Soap Scraps Ad Infinitum

[Michelle La]

I made my first confetti soap and I’m not gonna lie, it’s my favourite so far. The fact that it used up a stack of trimmings was icing on the cake. But it got me thinking, how many times do people reuse their scraps of scraps? Is it one go round then in the bin with anything else? There must be a point where scraps of scraps will eventually make your soap shelf life diminish?

 

[AliOop]

Very pretty! I often donate my untrimmed ciaglia soaps to the local shelter, so the scraps are gone forever.

 

[Michelle La]

Very pretty! I often donate my untrimmed ciaglia soaps to the local shelter, so the scraps are gone forever.

That’s a really good way of making sure good soap gets used up. Nice.

 

[DeeAnna]

I used to keep scraps, but no more.

Nowadays right after I get done planing and beveling my bars, I lightly dampen the scraps with water and then firmly press them into a "hamburger bun" shape.

I let this bar cure along with the regular bars, then I use it at the sink or in the shower. Sometimes these "scrap bars" look pretty homely but sometimes they turn out kinda cute. Either way, it's soap!

Many thanks to @IrishLass for sharing this idea. She presses scraps into a pretty mold, and her "scrap bars" look truly beautiful.

edit: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/media/scraps-reborn-by-irishlass.1000/

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/i-hate-to-waste.79914/#post-835312

 

[Michelle La]

I used to keep scraps, but no more.

Nowadays right after I get done planing and beveling my bars, I lightly dampen the scraps with water and then firmly press them into a "hamburger bun" shape.

I let this bar cure along with the regular bars, then I use it at the sink or in the shower. Sometimes these "scrap bars" look pretty homely but sometimes they turn out kinda cute. Either way, it's soap!

Many thanks to @IrishLass for sharing this idea. She presses scraps into a pretty mold, and her "scrap bars" look truly beautiful.

edit: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/media/scraps-reborn-by-irishlass.1000/

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/i-hate-to-waste.79914/#post-835312

Another couple of great ideas, thank you. I’ll definitely give that a try.

 

[Maple_Street_Bath]

how many times do people reuse their scraps of scraps? Is it one go round then in the bin with anything else? There must be a point where scraps of scraps will eventually make your soap shelf life diminish?

I am guilty of beveling my "made from scraps" soap right into the bucket to be used for the next go around. It's meta. My opinion is that if your soap is well formulated to have a long shelf life, then keeping scraps doesn't matter. That said, when my 1-gallon shred bucket is full, I make soap.

Nowadays right after I get done planing and beveling my bars, I lightly dampen the scraps with water and then firmly press them into a "hamburger bun" shape.

I have seen this done also by Ophelia Soapery. One of those things that I keep meaning to try with my shampoo bar press but haven't gotten around to.

 

[Michelle La]

I am guilty of beveling my "made from scraps" soap right into the bucket to be used for the next go around. It's meta. My opinion is that if your soap is well formulated to have a long shelf life, then keeping scraps doesn't matter. That said, when my 1-gallon shred bucket is full, I make soap.

The “waste not, want not” method I reckon. I haven’t been doing this long, but I have discarded a couple of soap trimmings. Salt bars because I didn’t know if they would work for that and they were kinda bitty and fragile, but also the soap I made with neem oil, because the smell of it makes me miserable and if I never smell it again it’ll be too soon. Yeurgh.

 

[McKherring Farm]

I used to keep scraps, but no more.

Nowadays right after I get done planing and beveling my bars, I lightly dampen the scraps with water and then firmly press them into a "hamburger bun" shape.

I let this bar cure along with the regular bars, then I use it at the sink or in the shower. Sometimes these "scrap bars" look pretty homely but sometimes they turn out kinda cute. Either way, it's soap!

Many thanks to @IrishLass for sharing this idea. She presses scraps into a pretty mold, and her "scrap bars" look truly beautiful.

edit: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/media/scraps-reborn-by-irishlass.1000/

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/i-hate-to-waste.79914/#post-835312

Thank you for posting those links! I make confetti soaps with mine but I love the mold idea. You are right! Her "scrap bars" are really beautiful.

 

[McKherring Farm]

Very pretty! I often donate my untrimmed ciaglia soaps to the local shelter, so the scraps are gone forever.

I try to send a small box every month or so to a food pantry that holds a special place in my heart, but I have a question. When scraps of a variety of soaps are used, do you list each original EO or FO on the label? I realize they aren't being sold, but I label them the same way so folks know what's in them in case of allergies and such. Just curious what you and others do. Thank you!

 

[McKherring Farm]

I made my first confetti soap and I’m not gonna lie, it’s my favourite so far. The fact that it used up a stack of trimmings was icing on the cake. But it got me thinking, how many times do people reuse their scraps of scraps? Is it one go round then in the bin with anything else? There must be a point where scraps of scraps will eventually make your soap shelf life diminish?

Those are really pretty!

 

[Joy Wolff]

I made my first confetti soap and I’m not gonna lie, it’s my favourite so far. The fact that it used up a stack of trimmings was icing on the cake. But it got me thinking, how many times do people reuse their scraps of scraps? Is it one go round then in the bin with anything else? There must be a point where scraps of scraps will eventually make your soap shelf life diminish?

Very pretty! You did a good job! How did you get the base soap so white?

 

[Michelle La]

Those are really pretty!

Very pretty! You did a good job! How did you get the base soap so white?

Thank you both

I used titanium dioxide for the white.

 

[Becky1024]

I never throw away scraps. Too much of my hard work is in them! When I have enough, I rebatch into bars for personal use. The color is usually a homely brown but smells delicious with upwards of around 20 essential oils!

 

[Michelle La]

I never throw away scraps. Too much of my hard work is in them! When I have enough, I rebatch into bars for personal use. The color is usually a homely brown but smells delicious with upwards of around 20 essential oils!

I haven’t tried rebatching yet. I think you need a slow cooker for that right? And I live in a small house that’s already packed to the rafters with various craft materials and I keep putting off buying one. That said, I very much want to make shaving soap which I think also needs the cooker.

 

[Becky1024]

I haven’t tried rebatching yet. I think you need a slow cooker for that right? And I live in a small house that’s already packed to the rafters with various craft materials and I keep putting off buying one. That said, I very much want to make shaving soap which I think also needs the cooker.

I use a slow cooker, but other soapers use a double boiler. I also make shaving soap. Since soy wax and stearic acid have high melt points it is easier IMHO to use hot process.

 

[Michelle La]

I use a slow cooker, but other soapers use a double boiler. I also make shaving soap. Since soy wax and stearic acid have high melt points it is easier IMHO to use hot process.

You have come to wave temptation in my face and I thank you for it haha.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I try to send a small box every month or so to a food pantry that holds a special place in my heart, but I have a question. When scraps of a variety of soaps are used, do you list each original EO or FO on the label? I realize they aren't being sold, but I label them the same way so folks know what's in them in case of allergies and such. Just curious what you and others do. Thank you!

I have used a somewhat generic label in the past, as in "May contain any of the following:" but did not list the individual essential oils.

@Michelle La - super pretty confetti soap!

 

[AliOop]

I haven’t tried rebatching yet. I think you need a slow cooker for that right? And I live in a small house that’s already packed to the rafters with various craft materials and I keep putting off buying one. That said, I very much want to make shaving soap which I think also needs the cooker.

I use a stainless pot set right on the stove burner, set on low.

FWIW, the ceramic crocks for slow cookers are too hard on my wrists. The double boiler is too hard on my patience and really isn't necessary to "protect" the oils.

 

[Feelin' Soapy]

After I bevel, I use the shreds like soap dough and press them into molds to decorate soap tops.

 

[Michelle La]

After I bevel, I use the shreds like soap dough and press them into molds to decorate soap tops.

Lovely! I’m guessing that you have to bevel quite early so they’re soft enough? I’ve been bevelling a day or two after cutting to avoid over eager denting. I’m a bit of a dropper.