Trimming scraps

[MKL]

Does anyone make use of their scraps from trimmings? I hate to waste and would love to find a use for them.
Mary Kay

 

[ToniD]

I generally throw shavings in a new batch of uncolored soap, ending up with confetti soap. Sometimes I make a soap/oil/sugar scrub. I send some to clean the world when I get more ugly soap than I wanna fix.

 

[SoapAddict415]

I save mine up to rebatch as laundry soap.

 

[lsg]

I save all of my soap scraps and rebatch them for family use. My family doesn't mind using those funny colored soaps.

 

[Dorado]

I use them for liquid soap

 

[Pamela]

I use them for confetti soap or scrubs.

 

[MKL]

Dorado, you said you use them for liquid soap, do you melt them and add water?

I like the laundry idea too. Do you just shred the pieces. I am sorry to be so ingnorant, but it is all new to me. Just started this Spring

 

[Forsenuf]

I rebatch them into full size bars too, but then I use those ugly bars to make felted soap.

 

[Genny]

I use some for embeds in regular bars, I make some into little soap cakes or soap balls.

 

[Dorado]

Dorado, you said you use them for liquid soap, do you melt them and add water?

I like the laundry idea too. Do you just shred the pieces. I am sorry to be so ingnorant, but it is all new to me. Just started this Spring

I do like this:
15% -20% grated soap (cured / no-cured soap)
78-82% of demineralized water,
2% glycerin
0.5% Sodiumlactat, 1% EO / FO and color if you want
1% of table salt next day.

Melt soap and water in a pot, add Glycerin+SL +EO+colour, cool in a refrigerator overnight.
Next morning the soap very stiff gel. Mash/beat with a whisk, or potatomasher, to a lumpy porridge,
add 1% of table salt and stick blend for a few minutes. Now the soap have the right consistency.

The soap is very popular in my house. The only thing is, you have to shake the bottle sometimes, it can separate a littelt bit.

 

[IrishLass]

Lately, I've been taking my fresh scraps/trimmings as soon as they are bevelled off my soap bars (i.e., when the scraps are still soft and pliable enough), spritz them with a little alcohol, and press/smoosh/pack them down into my decorative, guest-sized indy molds with the Celtic design. Then I set the molds in the freezer and pop the soap out after an hour or 2. They make for perfect decorative bars of soap to use at the sink.

IrishLass

 

[MKL]

Thanks Dorado, I think that's what I am going to try first.

Thank you everyone for all the great ideas. This is a great forum

 

[Dorado]

Good luck - just ask, if you have any doubt.

Just want to say: If the liquid soap seems a bit too thick, let it settle for a day or 2,
and then add more boiling water, if you want it thinner.

 

[jkm8113]

Lately, I've been taking my fresh scraps/trimmings as soon as they are bevelled off my soap bars (i.e., when the scraps are still soft and pliable enough), spritz them with a little alcohol, and press/smoosh/pack them down into my decorative, guest-sized indy molds with the Celtic design. Then I set the molds in the freezer and pop the soap out after an hour or 2. They make for perfect decorative bars of soap to use at the sink.

IrishLass

Oh, I really like this idea. I think I am going to give this a try and see how they look. Do you treat your small molds with anything before putting the soap in them?

 

[IrishLass]

Oh, I really like this idea. I think I am going to give this a try and see how they look. Do you treat your small molds with anything before putting the soap in them?

Nope. I just smoosh them into the mold 'as is'. If you wanted to you could lightly grease your mold with mineral oil, but I find that it's not necessary as long as it sits in the freezer for at least a few hours or more. Sometimes I've forgotten about them and they've sat in my freezer for a few days.

Anyway, whether it be after a few hours or a few days, I just take the mold out of the freezer, turn them over, let warm water from the faucet run over the bottom for a few seconds, give a little push onto the mold and the soap instantly pops right out with no fuss or muss. I've found I really like doing this with my scraps instead of saving them in a bag like I used to. Most of the time, the scraps would just sit there and accumulate and accumulate and never get used except for once in a while when I felt like making a confetti soap. At least this way they all get used.


IrishLass

 

[Jerry S]

You all have really great ideas with what to do with scraps and trimmings..and Irish what you do is a new on me..great idea !!. I, as well seem to accumulate so many scrap bars...(to cheap to throw them away, I guess). I have a special box that I keep a box grater in along with all the scraps, and grate them as they go in the box. I usually end up with 2 or three pounds of scraps but I hate confetti soap so I end up making a whole new batch of any recipe and melt my shreds into my new oils...

I have to use a stick blender and I usually dont go over about 40% shreds by weight mixed into my new soap oils. Sometime I have to stickblend the oil/shreds pretty good before they melt. Then I just proceed mixing my lye water into the whole thing but only calc the lye water against the fresh oils I'm using.

I've done this both CP and HP using a crock pot...and the bars come out really smooth and nice just like a regular batch. Some time the batter is a little stiff so you have to add a tad more water and make your pour quickly..I use a bar mold for this and all the bars are used as hand soap but as many have suggested it makes great laundry soap as well.
Jerry

 

[Dorado]

I am going to try your way too Irish. thanks for sharing

 

[SoapAddict415]

I like the laundry idea too. Do you just shred the pieces. I am sorry to be so ingnorant, but it is all new to me. Just started this Spring [/quote]

I use a vegetable peeler to bevel my edges so I usually end up with thin strips & shavings. I toss them into an old tissue box & when I get enough, I rebatch them using my favorite laundry scented fragrance oil to make soap. Once the bar hardens, I grate it up, mix it with washing soda & borax, then ta-da! I have laundry soap!