Soapers Not Using Chelators.

[Peachy Clean Soap]

Clever girl … challenge voters can't smell the rancidity, and you can ditch it just after you've made the photos.

Annoying that it cost you four batches of soap, otherwise great without doubt, just to find that out.

Good suggestion unfortunately the #4 batches of rancid lard soap was so thick & gelatinous it wouldn't even swirl, though I tried.
Remember I posted hubbys point of view on 1st soap he said "it looks like a butterfly on his windshield" lol. On the next batch #2 I asked him again if he could see a butterfly he said "butterfly in a hurricane" needless to say' I no longer needed his opinion moving forward on the last two batches which had no improvement, bahaha . All four batches went in the trash.
Update: I finally succeeded & did a "Glamor Shoot picture is all ready to post.

 

[CatahoulaBubble]

I've never used chelators in my soap and I have a box of bars that is over 15 years old that has never developed DOS.

 

[impish]

Yesterday I made my first batch of soap with citric acid. DOS has never been a problem, but soap scum in the tub and probably in the pipes of my home and the homes of my recipients is certainly a concern. I chose citric acid because it was readily available, on the shelf at my local hardware store. In addition, the wonderful SoapmakingFriend recipe calculator did the math regarding additional lye. All I need now is to wait 6 weeks, so hard...

 

[ResolvableOwl]

In addition, the wonderful SoapmakingFriend recipe calculator did the math regarding additional lye.

Yes – with a caveat: it does the math wrong, or at least in a misleading/not well explained way.
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/citirc-acid-calculator.84945/post-907986

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Hm, I wonder why you got crystals? I have never seen a crystal (on top of my soap) and I use a much higher percentage. Always 2% and sometimes up to 2.5%.

I have no idea why it was happening, especially since I was masterbatching the CA. I was getting a very thin, fine layer on some, but not all batches. I rarely get ash, so it was easy for me to see, but I doubt my users noticed It at all. I haven’t had any problems since I switched to sodium citrate earlier this year.

DeeAnna mentions the issue of citric acid crystal formation on her website, here, but it’s usually associated with using higher amounts. I use higher than average lye concentrations (mostly in the range of 35-37%, and up to 40%) so maybe that was a contributing factor.

@CatahoulaBubble Do you think your recipe helps with that excellent performance of your soap?

 

[impish]

Yes – with a caveat: it does the math wrong, or at least in a misleading/not well explained way.
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/citirc-acid-calculator.84945/post-907986

Thank you for pointing this out and including the thread. I'll give it a close reading AND do the math. Also, a big "thank you" to the scientific folks generously sharing knowledge on this forum, I learn so much from you. The science I do with preschoolers is fun, but rarely so technical.

 

[linne1gi]

I have no idea why it was happening, especially since I was masterbatching the CA. I was getting a very thin, fine layer on some, but not all batches. I rarely get ash, so it was easy for me to see, but I doubt my users noticed It at all. I haven’t had any problems since I switched to sodium citrate earlier this year.

DeeAnna mentions the issue of citric acid crystal formation on her website, here, but it’s usually associated with using higher amounts. I use higher than average lye concentrations (mostly in the range of 35-37%, and up to 40%) so maybe that was a contributing factor.

@CatahoulaBubble Do you think your recipe helps with that excellent performance of your soap?

I generally use between 35-40% and have never seen crystals. And fortunately with my stronger lye concentration, I never get ash. You were making a citric acid solution? I use it dry.

 

[ResolvableOwl]

I was masterbatching the CA

Did you add the citrate to the lye masterbatch, or did you have a separate concentrated citric acid solution to add to the watery part of the batch at soapmaking time?

 

[Mobjack Bay]

I almost always use the split method. MB lye is added after I stickblend the other liquids into the oils. CA MB would have been part of the other liquids and at high LC it would have amounted to a good portion of the other liquid. I believe my CA MB was 50%, but I would need to check notes to be sure. The CA MB was 33% CA.