap melt in the shower? I realize keeping the soap dry, putting it up on a wire wrack or using a soap dish so it can drain are all things that can prevent soap scum, but is there anything you can add to soap?

Does sodium lactate work for this or aid in this? I just started to use SL but haven't tried a soap yet. Would adding some salt to soap help? I love how my salt bars last forever and love that they don't melt away or leave a film. I ask because people I gift my soap too always ask and for some reason they can't remember to keep it dry, so I was wondering if I add something to the bar to make it last.

There is this local soap maker who has a brick and mortar store who's soaps last without the dreaded soap scum, so there must be away that a natural soap will last.

Thanks so much!

 

[Earthen_Step]

Is there anything you can do to prevent soap melt in the shower? I realize keeping the soap dry, putting it up on a wire wrack or using a soap dish so it can drain are all things that can prevent soap scum, but is there anything you can add to soap?

Does sodium lactate work for this or aid in this? I just started to use SL but haven't tried a soap yet. Would adding some salt to soap help? I love how my salt bars last forever and love that they don't melt away or leave a film. I ask because people I gift my soap too always ask and for some reason they can't remember to keep it dry, so I was wondering if I add something to the bar to make it last.

There is this local soap maker who has a brick and mortar store who's soaps last without the dreaded soap scum, so there must be away that a natural soap will last.

Thanks so much!

The soaps I have made have the opposite of scum. It cleans my shower! It also lasts fairly long without doing anything crazy. But some of my customers keep it dry on racks and the soap lasts too long, I want to sell them more!

*I have not used sodium lactate or made a salt soap yet.

 

[Jaccart789]

hmmm... thanks for posting. Maybe soap scum is the wrong word. Its just melted soap that is stuck to the tub, sink, whatever. I was just wondering if there was something to make it last longer, harder and not become a goopy mess.

 

[Earthen_Step]

Don't you have school work to do? :evil:

JK! Are you doing MP or CP soaps? If it is CP I might be able to help but I have not tried or care to try MP soaps.

 

[Jaccart789]

YES! LMAO! I am procrastinator! I am still brain storming.

I only do CP soaps. I feel the same about MP.

 

[Earthen_Step]

YES! LMAO! I am procrastinator! I am still brain storming.

I only do CP soaps. I feel the same about MP.

What are your main oils? And how long have you let them cure?

 

[Jaccart789]

It varies... My favorite recipe contains
OO
CO
Castor
Avocado
Shea
I do a high CO 35% because I love the suds and it doesn't bother my skin.

 

[Earthen_Step]

It varies... My favorite recipe contains
OO
CO
Castor
Avocado
Shea
I do a high CO 35% because I love the suds and it doesn't bother my skin.

I let anything with a high % of castor or avocado oil cure longer than those with no or low %... I don't know if that would help you out.

 

[Jaccart789]

I think I will give it a try. Im going to let them cure for a few months before using and maybe that will help. I appreciate all the help!!!

 

[Earthen_Step]

I think I will give it a try. Im going to let them cure for a few months before using and maybe that will help. I appreciate all the help!!!

You're welcome, maybe someone else can chime in. If not let us know how things go as you go forward.

 

[CanaDawn]

yes, a longer cure works well.. I just found a small bit of high CO soap that was tucked away in a travel bag for a long time and it's hard as rock, but lathers brilliantly. High CO also (I think) has high glycerin, which means it is a bit melty.

 

[Obsidian]

Coconut soap will dissolve away faster then many other types of soap. Adding 25% palm or lard to your soap will help them last much longer. There is nothing that will prevent soap from turning into a gummy mess if its left in water though, it has to be allowed to dry between uses.

 

[El_Granado_Loco]

I have found that I need to cure my soaps for at least 4 months to get them to last for a decent period of time... I use castor oil too at 5%. It 's hard to wait but the soap gets much better as well!

 

[OliveOil2]

4 months? Mine last for a very long time after 6 weeks. I'm sure at 4 months they are real nice though.

 

[DeeAnna]

Your soaps don't last long and "melt" in the bath, because your favorite oils are relatively low in stearic and palmitic acids. You may want to consider reformulating the fats for a more balanced recipe, rather than looking to additives. See: http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showpost.php?p=383997&postcount=17

 

[fuzz-juzz]

Appart from changing your recipe, you can also try lower SF. I've gone from 5% down to 3%, and it made so much difference. I actually use CM as liquid so SF is obviously higher, but 5% was just too much. Longer cure helps as well, I cure most of my soaps for longer than 3 months. I do try scraps in the meantime, I can't resist, but they are at they best after 3-4 months, especially in cold weather when they dry slower. I don't think you left % of oil, if you did sorry I'm in a hurry , but if you use avocado in more than 15% soaps will be mushy regardless of what else you do. I used 20% fee times, and while soaps are lovely and nourishing, they disintegrate so quickly and turn into yucky mush. HTH!

 

[Dahila]

I cure mine 8 weeks and they are rock hard and last forever

 

[lionprincess00]

Sorry to hijack, but if I may DeeAnna...is there a good range you've discovered for hardness - cleansing = long lasting "values"? Like H-C=best between 15-25, or nothing below 20....etc?

 

[DeeAnna]

LionPrincess -- For a bath bar for general, all-purpose use, I normally shoot for somewhere between 25 to 30 for my "Longlasting" number.

To explain, I get this number by finding the difference between "Hardness" and "Cleansing". This number is the % of stearic and palmitic acids in the recipe, and these are the fatty acids that contribute to creamy lather and lower solubility. If, for example, hardness = 42 and cleansing = 13, then longlasting = 42 - 13 = 29.

That's not to say you will like what I like in a soap, so I'm not saying this is a hard and fast rule. The goal is to find a longlasting value that's juuuuuust right for your local water conditions and your (or your customers') personal preferences. If you go for a very high longlasting value, you will get a bar that will certainly last a long time, but the soap will be so insoluble it cannot make a nice amount of lather without lots of work. On the other hand, if your recipe has a very low longlasting value, your bar will dissolve too fast in the shower and may be more prone to leaving a goopy mess in the soap dish.

Additives such as beer, sugar, sodium lactate, etc. will tend to increase solubility and lather. Additives such as beeswax will tend to reduce solubility and lather. In my opinion, it's best to get the lather and solubility close to your liking with your choice of basic fats, then play with the additives.

 

[lionprincess00]

Awesome Thx!