Soap unmolding and cutting

[Dean]

@dixiedragon

How does the vinegar affect lather?

 

[Amy78130]

At suggested/low amounts salt won’t sieze soap batter. When I was playing around with solesiefe soap recipes, higher salt amounts in the water definitely made the soap hard to work with. Plus it was super crumbly when cut and chunks would just fall off!! Just the right amount for solesiefe produces a beautiful bar that is awesome to mold with silicone molds. It also lasts forever in the shower!!

 

[Karyn]

Just the right amount for solesiefe produces a beautiful bar that is awesome to mold with silicone molds. It also lasts forever in the shower!!

I'm playing with that now Amy. Where did you find your sweet spot for salt in your recipe?

 

[Amy78130]

I'm playing with that now Amy. Where did you find your sweet spot for salt in your recipe?

I’m happy with dissolving anywhere from 25-28% of sea salt to my water. I use reverse osmosis water. You can go up to 30%, but it sets up pretty quick so only go that high if you’re using individual molds. Any higher is where the crumbling starts!!

 

[Sarah Seaton]

I have recently started replacing my water with vinegar, and it makes the soap ready to unmold really fast! If you use 100% vinegar replacement, drop your superfat from 5% to 0, because the vinegar will neutralize some of the lye. So you will still end up with approximately 5% superfat. I love how easy it slides out of the molds! However, you will need to be prepared to unmold and slice in 8-12 hrs, vs 24.

Wow! Thank you!

 

[Clarice]

I highly recommend @Zany_in_CO "no-slime Castile" soap. It makes up beautifully. The first time I made it, and poured it into individual molds, it remained "goo" on the second day. Wise soapers advised me to put it away from my prying fingers for a couple of days and viola! on day 5 or so, it was beautifully hard and could be popped out of the molds with no issue. Since then, I have used the "put it away and don't poke at it" for at least 3 - 4 days every time for this recipe and it has been fabulous every time.

What I lack in patience our fellow forum members make up in wisdom!

 

[Amy78130]

I highly recommend @Zany_in_CO "no-slime Castile" soap. It makes up beautifully. The first time I made it, and poured it into individual molds, it remained "goo" on the second day. Wise soapers advised me to put it away from my prying fingers for a couple of days and viola! on day 5 or so, it was beautifully hard and could be popped out of the molds with no issue. Since then, I have used the "put it away and don't poke at it" for at least 3 - 4 days every time for this recipe and it has been fabulous every time.

What I lack in patience our fellow forum members make up in wisdom!

We should start an impatient soapers group lolol! It takes a lot of resolve for me to not poke at or take a sneak peek at my soaps that are forming, but I will definitely heed your advice here!!! Much appreciated..

 

[nonna oakie]

If my recipe calls for 175 oz. water, could I use 100 water and 75 vinegar?

 

[Hbsmith121]

Vinegar? I have never heard of that! Does it affect EOs or FOs ?

 

[earlene]

If my recipe calls for 175 oz. water, could I use 100 water and 75 vinegar?

Yes, you can. It won't alter your SF a whole lot at that amount, but you can account for it and figure out how much sodium acetate you have created by substituting this specific amount of water for vinegar. Here is a post on this topic that may help you learn how to do the math: https://www.soapmakingforum.com/thr...acetate-in-soap-experiment.57991/#post-570345