Steaming Soda Ash

[msunnerstood]

I am relatively new to CP and had some brown soap turn almost gray with soda ash. I steamed it and it went back to brown but about 20 minutes later im seeing some returning. is this normal? do you steam right before you wrap or when is the best time?

 

[AliOop]

I had the same problem in a big way when I changed from mostly HP to mostly CP. I had to greatly reduce my water (40% lye solution), gel the soap, cover it quickly after pouring, and don't uncover it for two days if I can stand to wait that long.

Even now, I still get some ash. I have to wait at least 3 weeks into the cure before removing it, or it just comes right back. I don't wrap mine, so can't speak to how that might affect things. Hopefully someone else can chime in about that.

 

[dibbles]

I hate ash. That is one of the reasons I gel my soaps - it reduces the chance of ash forming for me. What works the best for me is:
set soap bars across 2 parallel chopsticks or skewers. Spray a mist of distilled water and let sit for a couple of minutes. Then spritz with rubbing alcohol and let dry. The soap will have a glossy look, so if you don't want that this probably isn't the method for you.

I've had two hand held steamers - one purchased and one a replacement. Both spewed boiling hot water rather than producing a mist, so I haven't tried again. If anyone has a steamer recommendation, I'd be willing to try again. But for now, it isn't worth burning my hands - I do enough of that just cooking

 

[msunnerstood]

Thank you both. I normally HP but these are individual molds im using. Havent had this happen the other times I used them and same exact recipe. I appreciate the help!

 

[KiwiMoose]

I had a bad case of soda ash once on a slab mold with a heavily swirled surface. I literally held them under running water and rubbed off the ash with my finger. It wasn't 'fluffy' ash, it was a fine film of very stubborn white powder that wasn't going anywhere until it was wiped off with some force. I did it when the soap was about 5 - 6 weeks old and it never came back.

 

[AliOop]

I’ve had the stubborn ash most often, too. It is definitely more common for me in cavity molds unless I put them on a heating pad to gel them, or leave them covered and undisturbed in the molds for 3 days (which I’m too impatient to do).

 

[Catscankim]

I dont have a steamer, and i have no plans on buying one. But i was wondering if the steam setting on your iron works.

some of my soaps i like the ash. I recently had a friend ask me for a bar “with the icing” lol.

I just washed a bunch of well-cured bars in water. That seemed to work well. I did one bar first, tonight i just did the rest because i liked the result from my tester bar.

i normally cpop my soaps, spritzed with alcohol and nicely covered... some bars just get it no matter what...usually only on ones that i dont want it lol. I will try some of @dibbles suggestions.

 

[dibbles]

I dont have a steamer, and i have no plans on buying one. But i was wondering if the steam setting on your iron works.

I think some people use the steam setting on an iron, and I think for some it does work. If the alcohol spritz doesn't work for me I usually just plane it.

 

[AliOop]

Yup, the steam setting on my iron actually works better than the little hand-held steamer that I've had forever. As others noted, sometimes the ash looks great with the soap design. When it doesn't, I usually wash it off or plane it off.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Here's my 'washed' soap. Unfortunately I don't have a before photo.

 

[Catscankim]

Yup, the steam setting on my iron actually works better than the little hand-held steamer that I've had forever. As others noted, sometimes the ash looks great with the soap design. When it doesn't, I usually wash it off or plane it off.

I am terrible with the planer. I dont even try it anymore lol. It goes great till the end, when it takes a chunk out of it.

 

[dibbles]

I am terrible with the planer. I dont even try it anymore lol. It goes great till the end, when it takes a chunk out of it.

What kind of planer do you have?

 

[earlene]

Here's my 'washed' soap. Unfortunately I don't have a before photo.

They look lovely. I can imagine the before. I have lovely surface swirl so hidden by ash, that you could barely see the colors at all, let alone the swirls.

 

[Rsapienza]

I always use my iron's steam setting. Works great!

 

[xavalyss]

In my 20+ years of soaping, I've never had a problem with ash. I cover the batches with a silicone strip and then the wooden lid. I only heard of spraying with alcohol here at this forum and it really puzzles me.

 

[earlene]

In my 20+ years of soaping, I've never had a problem with ash. I cover the batches with a silicone strip and then the wooden lid. I only heard of spraying with alcohol here at this forum and it really puzzles me.

Anne-Marie Faiola, talks about it in her books and videos. I have also seen it in numerous books by other soapmaking authors, but I don't remember which authors, because I don't always remember which author said what. It's a fairly long-standing remedy, but I do not know where it originally came from. As far back as I find a reference to it online is from in the Kimridgefarm site, published in 1999 (on this page). It is also mentioned at millersoap.com in 2005. (on this page). Soaping101's Kathy McGinnis talks about in here 2012 video titled, Problems in Soap Making {eliminating soda ash from soap}. (Link) Kenna talks about it on her site in 2013, referencing material published on another site in 2004. (Link)

Here is are some interesting articles on 'when soda ash is NOT soda ash', which talk about what looks like soda ash, is not always soda ash:

Kevin Dunn re: soda ash or not soda ash: http://cavemanchemistry.com/HsmgJojoba2011.pdf

Kim Ridge Farm: how to test for soda ash: Soda Ash on Homemade Soap is not Soda Ash

 

[lenarenee]

I wonder if the "reappearance" of ash was actually just a matter of the soap drying completely and revealing that the ash wasn't completely rinsed off. Has happened to me; it's surprising how much moisture a bar of soap can absorb that quickly.

 

[xavalyss]

In my 20+ years of soaping, I've never had a problem with ash. I cover the batches with a silicone strip and then the wooden lid. I only heard of spraying with alcohol here at this forum and it really puzzles me.

Sorry If I was misunderstood. I was simply stating my experience. I got my soap education from Miller soap and the old Dish. It has always worked for me and I say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The videos and such may certainly be helpful to others.

 

[earlene]

Sorry If I was misunderstood. I was simply stating my experience. I got my soap education from Miller soap and the old Dish. It has always worked for me and I say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The videos and such may certainly be helpful to others.

And yet, Iben's No Ash Method is on Miller Soap website as well (dated back to 2005) on this page:
https://www.millersoap.com/pennwaltetc.html
I do not think I misunderstood you; I was just surprised you had never heard of the technique, and even more so now that you mention Miller Soap (Kathy Miller) was where you got your soaping education.


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I just realized I included the wrong link in my post above (post # 16) Because my post is no longer eligible for editing, I am quoting the above post to include the correction:

Anne-Marie Faiola, talks about it in her books and videos. I have also seen it in numerous books by other soapmaking authors, but I don't remember which authors, because I don't always remember which author said what. It's a fairly long-standing remedy, but I do not know where it originally came from. As far back as I find a reference to it online is from in the Kimridgefarm site, published in 1999 (on this page). It is also mentioned at millersoap.com in 2005. (on this page).

WRONG LINK! I would correct it I could, but it is beyond the edit date.
The correct Link for Kathy Miller's millersoap page showing Iben's No Ash method is: "Old" Soapmaking Instructions with Notes

 

[msunnerstood]

Surprisingly, I returned the soap to the molds for a few days and put cardboard on top, and the brown almost fully returned. Still a small amount of ash but I can live with it.