I use the 0.5 oz EO PPO rate on SoapCalc for all soaps. Not for all EO's, however, I use half that rate for irritating EOs such as cinnamon(cassia) and clove. I tend to use my citrus EOs in liquid soap because they stick fine there, and I had a bunch I needed to use. I happen to love the scent of citrus in dish and laundry soap, so that is a good thing.
Soaping 101 liquid soapmaking video?
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ngian
Well-Known Member
So after a few weeks in use I have came across a symptom and was wondering if this is "natural" for a handmade liquid soap.
My normal pump soap is gathering little by little unused liquid soap that stays in open air and after a few hours/days it turns to a paste somehow. This is fencing the normal path of the soap, and it sometimes throwing the liquid out of the area where the hands are waiting to get cleaned.
Does this also happening to you? It's a bit annoying cause I have to clean the pump every few days...
My normal pump soap is gathering little by little unused liquid soap that stays in open air and after a few hours/days it turns to a paste somehow. This is fencing the normal path of the soap, and it sometimes throwing the liquid out of the area where the hands are waiting to get cleaned.
Does this also happening to you? It's a bit annoying cause I have to clean the pump every few days...
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Yep, perfectly normal. It happens with foamers also. I keep a special pair of tweezers handy in the bathroom to clean them out.
When you don't notice one in there, it sends soap in a random direction. Adds an element of danger to hand washing
I have had to change my shirt more times than I care to count because of this.
"...Adds an element of danger to hand washing..."
As if playing around with lye and seizing soap isn't enough excitement, hey, Effy?
:grin:
Seriously, Nikos -- it's not desirable, but it's normal. Water evaporates from the soap at the tip of the nozzle, the soap thickens back into its "paste" form, and that small bit of soap paste creates a plug.
The more you use the soap, the less of a plug will form. My LS pump at the kitchen sink gets used a lot, and I only have to use my finger or washcloth to wipe off the tip.
If this is a big problem, you might want to put the LS in a container that has a flip-top cap or other kind of "plug proof" closure. If you think about it, most commercial liquid soaps and detergents have easy-to-use caps designed for the consumer to close to prevent those messy plugs -- it's not just handcrafted LS that has this problem.
As if playing around with lye and seizing soap isn't enough excitement, hey, Effy?
:grin:
Seriously, Nikos -- it's not desirable, but it's normal. Water evaporates from the soap at the tip of the nozzle, the soap thickens back into its "paste" form, and that small bit of soap paste creates a plug.
The more you use the soap, the less of a plug will form. My LS pump at the kitchen sink gets used a lot, and I only have to use my finger or washcloth to wipe off the tip.
If this is a big problem, you might want to put the LS in a container that has a flip-top cap or other kind of "plug proof" closure. If you think about it, most commercial liquid soaps and detergents have easy-to-use caps designed for the consumer to close to prevent those messy plugs -- it's not just handcrafted LS that has this problem.
Soap boogers! That's what I call them. 
I get them on both my homemade and commercial soap nozzles. I get lotion boogers as well (from both handmade and commercial lotions). I treat them like I treat real boogers- just wipe them off with a tissue.
IrishLass
I get them on both my homemade and commercial soap nozzles. I get lotion boogers as well (from both handmade and commercial lotions). I treat them like I treat real boogers- just wipe them off with a tissue. IrishLass
Oh gosh, Irish Lass, I just wipe them boogers off with my fingers.
:mrgreen:
Soap boogers, I mean. Soap. I mean ... okay, I'll be quiet now....
:mrgreen:
Soap boogers, I mean. Soap. I mean ... okay, I'll be quiet now....
Haha everyone! OP, it's, annoying but harmless.
It will definitely form on pumps which are used less.
I just blast it if with a bit of runny hot water.
It really will make soap go in surprising directions if not cleaned regularly. I had it in shirts, pants, hair, worst one on recently washed dishes.
It will definitely form on pumps which are used less.
I just blast it if with a bit of runny hot water.
It really will make soap go in surprising directions if not cleaned regularly. I had it in shirts, pants, hair, worst one on recently washed dishes.
lpstephy85
Well-Known Member
OMG, I finally did it!!! Way better than my first attempt several pages ago. It seemed touch and go at first when heating up the glycerin to dissolve the lye. I had to dump the first attempt of heating it up as it seemed to me the lye wasn't dissolving so I kicked up the temp but I think the glycerin started to burn. After the second attempt, everything fell in to place. So excited!
Yay!!!! Looks great!!!
IrishLass
IrishLass
Awesome!
TVivian
Well-Known Member
I've been wanting to try this method for a long time and finally did it this evening! I've only made LS one other time (with the cook forever and neutralize method) and had little desire to do it again until reading through this thread. I think it worked! The paste is still sitting in the pot, and I'll dilute tomorrow . Thank you to all who contributed to this thread! So much great info!!
I was so excited to see the flying bubbles that I took a picture!
I was so excited to see the flying bubbles that I took a picture!
"...the cook forever and neutralize method..."
TV -- this name is soooo spot on! I was reading one of the liquid soapers' groups on Facebook yesterday and one of the posters proudly explained she cooks her soap for a minimum of 7 hours to ensure it's fully saponified. I just about snorted my coffee out my nose when that sunk in to my foggy brain. Seven hours of hovering. Good grief. In the days before stick blenders, perhaps that was what had to be done, but nowadays it's overkill in the extreme.
TV -- this name is soooo spot on! I was reading one of the liquid soapers' groups on Facebook yesterday and one of the posters proudly explained she cooks her soap for a minimum of 7 hours to ensure it's fully saponified. I just about snorted my coffee out my nose when that sunk in to my foggy brain. Seven hours of hovering. Good grief. In the days before stick blenders, perhaps that was what had to be done, but nowadays it's overkill in the extreme.
It really does seem that they enjoy how difficult they can make that process, doesn't it? I just don't get it. I can have liquid soap in just a couple of hours with no wasted time or effort. And the quality is just no different.
When I first began soaping I've watched a bazillion videos and read a whole bunch of blogs, each one a min 3 times over. I came across liquid soap also, all I saw was the 'cook forever and neutralize' method. Since I didn't know there was IL's super easy and so awesome method, I didn't complain but thought I would try it sometime. And then about 4 months into my soaping, I googled forums and landed here. This thread was among the first ones I read, I read IL's posts explaining the whole process with amazement. Was awestruck by her love for sharing, all the effort she put into typing it in such detail(it kind of felt like me explaining my cooking recipes to my friends, only I grumble when they ask me to write it down for them, when I'm right there with them explaining everything). In a way, IL is my first teacher on this forum. Yes, it took me a while to order KOH and a big gallon of glycerine, even more time after that to actually make LS but when I did, it was so easy like I already knew. Thank you IL! I wouldn't do LS any other way, that is until IL herself recommends another possibly better method.
You are generously kind, Vkumudini, but I can take no other credit other than simply falling in love with such a quick and easy method that was taught me by those that came before, who themselves were generous to share the method, such as 3bees~1flower, Lily2 and Silverdoctor over at the Dish. I am truly indebted to them. And also to Susie and DeAnna who have helped me to step out and try different things with the method, such as mixing the KOH with water first and then adding in the glycerin. It makes it even that much easier/quicker! 
I'm nothing more than just an (overly) enthusiastic messenger. lol
IrishLass
I'm nothing more than just an (overly) enthusiastic messenger. lolIrishLass
TVivian
Well-Known Member
Alright.. So I had a little problem. Everything went well, diluted great, had a nice clear, honey like, bubbly soap. I didn't have PS80 on hand, but I have FO/EO modifier from WSP. I made a small test batch with the Modifier and some "velvet sugar" FO. Everything went well. Soap was still clear. So today I decided to scent the rest. I warmed it all up in my crock pot, mixed some Pink Grapefruit FO with the modifier, added it to the soap. Now my soap is super thick and gloppy. It is still clear but has a lumpy look to it. Do I now dilute it a bit more? Wait and see how it looks tomorrow? Not sure what went wrong.
Here's a picture:
Here's a picture:
TVivian- for future reference, you actually don't have to warm up your diluted soap in order to add the FO. I always mix mine in at room temp.
Depending on the fragrance, some FO's or EO's can do weird things to the diluted soap- some can make it thin, some can make it thick, some can make it cloudy, etc.. and some won't do anything at all except make your soap smell nice. Most of mine are in the latter category, but that could be because of the PS80, which I always add to my diluted soap with the FO.
I've never used FO/EO modifier from WSP. What does it have in it?
IrishLass
Depending on the fragrance, some FO's or EO's can do weird things to the diluted soap- some can make it thin, some can make it thick, some can make it cloudy, etc.. and some won't do anything at all except make your soap smell nice. Most of mine are in the latter category, but that could be because of the PS80, which I always add to my diluted soap with the FO.
I've never used FO/EO modifier from WSP. What does it have in it?
IrishLass
TVivian
Well-Known Member
TVivian- for future reference, you actually don't have to warm up your diluted soap in order to add the FO. I always mix mine in at room temp.
Depending on the fragrance, some FO's or EO's can do weird things to the diluted soap- some can make it thin, some can make it thick, some can make it cloudy, etc.. and some won't do anything at all except make your soap smell nice. Most of mine are in the latter category, but that could be because of the PS80, which I always add to my diluted soap with the FO.
I've never used FO/EO modifier from WSP. What does it have in it?
IrishLass
Oh ok good to know! I thought I read somewhere in this thread that it needed to be added to warm soap.
The ingredient list says "fragrance" **shady**
It really does work well so far for incorporating fO's into water based products so far and it has stayed clear every time. I'm wondering if the pink grapefruit is the issue?
