Questions and general comments

[cassia]

Recently read something here about home insurance being denied for soap makers, that feels like a road block and makes me want to be flippant and say I do not care.
Is that just for general massive batches of soap or does it include the small batcher doing it only for self? I do not care. I am going to keep dreaming of being a soap maker.

Do you soapers make very small batches?
What are some of the smallest batches you've ever made? (Like, what was your recipe size? And was that less than 40 average size bars of soap?)
I know someone told me to search the forums and I have limited internet service (that's for living out in the boonies) currently so its easier for me to ask than to search, sorry. Maybe you could link threads to this one if you know where answers are. :grin:
I want to make virgin pure soap by using high quality ingredients. That is not going to mean the higher prices of ingredients is it?
I've got a kid with very sensitive skin, not doing well with the store bought soaps. I'm wondering if the brand name olive oils from big box stores are a decent quality or am I better off getting it from, say, Mtn. Rose Herbs?

 

[hlee]

I'm pretty new to soaping and making small batches. 32-34 oz.
That is about 7 bars per batch, but my dad thinks they are to big, he cuts them in half.
I like smaller batches because I'm still new at this and I want to try everything. I would be buried in soap if I made 40 bar batches!
I think the box store olive oils work just fine. You really don't need the more expensive OO for soap.
Have fun!

 

[Badger]

Welcome to the forum! I am new to making soap, but I am on the forum reading all the time, so I may be able to help a little bit. I make fairly small batches at one pound at a time currently. That makes 5 or 6 bars of soap There are people here that do much larger batches then I do, but I do not recommend going smaller then one pound because the margin of error on measuring because more and more apparent in smaller batches.

As far as the insurance is concerned, I believe that in most cases they don't care what size batches you are making. I could be wrong about that and you may want to check with your own insurance company to see if they have anything in their policy about soap making. The concerns have to do with the oils and lye most likely. I think that it is a bit crazy myself. Many people have large containers of oils in their homes for cooking and may also have lye for clogged drains, so why is having those supplies for soap making different? Oops, sorry for the rant... ;-) I am not talking to my own insurance about my soap making and I will make it for myself and friends. I will get liability insurance if and when I begin selling some.

As for ingredients, for most of the things for making soap the prices are fairly reasonable and it will not cost you more for quality. If you are looking specifically at Olive Oil, I have read a few reports about many big named brands using adulterated OO and passing it off as EVOO. I have also read plenty of people using OO from Sam's Club without issues also. I bought my OO from a local supermarket as it was on sale. I have read that if you put that OO in the fridge and it becomes mostly solid, that it is most likely an unadulterated OO. That may take a bit of testing to find one that passes that test.

I hope this answered or helped answer at least a few of your questions. There are many knowledgeable people here and I am sure that they are willing to help if you have more questions and they may be able to point out other links that are useful ;-)

 

[Cherry Bomb]

Recently read something here about home insurance being denied for soap makers, that feels like a road block and makes me want to be flippant and say I do not care.
Is that just for general massive batches of soap or does it include the small batcher doing it only for self? I do not care. I am going to keep dreaming of being a soap maker.

Hi Cassia! Welcome the the forum! Unfortunately most insurance companies will not cover any accidents that happen in your home/business due to soap making unless you have an additional policy that will cover any loss or damage. Check with your insurance company and review your policy. I am assuming this is due to the caustic materials used in soap making. This topic was just discussed the other day and here is the link:

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/f23/making-soap-yopur-home-33299/

Do you soapers make very small batches?
What are some of the smallest batches you've ever made? (Like, what was your recipe size? And was that less than 40 average size bars of soap?)
I know someone told me to search the forums and I have limited internet service (that's for living out in the boonies) currently so its easier for me to ask than to search, sorry. Maybe you could link threads to this one if you know where answers are. :grin:

I believe that the size batch that you create depends on your experience. Most experienced soapers on this forum will advise a beginner to make a batch no larger than 1 pound. It is easier to fix a 1 pound batch than a 5 pound batch if a problem arises and believe me they will arise. Problems with lye, seizing, ricing, quick trace...etc etc etc. The smallest batch I have made was a pound and tonight I made my second largest batch of 4 pounds. I have been soaping about a month. This forum is full of info for beginners and experienced alike. I suggest reading The Soapmakers Companion by Susan Cavich and The Complete Guide to Soapmaking by Alicia Grosso. They are a great place to start. At the top of this forum is a search bar. Just type in anything your interested in reading and search through the forum. It's easy to use. I understand about Internet access. I grew up in the boondocks!!!!

I want to make virgin pure soap by using high quality ingredients. That is not going to mean the higher prices of ingredients is it?
I've got a kid with very sensitive skin, not doing well with the store bought soaps. I'm wondering if the brand name olive oils from big box stores are a decent quality or am I better off getting it from, say, Mtn. Rose Herbs?

Like Badger said, there was a topic discussed about olive oil recently as well. I buy my EVOO from Sam's and I have had no issues. If you are going to order your oils/butters online be sure you order from a known dealer. Ask someone on the forum if they have used their oils and what were their opinion. I have ordered from Essentials Depot, Brambleberry, Whoesale Supplier Plus (WSP), and soap goods. Everything I have ordered has been very nice and good quality. Just be ready to pay for shipping! WSP has shipping cost built into their prices, I believe, and I know anything you purchase that either amounts to or goes over $30 is free shipping. That's a good thing. Shop around and compare prices. It's worth it! If you are buying from a grocery store please read the label on the back and make sure nothing extra has been slipped in.

I hope this helps. Feel free to ask any questions on here. Everyone does their best to answer and I can pretty much say no question is left unanswered. Good luck to you and again, pick up those books, watch you tube videos (be careful because there are some doozies out there that have great what not to do videos-start with good habits not bad habits), and read through this forum when you can!!!!

 

[melstan775]

I bought Pompeiian EVOO today; I just can't get into Reno to go to Sam's Club, though I really, really want to. Pompeiian is on the list of adulterated OO, but they have a new sticker that says they are the first oo company to get USDA monitoring and pass quality check. I wonder what that means in laymen's terms.