# soap drying question



## Ann Mary (Nov 29, 2004)

If I want to speed up the drying time on my CP soap can I put it in my dehydrator? If so, how hot for how long? Thanks!


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## kidsngarden (Mar 24, 2006)

Sorry but no, not unless you want melted soap in your dehydrator!

The best way to speed a cure is to use less liquid to begin with. Some people say a dehumidifier helps too.


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## Ann Mary (Nov 29, 2004)

Oh,...I thought I could if the dryer was set on a low 85 degree setting???


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## Gailann Schrader (May 10, 2002)

or make it HP in the crockpot instead...

I HAVE put a fan gently blowing across mine in wet weather, but using a dehydrator may not be your best option...


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I agree with Bethany; use less liquid in your lye solution.

Study how to soap using the DWCP method.

You could HP, but you still have to wait for the excess water to evaporate.


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## fishinsoap (Feb 22, 2008)

I have played around with this, and the fan blowing across seems the best option to me. One of the things about making soap is the reaction called saponification. If you ad heat you could increase the rate of this reaction, however, some reactions when the rate is increased too fast, stop before the entire solution has reacted and when your working with a caustic soda (lye) this could be dangerous as unreacted lye could remain in the soap. That being said, a fan pulls moisture off, but does not speed the reaction very much, so you will still need to age the soap. Lye is a chemical that we should all use with the utmost care and respect.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

fishinsoap,

Saponification is exothermal. It produces heat when the acid and the base combine. Adding heat during saponification quickens this reaction causing it to finish faster. Saponification is completed when the soap cools down. 

Liquids only aid in distributing the lye (base) throughout the oils (acid). If you do not use enough liquid, you cannot distribute the base. This will cause unreacted base in your finished soap. 50/50 lye/water is thoroughly lye saturated. you should always use more water than lye (and even more if you are using a fatty liquid such as milk).

The only reason for aging the soap is to reduce the excess liquid used to distribute the base. This evaporation continues throughout the life of the soap bar


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