Orange zest in CP soap

[lizflowers42]

I eat a TON of those little clementines this time of year. I usually use the peels and soak in vinegar for a few weeks to get the natural oils out into the vinegar, and use the vinegar for cleaning and fabric softener (remember, I am a tree-hugger here).

Can I use fresh orange zest in CP soap, or do I need to allow it to dry first? Also, will it survive the big bag lye monster, or will it get gnarly and snotty looking?

Thanks all!

 

[Hazel]

I've heard you want to dry it thoroughly; otherwise, it will become moldy. But maybe I'm confusing zest with something else. I don't know how it will look in soap.

 

[LovelyMalia]

I'm not sure about the soap part, but infusing vinegar with orange zest is an amazing idea for cleaning! Does it give the vinegar a nice scent? The smell of vinegar makes me sick

 

[lizflowers42]

I'm not sure about the soap part, but infusing vinegar with orange zest is an amazing idea for cleaning! Does it give the vinegar a nice scent? The smell of vinegar makes me sick

You still smell vinegar, but if you let the peels marinate for 2 weeks you get much less harsh vinegar!

 

[thefarmerdaughter]

I have used orange zest in soap, I didn't dry it before hand. but now that I think about it, it's not a bad idea. I grated it fine. It didn't get gnarly or weird, it even stayed orange! My bars are around 6 months old, I only have one left cause my family loved them. I'm guarding the last one so I can see how it does long term.

 

[Pepsi Girl]

I have used orange zest in soap, I didn't dry it before hand. but now that I think about it, it's not a bad idea. I grated it fine. It didn't get gnarly or weird, it even stayed orange! My bars are around 6 months old, I only have one left cause my family loved them. I'm guarding the last one so I can see how it does long term.

Ok so are you talking about the shredding of the orange peel?
I'm not a real kitchen girl!

 

[lsg]

I have just dried fresh orange peel as it was peeled from the orange and then stored it in plastic bags until needed. You can run it through the grater before using in soap.

 

[sabon]

My first batch of soap was with dried and powdered peel of oranges. It was my sister's favourite!

 

[deb8907]

I've used dried orange peel in CP and it has done fine. Since it was really dried, it wasn't bright orange (as if fresh). It leaves some orange spots on the soap. I like it, adds texture and color to a plain bar and great for citrus scents.

 

[CaliChan]

Im so glad to see this come up!!! I now have another use for orange peels other than putting them in my garden soil

 

[lizflowers42]

My first batch of soap was with dried and powdered peel of oranges. It was my sister's favourite!

Powdered-as in you put them in a spice grinder?

 

[TeriDk]

Does the same apply to other citrus fruits: lime, lemon?

 

[kdaniels8811]

I use peels (all types of citrus) in vinegar for a cleaning solution. Cover the peels with vinegar, a canning jar works great. Put it in a dark cupboard for a couple weeks, strain through a coffee filter and you have a great cleaning solution. The scent is still strong so I dilute mine by about a third with distilled water. I put lavender buds in with my citrus peels since I have a bunch of lavender. But still need to water down the vinegar or the scent is too strong.

 

[thefarmerdaughter]

Does the same apply to other citrus fruits: lime, lemon?

Haven't tried lime, but the color faded from my lemon zest.

 

[judymoody]

I've used it dried and no problem. I have a bar that's over 2 years old and it still looks great.

 

[2lilboots]

I have a bag of dried grapefruit peel that I just look at wonder what to do with it. I am not a big fan of grapefruit so I guess that is why I don't get thrilled at the idea of using it. It was a free sample when I ordered something else from soap-making-resource.