Preventing gel in GM and honey..alternative

Lindy Lou · Jun 7, 2021

Hi folks.. My first CP Batch in many years is imminent, as soon as my new scale arrives in the mail. My preference is a non-gel soap, but I realize the issue with the milk and honey. I just like the more opaque color.. Being that there is no room in my fridge or freezer to place the log mold in, and, my individual molds are in a storage unit at the moment, is the only other option to run a fan on the mold? I am doing a bastile and I was gonna add the hot lye after it clears as a heat transfer for the coconut. May wait for it to cool down more? TIA for any other tips...

Quanta · Jun 8, 2021

Do you have a cooler chest? Maybe put ice packs in it around the mold if you have a cooler chest big enough.

You probably know this already, but don't use a wooden mold. Wood insulates, but you want the opposite of that. Use a silicone loaf mold (not a mold liner) so that heat can escape. Or better yet, a milk carton on its side with the side panel removed.

ResolvableOwl · Jun 8, 2021

+1 for the milk carton upcycling. Depending on your degree of paranoia, you might even plunge it in a cold water bath, that carries away heat a lot better than any fan could (and is quieter).

artemis · Jun 8, 2021

Lindy Lou said:
I was gonna add the hot lye after it clears as a heat transfer for the coconut. TIA for any other tips...

Maybe don't do heat transfer this time. The GM and honey are already going to heat things up. I think I would just melt all my hard oils and use a room temperature lye solution. That would be a start, anyway.

Also, being your first time soaping in a while, consider a smaller batch. I don't know how big your mold is, but "log mold" sounds pretty big. But then, I lean towards smaller batches anyway.

If you don't have a smaller mold, I also vote for the milk carton.

Lindy Lou · Jun 8, 2021

Quanta said:
Do you have a cooler chest? Maybe put ice packs in it around the mold if you have a cooler chest big enough.

You probably know this already, but don't use a wooden mold. Wood insulates, but you want the opposite of that. Use a silicone loaf mold (not a mold liner) so that heat can escape. Or better yet, a milk carton on its side with the side panel removed.

I don't, but that is a great idea, will note this for future..I do have a new wooden log mold with silicone liner, so will have to skip that and yes, I have some leftover quart milk cartons..Thanks so much!

Lindy Lou · Jun 8, 2021

artemis said:
Maybe don't do heat transfer this time. The GM and honey are already going to heat things up. I think I would just melt all my hard oils and use a room temperature lye solution. That would be a start, anyway.

Also, being your first time soaping in a while, consider a smaller batch. I don't know how big your mold is, but "log mold" sounds pretty big. But then, I lean towards smaller batches anyway.

If you don't have a smaller mold, I also vote for the milk carton.

Only using a small amount of coconut oil as a hard oil, this is a Bastille..2 pound batch.. Thanks, I will let the lye cool more before using.. Itching to try my new log mold, but I do have some leftover quart milk cartons..Thanks so much!