What soapy mistake have you made today?

[amd]

Made a batch of green tea honey apricot soap. Decided to use real green tea - completely forgetting that it will turn poop brown as soon as the lye hits it. Hoping that it won't cure as bad as it looks.

 

[TwystedPryncess]

Yeap, did that once! Totally threw a wrench in that design plan! It became a poop brown soap loaf fragranced in an FO my fella had picked out. Least he got his soap. Haha.

 

[kumudini]

I decided to make a batch of salt bars. Everything was fine, but I needed to warm my oils up a little bit. My soaping space is in the basement, but I have to go up to the kitchen for the microwave. On my way up, I caught my rubber soled slipper bottom on a stair tread. Slopped a good amount of the oils on not one, not two, but 7 carpeted stairs (carpet is only about 6 months old). Only 2 stairs got the worst of it. So I spent the better part of an hour cleaning that up. Of course, the lye water is waiting patiently. So I remeasured and melted the oils and went on my merry way. Time to add the salt, and as I'm pouring it in, clumps!! I noticed them when I weighed it to be sure I had enough, and knew there would be time to break up the clumps while waiting for the lye to cool. So who knows what I'll have. DH hasn't seen it yet.

I do have a question, though. Not all of the original oil spilled. Since the oils were stirred together before any spilled (80% coconut/20%olive), can I assume that this is the ratio of what I have left and still use it? Or should I just toss it?

And I have jury duty.

My soap making area situation is similar to yours dibbles, I worry about tripping but hubby won't let me have an induction cook top in the basement even though I have plenty of space. So I just have to be real careful for now.
I think you got good advise on what to do with remaining oils. I would definitely not throw it, if not soap, you could use it in a body butter as winter is not very far.

I had a small scare today. I was using my PVC 'mold' today and I had traced my single color batter pretty thick. So, planned on stopping after pouring a little, tap it down, pour again, tap again and so on, so I won't end up with big air bubbles inside. After the initial pour, I started smacking it on the floor with my face right over it and, after a particularly rough tap, the batter came flying on my face. Lucky me, had the bigger goggles on, immediately ran to the sink and washed it off. After that, just finished the pour in one go, capped and smacked it real hard. Hoping for the best.

 

[not_ally]

That is scary, K, I am glad you were wearing big goggles. Is everything OK? Your post and dibbles', they are good examples of why anyone w/good sense is careful not to let lye batter approach anything they do not want to lose, like your eyes/vision.

I have reconciled myself to little batter dots/burns here and there b/c I cannot figure out how to entirely shroud myself while soaping But the eyes are non-negotiable.

 

[kumudini]

Thank you n_a, I could wash the splash really quickly, so no burning or damage that I could see.
I always wear my goggles. I had bought two pairs initially, not knowing which one would be a good fit, ended up liking the simple looking and cheap one, but it's not a closed one, I don't get all sweaty in my face. But today luckily I could only find the bigger ones, less comfortable but more protection I guess, the batter stopped right at the edge of my goggles.

All my master batched lye is in the basement, on the floor in a far corner, so hopefully no lye spills for me.

 

[dibbles]

I'm glad everything is OK. So many things can "happen" when soaping, even when doing something for the 100th time. Thanks for posting. And thanks for your reply to my question as well.

 

[nsmar4211]

I don't care how tempting that drop of honey is that spilled when you are measuring it out for soap...do NOT lick your finger. NO. BAD. Because said (gloved) finger has soap batter on it. I don't care that you cannot see it and the glove looks dry and you checked. It's there. BLEHHHHH. I did learn I can turn into an instant drool factory! Good thing I like the taste of vinegar. A mouth rinse with a vinegar chaser and tongue is fine. Pride is a tad injured though. Note to self: No more soaping when hungry. Eat first!

 

[commoncenz]

I soaped today. I shouldn't have. First of all, my uncle passed yesterday and there was traffic through the house all day. (No, not "that" uncle. His brother). I had been repairing the deck and it rained suddenly. So, I wasn't able to sweep up the sawdust. Of course, it seemed like people went out of their way to step clear across the deck and track sawdust into the house. I confess that I was pretty much ticked about that.

Cleaned up after the family when they left. Still kind of ticked. So, since I hadn't soaped in over a week, "why not try out that Autumn Wreath from The Candlemaker's Store?". I opened the bottle and .... WHOOOEEEE ... smelled like moldy leaves and candy corn. I hated it. I got a headache. And yet, I was going to soap with it because ... well ... I'm stubborn.

Got all the way to mixing in my lye water. Then stick blended too much and the batter started thickening as I was mixing in the colors. So, I started pouring it into the mold as fast as I could before it got too thick to swirl. (Yeah, right). I attempted a butterfly swirl anyway. However, it seemed like I was pulling my gear tie through quicksand, so I abandoned the swirl and tried to salvage what I could.

This will be an ugly soap.

Oh well, at least I've progressed enough to know that it will be ugly because of the mistake I made (stick blending too long), rather than something inherent in the ingredients, temperature, etc.

 

[Wyredgirl]

Not my mistake but, told my hubby that I was soaping and was mixing lye outside, he let my dog out who promptly took a lick of the lye water.

Ugh called my vet who advised inducing vomiting with hydrogen peroxide...little girl is fine, but her tongue is well...

We have a system now of "when I soap I make sure to take care of the dogs" and no lye outside, it all is done in the kitchen with the door open now.

 

[not_ally]

Oh my god, that is so scary. I cannot imagine how I would feel if I saw that on one of my monsters. They never come into my soaping area, but this makes me want to make sure that they never, ever can.

ETA: Like Patrick, I so hope she gets better soon. Also, I did not mean to imply that I thought you are careless, I do not think that you are. Your post just made me worried that *I* am, without realizing it.

 

[commoncenz]

Poor pup. That looks painful. Hope she gets back to 100% quickly!

 

[galaxyMLP]

Oh my! I hope your pup heals swiftly!! That is very scary!

 

[Wyredgirl]

She is doing well, just drooly, definitely a lesson for hubby, he didn't understand why I got "suited up" for soap making. And she is his baby. We had a long talk about dog safety and the reason I don't let them in the kitchen when I'm working. He assumed it was because of dog hair... I'm just thankful she didn't spill it on herself and that we were able to act quickly.

I've gotten hot soap on me (HP in the gel phase) and it burned but I can't imagine straight lye water.

 

[nsmar4211]

Poor pup! Out of curiosity, was it hot lye water? Wondering why she would slurp hot water that stinks...or had it cooled?

 

[Wyredgirl]

It was probably around 100*

I use DW ice and by the time I was finished with her my water was around 80. But this of course had to happen when my vet was closed (luckily I have his cell).

She is a lab and if you know labs they put their mouths in everything!

She is doing better just very drooly

 

[not_ally]

We had a long talk about dog safety and the reason I don't let them in the kitchen when I'm working. He assumed it was because of dog hair....

Dog hair, pshaw! I remember posting about this at some point, I pretty much assume all my soap has some kind of doggie dna in it (I don't sell, though) and EG jokingly suggested it was like using silk. Weirdly, that made me feel better

 

[Wyredgirl]

Lol! I think it's funny because I got a hair in my water I was putting lye in, the lye completely dissolved the (organic) hair. But yes maybe a felted soap with the name "hair o the dog!" And a cigar and cognac smell...

 

[not_ally]

Lol! I think it's funny because I got a hair in my water I was putting lye in, the lye completely dissolved the (organic) hair. But yes maybe a felted soap with the name "hair o the dog!" And a cigar and cognac smell...

Add a picture of a luxe leather studded chair, you could call it "Gentlemans' Club".

 

[Wyredgirl]

Add a picture of a luxe leather studded chair, you could call it "Gentlemans' Club".

Lol YES!

 

[nsmar4211]

Hrm that means any hair in my soaps didn't fall in the lye...LOL. Glad the pup is doing better!

My soapy mistake: trusting the stick blender to stay standing upright. *cringes*. Well, it still works but I think I bend the shaft slightly because it leans when standing up. And I know better.