Terrible white spots!!

[jodym]

I have been trying so hard! Melting oils together high then lowering to 100 to soap. Im thinking its the coconut oil? But could be palm i guess.. Never ever had problems in the past, order same oils from soapers choice Columbus. Im thinking i should try strain? Any advice on the best way? And maybe soap higher at 110-120? So thankful i make smaller batches but geez! Awful to wake up to unmold and see this!!

 

[Seawolfe]

It looks similar to the soap in this thread: http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=59065

Why are you cooling to 100 deg F? Off hand Id say not the coconut, but possibly stearic spots from the palm. Other good ideas in that thread to look for.

 

[shunt2011]

I too think they are stearic spots from the palm. Maybe getting too cool before soaping.

 

[cmzaha]

Either bubbles or Stearic spots from the palm. I use a lot of palm and at times I get stearic specks. They are more cosmetic than anything but SB bubbles will look similiar

 

[jodym]

Ok i just made a batch and soaped at 110
After i mixed in lye to oils i noticed almost like ricing but not really. Little specs of like solid oils? I mixed well with stick blender then added fo and did a in pot swirl.. Accelerated more than i like to work with so will try at 110 next time. But what could cause the little clumps of solid oils? And what can i do about the stearic oils if thats it? Thank you so much!!
Could my thermometers be off? Would that do it? I tried 2 in the lye mix and only off a tish..
And i try my best to not add bubbles but the stick blender sure can make little ones, i stir slowly to help get rid of them..

 

[shunt2011]

You may just need to soap warmer. It could very well be hard oils that are not fully melted when combined with the lye. Totally depends on your recipe and any additives.

 

[jodym]

It looks similar to the soap in this thread: http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=59065

Why are you cooling to 100 deg F? Off hand Id say not the coconut, but possibly stearic spots from the palm. Other good ideas in that thread to look for.

Yes this was my soap from a few days ago.. Same problem.
I cool to 100 as well as my lye so its easier to work with. Doesn't accelerate so fast

 

[topofmurrayhill]

Ok i just made a batch and soaped at 110
After i mixed in lye to oils i noticed almost like ricing but not really. Little specs of like solid oils? I mixed well with stick blender then added fo and did a in pot swirl.. Accelerated more than i like to work with so will try at 110 next time. But what could cause the little clumps of solid oils? And what can i do about the stearic oils if thats it? Thank you so much!!
Could my thermometers be off? Would that do it? I tried 2 in the lye mix and only off a tish..
And i try my best to not add bubbles but the stick blender sure can make little ones, i stir slowly to help get rid of them..

Melt the oils together until crystal clear, let them sit, and see at what temperature they start to cloud up. You need to soap comfortably above that temperature to make sure it doesn't happen while you're bringing the mixture to trace.

I'm not saying that's the problem, but in case it is .

If soaping warmer makes your batch trace super fast, I suppose there's something unusual about your recipe. Maybe you would like to share in case it brings any other ideas to mind.

 

[DeeAnna]

This can happen if a fat has a higher than usual amount of free fatty acids. The fatty acids react with lye very quickly and can cause the soap batter to look grainy or somewhat clumpy. Free fatty acids tend to increase in a fat as the fat gets older or if it has been stored improperly. Not saying this is your problem, but it is something to keep in mind.

 

[jodym]

I had just purchased all new oils.. But you never know

Here is my recipe that i have always used, never had trouble b/4 with these spots. I have never melted down my palm or coconut oils b/4 measuring into smaller batches. I have done nothing different. I did just measure the last few batches in grams..

10oz olive
8oz coconut
6.5 palm
3oz canola
1.5oz caster
10oz h2o ( did 2 batches w less today )
4 oz lye

Thank you again so much

 

[jodym]

This can happen if a fat has a higher than usual amount of free fatty acids. The fatty acids react with lye very quickly and can cause the soap batter to look grainy or somewhat clumpy. Free fatty acids tend to increase in a fat as the fat gets older or if it has been stored improperly. Not saying this is your problem, but it is something to keep in mind.

Is there anything i can do if grainy/clumpy? Beat the heck out of it with the stick blender for ect..?

 

[topofmurrayhill]

I had just purchased all new oils.. But you never know

Here is my recipe that i have always used, never had trouble b/4 with these spots. I have never melted down my palm or coconut oils b/4 measuring into smaller batches. I have done nothing different. I did just measure the last few batches in grams..

10oz olive
8oz coconut
6.5 palm
3oz canola
1.5oz caster
10oz h2o ( did 2 batches w less today )
4 oz lye

Thank you again so much

So if these batches have been moving fast on you, and you are soaping warm enough to keep the oils melted, is it possible that you had to get some of them into the mold without having time to get things fully mixed? That's kind of the make or break thing with an accelerating batch.

Is your FO well behaved?

I don't see anything in the recipe that should make it trace that fast. As DeeAnna mentioned, a hydrolyzed oil could sometimes be the culprit, but that would be very unusual with new oils from a good supplier.

One thing about the recipe. I'm not the coconut oil police but they patrol around here and may cite you for soaping under the influence of coconut oil. The realistic guidance on that is 0-30% and you've got 35. The police don't even like 30% and you are definitely over the limit.

 

[jodym]

So if these batches have been moving fast on you, and you are soaping warm enough to keep the oils melted, is it possible that you had to get some of them into the mold without having time to get things fully mixed? That's kind of the make or break thing with an accelerating batch.

Is your FO well behaved?

I don't see anything in the recipe that should make it trace that fast. As DeeAnna mentioned, a hydrolyzed oil could sometimes be the culprit, but that would be very unusual with new oils from a good supplier.

One thing about the recipe. I'm not the coconut oil police but they patrol around here and may cite you for soaping under the influence of coconut oil. The realistic guidance on that is 0-30% and you've got 35. The police don't even like 30% and you are definitely over the limit.

* thank you on the coconut oil advice, please tell me which of the other oils you would increase and how much? Id appreciate it! My brain is overwhelmed on these white spots..
* my last batch probably traces fast cuz i mixed alot trying to get rid of the little clumps of solid oils.. Also i am use to soaping at 100. But did this batch at 120.

 

[Seawolfe]

I had just purchased all new oils.. But you never know

Here is my recipe that i have always used, never had trouble b/4 with these spots. I have never melted down my palm or coconut oils b/4 measuring into smaller batches. I have done nothing different. I did just measure the last few batches in grams..

10oz olive
8oz coconut
6.5 palm
3oz canola
1.5oz caster
10oz h2o ( did 2 batches w less today )
4 oz lye

Thank you again so much

My guess is that if you are working your way down a tub of palm, just scooping some out for each batch, and you have never melted and mixed that entire tub of palm, you are getting the bottom layers where more stearic has settled. This leads to stearic spots. See if you get the same white spots if you substitute lard or tallow for the palm in a batch?

+1 to lowering the coconut oil a bit, increasing the olive oil or palm (or lard). Im not sure why you are using olive oil and canola. I would ditch the canola, replace it with olive oil, but thats just me.

 

[SuzieOz]

One thing about the recipe. I'm not the coconut oil police but they patrol around here and may cite you for soaping under the influence of coconut oil. The realistic guidance on that is 0-30% and you've got 35. The police don't even like 30% and you are definitely over the limit.

Hah! I've noticed that too. I use 30% in most of my recipes and I love my soap. So there

I get those spots too sometimes, and I don't know why. I'm going to try tallow in place of palm when I find some, and see if that makes a difference.