Soap Nightmare!

[Fionn]

Hi all I'm new here and new to soap making. For my third ever batch of soap I had a strange failure occur. The soap was very crumbly when I wanted to cut it after 24 hoursm I decided to try amd rebatch in the oven. I add just enough water to wet the soap I had grated down. All the soap turned to liquid but I was left with a layer of floating stuff on top. I went aheaf and poured into the bold again and them less than 24 hrs after cut it. Then as you see two days later these crystals have formed. Is this lye? When I was cutting the bar after rebatch it just seemed a bit wet but these crystals of sorts were not present until now. The bars seem to actually softer and not harder. I used measurements using an online calculator. The soap is coconut and Olive oil with lavender for aroma. I also used distilled water. Tomorrow I will post quantities of oils used when I have them at hand. Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[glendam]

Also post how much lye you used, it could be lye heavy. And do you recall at what temperature was the soap when pouring (or the oils and lye)?

 

[CreativeWeirdo]

Just a note about the softness: I think it might be the added water when you rebatched. I would only use water if it's been over a week. I think since your original soap wasn't very old, there would have been enough water left.

Did you try a zap test?

 

[Fionn]

Thanks for the quick response. I have not done a zap test and honesty that sounds scary to a beginer when sodium hydroxide is involved .

Lye 325 grams
Olive oil 1508
Coconut oil 857
Water 872
I dont recall lavender amount but I measured using fragrance calculator.

For the temperature I didn't check temps. I let the lye solution sit outdoor until it was warm but not hot. I also let my olive oil and coconut oil cool after I had melted them in the microwave again just warm.

I should never have changed my mix but I had confidence as I ran it through a calculator.

These were my first and second batch which I shiuld have just stuck by...

Lye 214 grams
Water 479
Olive oil 765
Coconut oil 255
Lavender 77grams

 

[KiwiMoose]

At a rough calculation it looks like you used the 'water as a percent of oils' default setting on the soap calculator. This is usually for hot process soap and allows for the extra water required. I would consider using the lye concentration setting and make it 33%. This means that by adding the additional water for the rebatch you had a super-duper water heavy soap. Super-duper water heavy soap invites lots of soda ash, which can come in many forms. I think you have some pretty crystallised soda ash happening right there. Maybe another member has some images of the different types of soda ash they can post? I've only ever had one batch with those fluffy, extreme crystals but It was so long ago i can't find a pic. Here is some more info from our very own @DeeAnna : Ash | Soapy Stuff
Also, I have found that my lavender soap is more likely to get soda ash than any other fragrance - so you might have a double whammy with with the extra water and lavender in the one bar.

 

[Fionn]

At a rough calculation it looks like you used the 'water as a percent of oils' default setting on the soap calculator. This is usually for hot process soap and allows for the extra water required. I would consider using the lye concentration setting and make it 33%. This means that by adding the additional water for the rebatch you had a super-duper water heavy soap. Super-duper water heavy soap invites lots of soda ash, which can come in many forms. I think you have some pretty crystallised soda ash happening right there. Maybe another member has some images of the different types of soda ash they can post? I've only ever had one batch with those fluffy, extreme crystals but It was so long ago i can't find a pic. Here is some more info from our very own @DeeAnna : Ash | Soapy Stuff
Also, I have found that my lavender soap is more likely to get said has than any other fragracne - so you might have a double whammy with with the extra water and lavender in the one bar.

Thanks of much. It's a relief to hear it is just the water I used too much of. So I should rebatch once more with 33% lye.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Thanks of much. It's a relief to hear it is just the water I used too much of. So I should rebatch once more with 33% lye.

I don't know that i would rebatch again. The soap is fine - but it will shrink a bit during cure as the excess water evaporates. Make sure you cut it before it gets too hard! I would have cut it by now.
In a few weeks you can wipe/steam off the soda ash.

 

[Fionn]

I don't know that i would rebatch again. The soap is fine - but it will shrink a bit during cure as the excess water evaporates. Make sure you cut it before it gets too hard! I would have cut it by now.
In a few weeks you can wipe/steam off the soda ash.

Okay I will leave it and see how it turns out. I will do a zap test now just to be sure there are no issues there. Thanks!

 

[Zing]

I'm just popping in to say Welcome to the forum! Someday soon, these newbie days will be long behind you.

 

[Fionn]

Today I did a zap test and to the untrained zap tester seemed kind of zappy. What do we think? I should still wait and see how the soap dries? I mean how much lye could be remaining in the soap since I rebatched also?

 

[KiwiMoose]

I don't see how it could be lye heavy with that amount of lye. Are you sure it was a real zap? Like putting your tongue on a battery?

 

[AliOop]

Today I did a zap test and to the untrained zap tester seemed kind of zappy. What do we think? I should still wait and see how the soap dries? I mean how much lye could be remaining in the soap since I rebatched also?

I agree with @KiwiMoose, and really, there is no such thing as "kinda" zappy. You either felt a sharp electric shock, or you weren't zapped.

Given your recipe, I really doubt your soap is lye heavy. It's probably water-heavy with all that extra water that was added. It is probably usable now, but it will melt away quickly during use since it is so water-logged. Best to let it cure for a long time (probably 8+ weeks) if you want it to last longer. Or, use it up quickly now, so you can make more.

 

[cmzaha]

I totally agree with Kiwi and Ali. Your soap will not be lye heavy. I almost always have lots of soda ash when I use lavender, it does not hurt anything. As Alison mentioned above let your soap cure for eight weeks but it should be safe to use it just will not be at its best, if you want to try it. Waiting 8 weeks is a long time when you are a new soaper.

 

[Fionn]

Thanks for all the great feedback folks! It's much appreciated. I am now letting it dry. It seems to be drying slowly.

 

[linne1gi]

Thanks for the quick response. I have not done a zap test and honesty that sounds scary to a beginer when sodium hydroxide is involved .

Lye 325 grams
Olive oil 1508
Coconut oil 857
Water 872
I dont recall lavender amount but I measured using fragrance calculator.

For the temperature I didn't check temps. I let the lye solution sit outdoor until it was warm but not hot. I also let my olive oil and coconut oil cool after I had melted them in the microwave again just warm.

I should never have changed my mix but I had confidence as I ran it through a calculator.

These were my first and second batch which I shiuld have just stuck by...

Lye 214 grams
Water 479
Olive oil 765
Coconut oil 255
Lavender 77grams

Here’s your recipe. Way too much water! And why, if you are new at this, are you making 8 pounds of soap? First, start with SMALL batches of 1-2 pounds tops. Perfect a couple of recipes. Learn SoapCalc. So you can make your own recipes.