I have a 2lb batch of Lavender/Peppermint soap sitting on the counter wrapped in a towel going through gel phase. I am not fond of the scent, but my daughter requested it. I made both of us some lip balm also. Hers has peppermint EO in it.
I will probably get lots of flack for this, but this is how I clean up my soaping. I make sure my sinks are free of dishes that we eat out of and the dishwasher is also.
I pour about half a sink of really hot water with about a pint of vinegar added to it. I scrape every last gram I can get of soap out of my bowl, and off my SB, and off the spatula. I then wipe everything down with paper towels to remove all possible residue. Then they get rinsed with LOTS of HOT water at full force. Then into the vinegar sink they go. They get swished and washed thoroughly with a plastic scrubbing brush. All of this with gloves still on. Rinsed again, then run through the dishwasher.
I am making liquid soap when my new pH meter comes in, so I am going to do some testing of the vinegar water before and after washing my soaping stuff just to see.