Not enough lye

[lizzysoap]

So I have been searching the old posts, and can't find any posts on this. I made a double batch of my normal recipe with Lemon Verbena FO from BB and I think I forgot to double the lye water. It is still pudding soft after a week. I have not rebatched before. Is there a way to tell if there is enough lye? If there is not can I just put it back in a bowl, and add the missing lye water, mix and remold? Or is there another way? This picture is after a week in the mold.

 

[cmzaha]

If you really think you forgot to add in all the necessary lye you can rebatch your soap in either a crock-pot or in a stainless steel pot in the oven. After it is melted down you can add in the missing lye, being careful not to splash it and make sure it is worked in well. You might need a little extra liquid in order to get your rebatch soap melted enough to stir in the lye. When doubling a recipe you should still run it through a soap calculator, if for no other reason that to give you in black and white the amounts of ingredients you need. Do not just depend on doubling. It is really the only way you are going to fix it

 

[BattleGnome]

I recently had a batch that took almost a month to unmold smoothly. Sometimes it happens no matter what we do right or wrong.

That said, did you gel? It could just be taking a while if you didn’t encourage gel. You can attempt to gel after the fact to see if it firms up for you. (Preheat the oven to 170F then turn it off before putting the soap in for a few hours)

I don’t know if there’s a way to test for too little lye but zap test just in case it’s going slow for whatever reason. You can schlep it all into a bowl and add whatever you missed while treating it as a rebatch.

 

[lizzysoap]

I didn't gel, I was very upset/angry with some things going on in my personal life. So I didn't even take notes. I make soap to calm me down, but that day I was just to upset. I almost always double check in a soap cal. I am worried because I really don't know for sure what I did or didn't do with the lye water. My oils were premeasured masterbatch.