PH Testing

[hiacyntheab]

HELP! I made a batch of soap yesterday afternoon. I took it out this morning and cut the batch and also did a ph tet. the Phenolphthalein test came back clear how can this be. This is what I used. Co 8 oz Po 8oz shea butter 6.2 oz and oop 9.6 lye 4.44 and water 12.1. Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong.

Thanks
Liz

 

[dagmar88]

PH testing isn't accurate nor needed.
Just do a zap test and you'll know if your soap is free of exess lye.

 

[hiacyntheab]

I did a zap test as well, and it seems fine. But can that be as I just made it last eve?

 

[donniej]

Phenolthalien is very accurate as long as it's less than a year old and is kept out os sunlight. If it doesn't trigger the phenol and it doesn't zap then it's not lye heavy.

 

[Jezzy]

All of the soap that I have made has had a neg zap test after unmolding. The first time I was really dissapointed. For some reason for us new soapers we seem to think the soap should zap for weeks of curing.

That Is what I thought the curing was for. To let the lye weaken.

The thing that we newbies need to learn. No zap is a good thing!

 

[donniej]

Whether or not it will zap or trigger phenolthalien immediately after unmolding has a lot to do with superfat percentage, purity of the lye and temperature. The less lye or more superfat, and the higher the temperature will all cause the lye to be more quickly nuetralized.