What to do with all of this soap?

[shonnyisley]

I had somewhat of a soaping crisis 2 months ago making soap. Until the crisis batch, the largest amount of soap that I mixed at one time was 3 gallons. I attemped to make a 5 gallon 100% Organic Olive Oil Batch and it was a crisis! I did a 36% water discount and still had a crazy time trying to get it to trace. I also soaped at room temp with room temp lye which has never been a problem for me before.

After many hours of stirring with a high shear mixer (3 hours to be exact), and still no trace, I removed 1.5 gallons from my main bucket and stirred that particular portion for an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour and FINALLY got that portion to trace. I went back to my other bucket, which at the time had 3.5 gallons left in it and attempted to mix for an additional 1.5-2 hours, by this time it was midnight and I had a crying baby that needed milk, and I had an all out melt down and began to cry over the bucket. I have NEVER had soaping issues like this before and it all seemed to be too much for me. I just steped away from the bucket and left it in my soaping room.

I came to check on the bucket in the morning, with the hope that it woulds still be liquid-y and I could pick up where I left off with stirring, but I was so wrong. The soap had begun to thicken up just a bit harder than HP soap gets in the crock pot. There was a bit of oil that seeped out and it was marble looking. This was $125 in oil plus shipping and lye so I was/still am hurt by the possible loss. My DH insisted that I put it in molds and see what happens. We glopped the soap into molds and it hardned up and cured.

Now I have close to 90 bars of this soap and I have NO idea what to do with it. The bars that I got to trace look perfect and sell-able but the others I am not sure about. I have some in my bathroom that we have been using to wash our hands with, and the soap is very marbled looking and has darker, olive oil colored spots in it. It doesnt lather as well as my normal olive oil soap, but I am not sure if it is safe to sell??? I know for sure there is *free* oil in the soap.

What would you do? I will be damned if I rebatch that much soap. I will use it for leather cleaner before I grate 80 bars of soap and melt it all in crock pots to sell for $5-7 bucks a bar...it is hardly worth it at that point.

 

[kbuska]

I'm so sorry that happened and for the potential loss of money. I don't have a solution for you though. Good luck, hopefully someone can suggest something. If you rebatch, use a food processor a big stock pot and an oven.

 

[pure&simple]

 

[soapbuddy]

You say gallons; I presume you weigh out everything? When I make pure castille, I make a 40% lye solution for a quicker trace.

 

[IrishLass]

but I am not sure if it is safe to sell??? I know for sure there is *free* oil in the soap. What would you do?

If your soap is tongue neutral (does not zap), it is safe for you to use and therefore safe to sell...... but if you don't feel confident selling it on account of it not lathering as well as you'd like and/or because of it being a bit discolored, you can always donate it to Clean The World. That's what I do with my batches that are safe to use, but not what I would consider in my own estimation to be 'market worthy'. Clean the World takes donations of soap from hotels, motels & handmade soapers, and grinds it down, disinfects it, and then basically 'rebatches' it all into new bars to deliver to disaster-struck areas around the world that need soap.

http://www.cleantheworld.org/


IrishLass

 

[shonnyisley]

Thank you for all of your suggestions. I have not done the zap test on this batch...I need to do that.

That is also a very neat charity. Thank you for the link!

I guess I will have to sit on it. I feel like a jerk because I have made countless batches of olive oil soap (it is my best seller) and this is the first time this has happened to me. I feel like a failure and this event was enough for me to throw in the towel on making soap for work instead of making it for fun. It totally sucked the life out of me!

THanks again!!

 

[xyxoxy]

Clean The World is great... I was thinking that too.

Another option is to shred the soap into other new batches. In CP you will get a confetti look. In HP it will simply melt into the batch. Good way to use it up and it's a lot less painful than regular rebatching.

 

[Tabitha]

Clean the world was my 1st thought, laundry soap was my second.

 

[youreapima2]

Clean the world is a great idea. But also think about the homeless shelters in the area or the battered woman's shelter in the area that you live in as well. I am certain that they would love a donation of soap, and it can be a tax write off for you as well

 

[AZ Soaper]

You could also cut it up in pieces and out it in other bars. Then you wouldn't have to grate it.

 

[shonnyisley]

I love the cut/grate and put into new CP batches ideas! thanks! Also the battered woman shelter is an awesome idea!