Thinking about making first batch of liquid soap

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Kay

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I've made about 5 batches of HP soap, and I'm thinking about making a liquid soap to wash dishes with. I've been doing a lot of reading up on making liquid soap, but I have a few questions. Firstly, here is the recipe I think I want to try.

Total oil weight 32
Water as percent of oil weight 38 %
Super Fat/Discount 0 %
Lye Concentration 39.615 %
Water : Lye Ratio 1.524:1
Sat : Unsat Ratio 79 : 21
Iodine 18
INS 242
Fragrance Ratio 0
Fragrance Weight 0 Oz
Ingredient Pounds Ounces Grams
Water 0.76 12.16 344.73
Lye - KOH 0.499 7.978 226.161
# √ Oil/Fat % Pounds Ounces Grams
1 Coconut Oil, 76 deg 90 1.8 28.8 816.466
2 Castor Oil 10 0.2 3.2 90.718
Totals 100 2 32 907.184
Soap Bar Quality Suggested Range Your Recipe
Hardness 29 - 54 71
Cleansing 12 - 22 60
Conditioning 44 - 69 19
Bubbly 14 - 46 69
Creamy 16 - 48 20
Iodine 41 - 70 18
INS 136 - 165 242

From what I understand, from reading, I need to increase the KOH by 10%, which would put it at

1) 8.76 ounces, right?

2) I want to use glycerin instead of water with my lye. I'm ASSuming (since I've not read anything contrary) that the amount of glycerin I use would be the same amount as if I were using water.? The reason I ask this is because I figure glycerin weighs more than water. Do those of you who use glycerin in place of water, just use the same amount of glycerin that is listed as water in recipe?

3) I've read where, when it comes to diluting the paste, you normally start off with a 1:3 ratio. Does this hold true when using mostly coconut oil? Is this a good place to start, as far as diluting is concerned for coconut oil liquid soap?

Appreciate your input on this! I'm still in the reading and understanding stage.
 
yes, use the same amount of glycerin as the recipe calls for in water, and no, glycerin doesn't weigh more than water. It's denser, yes, but 1lb or water vs 1lb of glycerin is still 1lb. That's why you do everything in weight and not volume.
I also meant to add to make sure when running it through the soap calc to make sure the lye has been changed to KOH and not NaOH

And when I use the glycerin method I only superfat at 3% not 10%. For me 3% is perfect and I don't get the cloudiness (due to the unsaponified oils) as I do with 10%. But I have heard people going that high, so, I think once both %'s are tried it becomes a personal choice of what works for you.
 
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As for dilution, it depends on the recipe. I have 3 recipes I've used and each one has a different dilution rate.

Good luck. LS is fun and I like doing but figuring dilution rates is the hardest part for me. It just varies too much. I only dilute 1oz of paste at a time until I get the ratio to the point I like it.
 
With it being dish washing liquid, do I want to superfat it at all? I have 0% now, but I could up it to 3%, if you think it would be ok to use on dishes.
 
After MORE reading, I think I do want to superfat it at 3%. Thanks jcandleattic!
 
I've read where you have to be very careful about adding any EO's or FO's to dish washing liquid, because they can stick to plastic. Does anyone have any suggestions in this regard? Could I use SOMETHING to give just a little fragrance?
 
I've never used my ls for dish-washing soap. Something about using a b&b product to wash something I eat off of ooks me out. IDK why. ... LOL
 
For a mostly coconut soap I'd start at 1:1 paste:water and play around from there. The only liquid soap I've diluted 1:3 is a 100% olive oil soap and even then I actually prefer 1:2.7.

I put orange and lemon EOs in my dishwashing soap because I figure those are food related. I'd definitely say to rinse your dishes though. My coconut soap goes cloudy after adding EO but clears up again after a couple of weeks.
 
Does it matter which type of glycerin you use in lye solution? I have both vegetable glycerin and polypropylene glycol.
 
Polypropylene glycol or propylene glycol are not the same as glycerin -- they are completely different molecules. Glycerin has three hydroxyl groups (-OH) in its structure; propylene glycol has only two. Poly-propylene glycol is a polymer of propylene glycol. The "poly" means it is made of many units of propylene glycol all fastened together.

I seriously don't think the glycols will work in LS, unless you have an authority who explains otherwise. Every recipe I've read for LS calls for glycerin. There are two types of glycerin, based on the source -- animal or vegetable -- but they are both called glycerin; they are not called glycols.

Glycerin: C3H8O3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycerin

Propylene glycol: C3H8O2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propylene_glycol

Polypropylene glycol: (C3H8O2)n
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polypropylene_glycol
 
What about this?

http://www.lotioncrafter.com/propylene-glycol-usp.html

BTW, this is what I happen to have around, not the polypropylene. Sorry, my mistake.

Never mind. I just figured it out. I'm working on two different things here, and I 'm starting to get them confused. I'm working on both lotion and LS. Sorry about that.:oops: I need to start focusing on ONE thing here! lol!
 
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Good luck

Good luck in doing liquid soap. I am about to start working on this type of soap soon too. I am to use it for body wash or as a base for shampoo. I think if you use a lemon or orange essential oil it will be fine for the dishwashing and I do agree to rinse the dishes thoroughly. Maybe after you make it can you please post a pic of it so I have something to compare it to.
Thanks:mrgreen:
Pam
 
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