So what are YOUR soapy secrets?

[BlackDog]

Like snappyllama and others, I pour all my oils into the same bowl and always pour in the same order. The one time I didnt, I botched my measurements. Never again!

I am obsessive about organization though! I have everything lined up in order before I start and as I finish with one thing, the container goes to the opposite countertop! Otherwise I'm sure to forget something. Newbie your countertop would cause me to have a panic attack lol! But if it works for you, girl, you do you!

Shameful secret: I sometimes get ash even on insulated soaps because I can't stop myself from peeking like 50 times

 

[Arimara]

I haven't come across anyone who takes temps of their lye solution. It's one thing I like to do while I'm mixing it. Once I see that the temp is dropping, I get a-pouring. It's yet to fail me thus far and the only time I didn't do it, I made a soap that left my hand just like TeresaT's.

 

[penelopejane]

I am massively disorganized and a slob, including when soaping. Because I am a professional slob, it is pretty easy for me to work in this environment. I have never made a soap without making a huge mess. I've ruined two kitchen countertops because of soaping so I now put some plastic down before I put my kitchen cloths, because I always dribble and it was soaking through the cloths. el.

Newbie I soap in the laundry because I know I will wreck the kitchen My son (so neat I am envious) came home for a visit last week and we spent an entire day cleaning up my laundry. It used to look very much like yours but now it's great. I couldn't take a photo of the sink because I made soap yesterday and it's now a mess. I am determined to clean it up though and keep it clean!

 

[fuzz-juzz]

Well, my soapy secret is that it is a sort of a secret. Only closest family and friends know.
Ages ago, I've taken some as gifts to a friend's house and their comment was: "what is this? do we smell to you and you give us soap as a gift?"
So... I've just kind of given up explaining to people why and how, etc...

I also soap in short sleeves. I've burnt my forearms by smudging raw soap so many times but I obviously never learnt a lesson.
I only use one Pyrex bowl for oils, hard oils in first, melt in the microwave then weigh all the other soft oils by just topping the container up. Never made a mistake in the last 4.5 years.
And maybe the most shameful one from the soapmaker point of view, I NEVER touch my soaps until they are at least 8 weeks old. I know they should be cured at 4-6 but they are just not perfect for my taste. I can still smell raw soap in the middle of the bar and it's kind of mushy. I like them well cured.

 

[Navaria]

Well, my soapy secret is that it is a sort of a secret. Only closest family and friends know.
Ages ago, I've taken some as gifts to a friend's house and their comment was: "what is this? do we smell to you and you give us soap as a gift?"
So... I've just kind of given up explaining to people why and how, etc...

Wait...what?? They were offended because you gave them a gift? Wow! So, if no one knows you make soap, WHO DO YOU TALK TO ABOUT IT?? I talk to absolutely everyone about soap. I can't STOP talking about it!

I also soap in short sleeves. I've burnt my forearms by smudging raw soap so many times but I obviously never learnt a lesson.
I only use one Pyrex bowl for oils, hard oils in first, melt in the microwave then weigh all the other soft oils by just topping the container up. Never made a mistake in the last 4.5 years.
And maybe the most shameful one from the soapmaker point of view, I NEVER touch my soaps until they are at least 8 weeks old. I know they should be cured at 4-6 but they are just not perfect for my taste. I can still smell raw soap in the middle of the bar and it's kind of mushy. I like them well cured.

You have more self control than I do! I'm lucky to let them cure 3 weeks before I just have to try them. The only exception is if I have too many bars in the shower already, then I might get 4 weeks cure in lol

 

[newbie]

Lucky you, Navaria! I cleaned up my work bench were I have all my oils, scale and lye. It looked great for about a week but now it's a mess again. I can't maintain. I am dreadful with clutter and keeping things neat but I am very good at cleaning. The problem is that decluttering generally has to come first. I have a cleaning lady but I actually clean better than she does, however she won't/can't declutter my stuff. I wish we could reverse roles.

 

[penelopejane]

Lucky you, Navaria! I cleaned up my work bench were I have all my oils, scale and lye. It looked great for about a week but now it's a mess again. I can't maintain. I am dreadful with clutter and keeping things neat but I am very good at cleaning. The problem is that decluttering generally has to come first. I have a cleaning lady but I actually clean better than she does, however she won't/can't declutter my stuff. I wish we could reverse roles.

This is so me, Newbie. I am determined to keep the laundry clean but already (after 1 soap) it's a mess. First thing, when I get home I am going to clean it again and keep it as a priority.

Lucky you having a cleaner, no matter how she cleans at least it is done to some degree. I have a friend who has to tidy before the cleaner comes or the cleaner won't clean.

 

[LisaAnne]

Although I have two longer counters to soap on, I soap in the corner with all my small appliances. Crowded, but it works for me. Everything has to be set up the same each time and the only light on is the one over the stove. My stickblender never gets put away. I like looking at it.

 

[TwystedPryncess]

Since the kids have moved out I have made a soaping room, a sewing and needlework room, and a the-rest-of-my-crafts room. Three craft rooms. Glee!!!! So, I am a supplies hoarder, clearly. But the soaping room is the biggest and it also spills into two kitchen shelves and two cabinets full of stuff. Le sigh.

I am a scraper, and lately

 

[fuzz-juzz]

Navaria, yes lol. Great friends right?
There are few who appreciate my soaps and I always gift some to them.
I used to talk a lot about it but everyone in the family got tired of soap yap haha.

 

[TwystedPryncess]

Cats I swear. Lately I grate my soap scraps into my home made laundry detergent because I am too lazy to HP re batch them anymore. (it works pretty dern well IMO).

I have gotten both my twin girls totally addicted to soap. One is more crafty than the other so one just likes to add colors and stir. The other is getting eat up with it.

I can leave dirty dishes for three days but I can NOT leave dirty soaping equipment, even though that's not how it's supposed to go.

I really have to stop myself from washing the cats in my soap.

My fiancé and I have three hanging soap shower thingos in the bathroom , hanging off the shower curtain rod, with about ten different soaps. He is as bad as I am now about 'what scent do I want to use today?'

I am on a quest to create the best mechanic soap ever, (although I have been lazy about it) because my fiancé smells like a Diesel engine. And my brother like a transmission. And my nephew like a mix of all of it. So one day I will create something that will totally get rid of smelling like the innards of an 18 wheeler in the first wash.

I still stir my Lye outside and wear all my not so fancy protective wear and just wonder when the cops are going to come. So far, not yet.

My nose likes 99.9% of all fragrances, except patchouli and NG peach.

I could probably ramble on but I will stop.

 

[Momsta5]

My family tells me I look like the guy from Breaking Bad when I soap. I have big goggles on, a mask over my nose and mouth, long yellow gloves, an ugly long sleeved flannel shirt (worn backwards), long pants and old shoes. This is my soap uniform.

I love treasure hunting for soap stuff at thrift stores. I've scored some great stainless steel items, silicone molds, measuring cups and spoons and spatulas.

I make soapy wish lists when I am stressed out. I have a lot of lists.

I still get a thrill watching my favorite soapers on YT. Especially in between seasons of Walking Dead.

Kelp powder in soap makes me gag.

 

[TeresaT]

I had to make some soap today to see if I had anything worth sharing. I'm actually quite neurotic. As if I didn't already know that... All dishes and the normal kitchen clutter has to be washed, dried and put away before the soaping can begin. Then there has to be a dishpan full of hot soapy (Dawn) water in one of the double sinks. The other must be empty. Every oil gets its own measuring bowl and spatula so I don't cross-contaminate. I melt the lard first and weigh it into the mixing bowl, remove bowl from scale and make sure it goes back to zero, then replace bowl on scale to reweigh again (a few times). The bowl is put to the side as a "receiver of all things fatty to come." Next I grab the Shea butter container, melt that down, weigh the appropriate amount into a bowl, lift the bowl to see the scale go to zero, replace bowl to verify weight (do this twice more) then scrape the contents into the lard and return empty bowl to scale to make sure it weighs "0" grams. Bowl and spatula go into hot water for cleaning. Coconut oil into microwave for melting and follow exact same procedure as Shea butter. (Wash Shea butter bowl & spatula while coconut oil melts.). Next comes the olive oil and the exact same procedure (except for the melting part) - new bowl, new spatula. Finally comes the castor oil and I get to clean up the all of the oily dishes and spatulas. If I use a FO, that is weighed (and double checked a couple of times) before getting dumped into the oils and that dish is washed. Oils are all SBd to mix well. (Any additives that have to be measured and added in get done the same way, too. Weigh, reweigh a few times, dump, weigh empty container, wash.) Once the lye solution is poured into the oils, that container is put in the sink under running water while I hand stir the batter for a few minutes. Then the water gets turned off, the container goes in the soapy water and I actually make soap. After the mold(s) are full and doing their gel thing, all of the bowls and pitchers and utensils that have batter on them get scraped as clean as possible and wiped out with paper towels. I dump the cold water out of the dishpan and put the scraped dishes and utensils in the empty pan until the next day. Because by that time, I'm exhausted, really sick of washing dishes, and I want to get the heck out of the hazmat suit I'm wearing. Now I know why I am only able to make one -- maybe two -- batches of soap in a day. I don't have enough dishes & spatulas, hours in the day or energy to do more than that!

 

[lenarenee]

I just read your post Teresa.

I'm tired!

 

[Navaria]

I just read your post Teresa.

I'm tired!

I was going to quote Teresa's post, but it was too dang long! I agree! I'm wore out just from reading it! T, you crack me up! It reminds me of my cousin who can't let the food touch on his plate and if he gets seconds, he gets a clean plate. Can't let anything "contaminate" anything else even though it all ends up in the same place lol

 

[TeresaT]

I know. I need help. That's why I'm always so tired. If the rest of the world can do something in 10 steps, you can be sure I'll get it done in 25!

 

[Arimara]

I had to make some soap today to see if I had anything worth sharing. I'm actually quite neurotic. As if I didn't already know that... All dishes and the normal kitchen clutter has to be washed, dried and put away before the soaping can begin. Then there has to be a dishpan full of hot soapy (Dawn) water in one of the double sinks. The other must be empty. Every oil gets its own measuring bowl and spatula so I don't cross-contaminate. I melt the lard first and weigh it into the mixing bowl, remove bowl from scale and make sure it goes back to zero, then replace bowl on scale to reweigh again (a few times). The bowl is put to the side as a "receiver of all things fatty to come." Next I grab the Shea butter container, melt that down, weigh the appropriate amount into a bowl, lift the bowl to see the scale go to zero, replace bowl to verify weight (do this twice more) then scrape the contents into the lard and return empty bowl to scale to make sure it weighs "0" grams. Bowl and spatula go into hot water for cleaning. Coconut oil into microwave for melting and follow exact same procedure as Shea butter. (Wash Shea butter bowl & spatula while coconut oil melts.). Next comes the olive oil and the exact same procedure (except for the melting part) - new bowl, new spatula. Finally comes the castor oil and I get to clean up the all of the oily dishes and spatulas. If I use a FO, that is weighed (and double checked a couple of times) before getting dumped into the oils and that dish is washed. Oils are all SBd to mix well. (Any additives that have to be measured and added in get done the same way, too. Weigh, reweigh a few times, dump, weigh empty container, wash.) Once the lye solution is poured into the oils, that container is put in the sink under running water while I hand stir the batter for a few minutes. Then the water gets turned off, the container goes in the soapy water and I actually make soap. After the mold(s) are full and doing their gel thing, all of the bowls and pitchers and utensils that have batter on them get scraped as clean as possible and wiped out with paper towels. I dump the cold water out of the dishpan and put the scraped dishes and utensils in the empty pan until the next day. Because by that time, I'm exhausted, really sick of washing dishes, and I want to get the heck out of the hazmat suit I'm wearing. Now I know why I am only able to make one -- maybe two -- batches of soap in a day. I don't have enough dishes & spatulas, hours in the day or energy to do more than that!

You just justified my laziness in measuring all oils into crockpot for melting, measuring water and lye in two other containers, mix soap up, pour soap into molds and place it on my heating pad, wash everything in the bathroom, and clean up soaping area. So I clean 2 measuring cups, a spatula, crockpot stoneware and the SB attachment plus bathroom sink.

 

[galaxyMLP]

I had to make some soap today to see if I had anything worth sharing. I'm actually quite neurotic. As if I didn't already know that... All dishes and the normal kitchen clutter has to be washed, dried and put away before the soaping can begin. Then there has to be a dishpan full of hot soapy (Dawn) water in one of the double sinks. The other must be empty. Every oil gets its own measuring bowl and spatula so I don't cross-contaminate. I melt the lard first and weigh it into the mixing bowl, remove bowl from scale and make sure it goes back to zero, then replace bowl on scale to reweigh again (a few times). The bowl is put to the side as a "receiver of all things fatty to come." Next I grab the Shea butter container, melt that down, weigh the appropriate amount into a bowl, lift the bowl to see the scale go to zero, replace bowl to verify weight (do this twice more) then scrape the contents into the lard and return empty bowl to scale to make sure it weighs "0" grams. Bowl and spatula go into hot water for cleaning. Coconut oil into microwave for melting and follow exact same procedure as Shea butter. (Wash Shea butter bowl & spatula while coconut oil melts.). Next comes the olive oil and the exact same procedure (except for the melting part) - new bowl, new spatula. Finally comes the castor oil and I get to clean up the all of the oily dishes and spatulas. If I use a FO, that is weighed (and double checked a couple of times) before getting dumped into the oils and that dish is washed. Oils are all SBd to mix well. (Any additives that have to be measured and added in get done the same way, too. Weigh, reweigh a few times, dump, weigh empty container, wash.) Once the lye solution is poured into the oils, that container is put in the sink under running water while I hand stir the batter for a few minutes. Then the water gets turned off, the container goes in the soapy water and I actually make soap. After the mold(s) are full and doing their gel thing, all of the bowls and pitchers and utensils that have batter on them get scraped as clean as possible and wiped out with paper towels. I dump the cold water out of the dishpan and put the scraped dishes and utensils in the empty pan until the next day. Because by that time, I'm exhausted, really sick of washing dishes, and I want to get the heck out of the hazmat suit I'm wearing. Now I know why I am only able to make one -- maybe two -- batches of soap in a day. I don't have enough dishes & spatulas, hours in the day or energy to do more than that!

Believe it or not, I do most of what you do. I always grab clean utensils for different oils because I don't want to contaminate my stock. Sometimes that means stopping mid weigh to clean one. I also check my weights especially with lighter items (less than 1 oz) so that I can be sure. I've learned some tricks with my scale like it has a floating zero and if I tare it and add less than 1 g at a time, it will just keep adding that weight to the tare amount! So now I don't tare my bowls with lighter things I weigh.

I always stop after I pour my lye solution and rinse that container. Always! It's a safety thing for me. I have to have 1 sink cleared before I soap although I prefer a completely clean kitchen when I do. Sometimes that doesn't happen.

You know, from reading you post, I think you'd make a great lab technician or chemist!

 

[SuzieOz]

You know, from reading you post, I think you'd make a great lab technician or chemist!

Even though she "Sux-at-Math" LOL :razz:

 

[fuzz-juzz]

You just justified my laziness in measuring all oils into crockpot for melting, measuring water and lye in two other containers, mix soap up, pour soap into molds and place it on my heating pad, wash everything in the bathroom, and clean up soaping area. So I clean 2 measuring cups, a spatula, crockpot stoneware and the SB attachment plus bathroom sink.

That's pretty much me.

I wash:
- one 2L Pyrex jug (where I measure ALL my oils in, hard oils are zapped in the microwave, then soft oils are poured in and measured one by one).
- one plastic jug and spoon (for lye)
- one whisk, one spatula
- container in which I measure lye - this one is just rinsed well under water and wiped dry with paper towel, together with lye jug and spoon as soon as lye is poured into oils
- SB attachment
- if I do swirls or additional FOs then for each colour/FO another plastic jug and small whisk

I wash everything as soon as I'm done.
Holy moly TeresaT - I also got tired just by reading your post :razz: