Soap Snot

[HowieRoll]

Hi All,

I've been using my first batch of LS for a few months, diluting enough to fill the soap dispenser as we need it and storing the paste in the refrigerator. It's now been used in two different pump dispensers (non-foaming) but both had the same issue: the soap comes out very liquid but in-between uses will develop sort of a, well, snot that semi-clogs the end of the nozzle. It causes the soap to sometimes come shooting out at an unexpected angle. It's only a matter of time before someone loses an eye. :Kitten Love:

Does anyone else have this issue and/or any words of advice? I dilute until it's completely clear but wonder if maybe more water would help, or a different recipe? By the way, the pump is used several times a day so this snot develops fairly rapidly.

The recipe is:
50% Olive Oil
20% Coconut Oil
15% Sweet Almond Oil
15% Castor Oil

It's scented with EOs, typically citrus ones (that part gets changed up with each dilution but the issue has occurred no matter the EO so far).

Thanks!
-Angela

 

[DeeAnna]

Cue Cole Porter and sing --

"Lotion does it. Liquid soap does it. Small children do it. Let's do it ... let's make some snot!"

(I couldn't resist.)

This is a normal, inevitable thing. When liquid soap dries out, it gets thick, and when it gets dry and thick at the end of a nozzle or spout, the soap plugs the opening. There's a reason why Dawn dish soap and similar products have flip-top caps!

The best solution is to use a dispenser that has some type of closure over the nozzle opening, such as a disk cap or flip top cap. Other options -- Use the product even more often than you do. Remember to wipe. Or live with it.

More water is likely to make a watery product that may not be pleasing to use ... and more water will only delay the inevitable. Your recipe looks fine to me, by the way!

 

[HowieRoll]

Haha - thanks for the lively response, DeeAnna!

As I sit here with some soap dribble down my shirt I'm relieved to know the soap is normal and not extra snotty (in a textural way, at least, but it is indeed snotty in a behavioral way), and do my best to operate the pump more responsibly in the future. Thank you!

 

[DeeAnna]

Oh, another thought and one that's actually useful rather than silly --

If you are using a typical lotion pump, you might look for a high-viscosity lotion pump instead. This type of pump has a larger nozzle opening, and that will help. Here's an example: https://www.thesage.com/catalog/products/High-Viscosity-Pumps.html

 

[HowieRoll]

Oh, but I love your silly thoughts (and also appreciate the additional suggestion of using a high-viscosity pump)!

 

[Dahila]

yeap this is the one I use, and still get some snot, but I do not care )

 

[Susie]

I use foamers, and if mine forms snot, I add one more ounce of water to the 8 oz container. It fixes it.

 

[IrishLass]

Ah yes- Hardened Booger Build-up Syndrome (I call them 'soap boogers', and 'lotion boogers', too). LOL Although I've often experienced them forcefully shooting like a flying cork out of my lotion pumps, I've not ever had them come shooting out of my liquid soap pumps in like manner to date. I guess that goes to show that we use my liquid soap more often than we do lotion around here. There's just not enough time for the syndrome to reach forceful-flying-cork-level.


IrishLass

 

[HowieRoll]

Yes, it's exactly like a clogged nose! It doesn't necessarily come out forcefully, it's just that sometimes there will be enough of a booger build-up (however small) to change the trajectory of the soap coming out and if you don't cover the end with a hand it will end up in unintended places. It washes out of clothes (and hair) nicely, though. Not so much a turkey sandwich.

(it's the kitchen dispenser, and gets a ton of traffic throughout the day)

It would appear a lot of the problem is with the newish dispenser I bought, thinking it was "the perfect one." While I love the simple glass design, the nozzle is straight horizontal with a very narrow hole. Based on feedback here I need to start trolling for a different one with either a much larger - and downward facing - hole or try out a foamer.