# cold process soap "temperature" question



## Justasiam1963 (Sep 17, 2011)

In my cold process goat's milk soap recipe it says to let the lye temperature get down to 85-90 degrees and the fats to be a few degrees cooler. What would happen if I added the fat to the lye if the temperatures were 110 or more instead of what the recipe recommends? The lye mixture increased in temperature again when I add the goat's milk after the lye had cooled the first time. I'm using molds and need to combined mixture for the soap to be thinner? Any thoughts?


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## Gailann Schrader (May 10, 2002)

Are you using frozen milk to mix with your lye? 

I stopped letting my fats cool much past ~120. Then when I add the COLD milk & lye mixture? It brings both up to a decent HOT body temp of ~110 or so... Does that make sense? 

Don't let your milk/lye solution to warm though or the milk will scorch to a pumpkin orange anyway... Unless you are wanting a darker soap?

I rely heavily on my stick blender too... Breaks up that cream chunk that you sometimes get in the completed soap. Makes a more homogeneous blend...


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

If I'm reading your post correctly, you're making a lye solution using water & lye, then adding milk to the lye solution before adding it to the oils.

Since you're not using a full milk/lye solution, I would add the water/lye solution to the oils, then add the cold milk to the soap pot. Less chance of scorching your milk.

If you want to use a full milk & lye solution, your process would be different.


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## DYngbld (Jun 16, 2009)

Never made it with goat milk, But I have several times added the fats, and lye and temp near 110 with no trouble.


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## lathermaker (May 7, 2010)

DYngbld said:


> Never made it with goat milk, But I have several times added the fats, and lye and temp near 110 with no trouble.


Apples & Oranges...
Milk soap and regular soap making are two different processes. With the milk you have to be careful of the temps because the sugar in the milk will get too hot and scorch. 

If making regular soap, 110Âº is an optimum point to work at.


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

When making milk soap, I usually use cow's cream as part of the liquid. I dissolve my lye in distilled water and add the cow's cream to the soap at thin trace. This has worked well for me.


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## grammajudy (Nov 11, 2010)

Regarding the temperature. I always, always cool down to 90 degrees. I have had the scents cause the soap mixture to turn into mashed potato consistency from trying to rush it.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

When I started making soap in '99, the general advice on temperature for both lye solution and oils was around 125*. Now folks are letting their hot lye solution melt their solid oils!

You don't want your oils to be lower than the highest melting temp. Let's say you are using 96* coconut oil, you don't want your oil temp lower than 96* otherwise you risk false trace.

When making your lye solution using milk, make sure your oils are ready before adding the lye to the frozen milk. Don't let your milk/lye solution go above 75-80*.

If using an FO that is known to seize, do not discount the liquid in your lye solution, warm the FO in a bit of the oil and stir by hand and not by stick blender.


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## chewie (Jun 9, 2008)

thanks for that info cyndi


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