Oven Rebatch (CP)

[Zany_in_CO]

Can you use the oven rebatch method on lye heavy soap? I realized I missed an oil in a soap I did yesterday. (so disappointed as it has a nice swirl). Would I grate the soap and add the amount of missing oil to it and go from there?

Yes.

 

[Syllvviiaa]

I thought I would share my rebatch attempt. I considered this to be an attempt of salvaging soap and to learn from it. Being new to soapmaking I was happy to get the swirl in my original bar. Felt very deflated when I realized I forgot an oil and now had a beautiful lye heavy soap. There is an art to rebatching I'm sure. While it is now safe to use, it looks like wet concrete. The purple made gray, tried adding some more purple but stopped because I didn't want to waste that much mica to get a real purple. I did toss in some white shavings and poppyseed to try and make it more interesting but.... well, it is atleast useable now. Live and learn.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

I thought I would share my rebatch attempt. I considered this to be an attempt of salvaging soap and to learn from it.

Aw, that is a beautiful swirl! I'm so sorry you had to rebatch it. But I luv, luv, luv the "wet concrete" soap too! Well done!

As for lessons learned...

The purple made gray, tried adding some more purple but stopped because I didn't want to waste that much mica to get a real purple.

That is SO typical of purple colorant. All my efforts to make a pretty lavender liquid soap result in a pitiful gray shade after it's been standing for a period of time. You were smart to hold off on adding more.

TIP: Develop a habit of lining up all your ingredients in the order in which they will be used. As you add each item, move it from right to left, or, do as I do, I move them from the soaping counter next to the sink to the other side of the sink. One more thing. Before combining the lye solution with the fats, I double-check the recipe to be sure I've weighed everything correctly.

Just so you know, when I was at your stage of learning to soap, I rebatched so often that I became known as the "Rebatch Queen!" For me, rebatching wasn't so much "an art" as it was a necessity.

Thanks for sharing your experience! I'm sure it will benefit others as well.

 

[linne1gi]

I thought I would share my rebatch attempt. I considered this to be an attempt of salvaging soap and to learn from it. Being new to soapmaking I was happy to get the swirl in my original bar. Felt very deflated when I realized I forgot an oil and now had a beautiful lye heavy soap. There is an art to rebatching I'm sure. While it is now safe to use, it looks like wet concrete. The purple made gray, tried adding some more purple but stopped because I didn't want to waste that much mica to get a real purple. I did toss in some white shavings and poppyseed to try and make it more interesting but.... well, it is atleast useable now. Live and learn.

At least you were able to save it. I've rebatched quite a bit - and generally they all look like concrete. Sometimes I now add activated charcoal to change up the color.

 

[cmzaha]

Sadly you may not have had to rebatch your beautiful soap depending on what oil you left out and what the percentage was. Once you add in your superfat, how much liquid was used and a long cure time many times a soap will come out fine and be zap free. You will be amazed at what a long cure can fix. Next time post your recipe and what you left out before jumping into rebatching.

As for fixing color in rebatch, it is almost impossible, it is just better to go with what color you end up with or adding in charcoal to make a charcoal soap, which is my pick.

 

[Syllvviiaa]

Sadly you may not have had to rebatch your beautiful soap depending on what oil you left out and what the percentage was. Once you add in your superfat, how much liquid was used and a long cure time many times a soap will come out fine and be zap free. You will be amazed at what a long cure can fix. Next time post your recipe and what you left out before jumping into rebatching.

I think it was quite a bit 195 grams out of a total 975 grams, so 20%. The superfat was at 4%.

 

[cmzaha]

Yep, that was a heathy amount

 

[AAShillito]

Ok what if I don't have sunflower oil. I have coconut, olive, castor , rice bran and avocado

 

[linne1gi]

Ok what if I don't have sunflower oil. I have coconut, olive, castor , rice bran and avocado

Olive Oil is probably the best substitution.

 

[Queen Bee's]

When you rebatch will the soap be fluid again or still very thick? TIA

 

[linne1gi]

When you rebatch will the soap be fluid again or still very thick? TIA

It’s pretty thick. As it melts I like to use electric beaters to help break up the larger pieces. Then after it’s mostly done, I take it off heat and add some full fat Greek yogurt.

 

[Queen Bee's]

It’s pretty thick. As it melts I like to use electric beaters to help break up the larger pieces. Then after it’s mostly done, I take it off heat and add some full fat Greek yogurt.

Will the yogurt make it thinner?

 

[ScentimentallyYours]

When you rebatch will the soap be fluid again or still very thick?

I’ve had my best successes rebatching with the oven process. Yes, the lactic acid in yogurt helps make the soap more fluid. So will sodium lactate. Look up recipes for Fluid Hot Process Soap. The are lots of options if you do a Google search. First, however, here’s a rabbit hole thread for you @Queen Bee's on Hot Process (and immediate rebatching of soap-on-a-stick). After reading the thread I bought The Ultimate Guide to HP Soap. It’s a great reference!

Edit to add one more SMF thread: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/hp-tips.75192/