Sticky soap

[Hippy]

Hi
I have been making soap for a number of years and don't normally have a problem with it but this last couple of days the soap has been doing a few odd things. It is in the mould gelling nicely and it then starts to sweat big time and FOs are like little drops all over the surface. These drops are still very apparent after gell and 24 hours later. I know it's FO not lye as all calcs are correct etc. The tops are also very sticky and look like shrivelled skin that's been in the bath too long but again this is only where the gel was fiercest. It's very damp here at the mo but the house isn't damp inside, the moulds are covered with a piece of cardboard and then an old towel like I've always done so any ideas? I am nearly bald now.

 

[Absinthe]

Are you sure they are not moisture? Many humectant substances in soaps will cause droplets, but sometimes they are the water that it is attracting and not absorbing. They could also be glycerin. What have you changed? Are you using a new or different FO/EO? Fat? Salt? What is the humidity of your work area?

Whatever the liquid sitting on top is, probably is causing the skin thing. Have you tried covering the top of the soap completely, like with a piece of cling or wax paper?

It almost sounds like the top is cooling faster than the rest, which would more suggest that the liquid is water, and the evaporative cooling might be contributing. Most of this is guesses, hopefully someone else has more reasonable explanation.

 

[vivcarm]

Is it over heating? Does it look like this
http://i664.photobucket.com/albums/vv6/vivcarm/****.jpg
When I posted this picture, I got all sorts of suggestions, to humidity and over heating, I stopped wrapping it up so well, and topped it off with cardboard rather than plastic - haven't had it since! And I used to get it all the time!
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/forum/vi ... highlight=
Hope this helps!

 

[Hippy]

Yes, it does look a bit like that but to a lesser degree. It is very wet here at the moment due to lots of rain so I was wondering if it's high humidity/damp. I know the house isn't damp as such but as my son very kindly pointed out to me the windows are running with condensation so I suppose it could be that. We have only recently moved to this house and there is no double glazing or anything like that. It is sooo annoying.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I've been gelling in a warm oven lately and I've had that happen to me when I've had a recipe (high coconut oil) with a high lye discount and the heat of the oven has been too much for the soap. In my case, I think it's over heating.

Same thing happened to me tonight with an all coconut salt bar, even though I turned the oven off as soon as I put the soap inside.

 

[vivcarm]

The soap above is 100% olive, so I think that over heating could play a big part.

 

[Vintageliving]

Hippy, I keep a hygrometer in the kitchen. When the humidity gets above 89%, I plug in a small dehumidifier and turn on a fan.

Sometimes just the fan blowing on the soaps will keep the water in the room from collecting on the soaps.

 

[carebear]

sound like overheating. insulate less, or soap cooler.

 

[Hippy]

I think I may have to try that. I have just mentioned to my mom that i might invest in a dehumidifier. Looks like it may be a necessity.
Thanks for the tips.

 

[Zenobiah]

So OO is more prone to overheating? Wow, I never knew! I just read in Anne L. Watsons book that insulating your soap is only necessary for some select recipes (I wish I knew which ones).

And I just read on another forum that the gel-stage is optional.

My mind is spinning now, got to lay down...

 

[carebear]

MMM - not in MY experience. I've found that oils slow to trace (most notable olive and lard) are the least likely to overheat.

and interestingly, decreasing the water (as I do for castiles, working with a 40-505 lye solution) also decreases the likelihood of gel (according to Dr. Kevin Dunn, and my spidey sense), and thus (I imagine) of overheating.

 

[vivcarm]

So OO is more prone to overheating?

I don't think so, I just had it wrapped up in loads of blankets beside the heater :roll: