Partial gel, soap is still hot; can I force full gel still?

ChristinaB · Dec 4, 2011

Hi; CP soap with buttermilk powder; I tried to force gel with a heating pad but after about an hour the soap looked ungelled still so I removed the pad and just left it alone. After about two hours I couldn't stand it and had to slice an end off just to make sure it didn't partially gel, and it was. It's still quite warm in most of the middle and moderately warm on the top and edges.
Can I force it to finish gelling by putting the heating pad back underneath the mold? Or is it going to remain a partial gel at this point? Should it take so long for a soap to reach gel stage? I'm using the heating pad to try to prevent the dreaded partial gel....so far, I don't have a preference over gelled vs. non-gelled, only the appearance of partial gel! Thanks!

Sunny · Dec 4, 2011

If it were me, I do use a heating pad instead of an oven, I would put it back on the pad on high and cover the top with a towel. I would check on it OFTEN (I mean like sit with it while watching tv or something and peek constantly) in case it started to overheat and crack.

carebear · Dec 4, 2011

yes you can force gel the rest of the way.

it can take a long time to heat up, but once it starts gelling it usually spreads pretty quickly (though the last 1/2 inch seems to take a ridiculous amount of time so I tend to start with a warmed mold).

ChristinaB · Dec 4, 2011

Great! Thank you! I did end up putting it back on the heating pad while waiting for some replies and it does look like it's finally starting to gel, but I have also noticed that the edges from other batches seem to take forever. And then some have gelled within minutes....urrgghh!! Thanks for the replies!

Sunny · Dec 5, 2011

good! I hope it worked out! you should post some pictures

ChristinaB · Dec 6, 2011

I'll have to figure out how to post pics here, I haven't done that yet! The soap did mostly gel, there is a very thin layer on the top that is lighter and looks lightly dusty; I'm sure it's ash, but doesn't look the same as a different batch that I got ash on.

I used BB Beach Breezes FO and the look of the soap reminds me of sand so I'm okay with what the end result, but the smell of this FO has done me in! I had to put the bars in my garage to cure! It smells sickeningly flowery and I notice a weird, artificial buttery kind of smell afterward. I noticed that OOB but I was hoping it would change as it cures. It's only a few days old so maybe there's hope for it yet....