# Coffee Soap Question



## SeaGoat (Aug 17, 2012)

When I add the grounds of coffee to my batch
A) Can I use the grounds I used for the lye solution as the "exfoliating" grounds?
B) at what step do I add the actual grounds?


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

I add the grounds to my Coffee Kitchen soap. I add them before trace, and it doesn't seem to affect anything. Be careful how much you add though...I added too much my first batch and it was a little too exfoliating.


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## SeaGoat (Aug 17, 2012)

lol thanks!


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## SeaGoat (Aug 17, 2012)

My soap doesn't smell like "good" coffee. 
During the mixing lye stage it started stinking and it still holds a yuck smell. 

Should I freeze the coffee in cubes like you would goats milk?


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I use frozen coffee in my lye solution

I also put my coffee grounds through the herb grinder to a very, very small grind so they can exfoliate without being too scratchy


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## Lilith (Dec 29, 2012)

I tried something interesting that seemed to work really well. I added fragrance of coffee by dissolving instant coffee into the water and then added used coffee grounds from my coffee pot just after sap. Worked out pretty well, and smells like coffee.


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## anahatalotus (Oct 25, 2012)

I noticed no one said they added mineral oil to suspend the coffee throughout the bar. I used mineral oil in the few batches of coffee and sand soap I made. Is this just an extras non necessary step I read somewhere? Would the bars be the same without it?
Thanks


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## FarmChix (Mar 3, 2013)

I added before trace. On your stinky soap...did you add used coffee grounds or fresh? I used fresh and didn't seem to have any issues with a foul odor.


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

anahatalotus said:


> I noticed no one said they added mineral oil to suspend the coffee throughout the bar. I used mineral oil in the few batches of coffee and sand soap I made. Is this just an extras non necessary step I read somewhere? Would the bars be the same without it?
> Thanks


I personally don't care for petroleum products like mineral oil in my soap, so I wouldn't use it even if I had heard of that idea. Are you using the mineral oil as part of the soap calculations, or how are you adding it?


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Like Katie, I won't use petroleum products in my soap.

If you wait until you have a medium trace before adding the coffee grounds, they will stay suspended.


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## anahatalotus (Oct 25, 2012)

I only usd the mineral oil with coffee grounds and sand soaps to suspend the solids. I heard about it from either The Encyclopedis of Country Living or The Deliberate Life as I did not have Internet on the farm at the time. I'm happy to know it is not necessary though! It is the only time I used petroleum products on anything. I would add the oil/grit mixture right after I started getting a trace. The few batches I made I gave to a friend to take to the factory he worked at to help with the grime other hands. I dot have any left and am happy to know I can make an exfoliating coffee soap without any unnatural products! Thanks gals.


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## anahatalotus (Oct 25, 2012)

So I think I'm going to make a batch of exfoliating coffee and cream soap today. I will make coffee and use that as half the liquid and the other half will be cream. I am not capable of calculating the super fat so I will use one of those online calculators that only slightly upstages the. Soap making section of the encyclopaedia of country living I plain using a hodge lodge of oils I have left: a pound of lard, a little olive oil and a pound of coconut oil. I will wait till it has a good trace before adding the coffee grounds.
Any other advice ladies?
In the past my coffee sand soap was the only one I used petroleum products in so I will be very happy to make a batch without mineral oil!


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## SeaGoat (Aug 17, 2012)

Grind the grounds good. 
The soap I made is fine for hands, but rub it on softer areas would be a little rough


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## anahatalotus (Oct 25, 2012)

Thanks Sarah! I just put the coffee grounds through the blenders since I don't have a coffee grinder. I had enough lye for two pounds of oils so I'm thinking three or four table spoons of grinds. I think last time I used one tbs of coffee nd one tbs of sand per pound of oil. How much do you typically add?


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

anahatalotus said:


> Thanks Sarah! I just put the coffee grounds through the blenders since I don't have a coffee grinder. I had enough lye for two pounds of oils so I'm thinking three or four table spoons of grinds. I think last time I used one tbs of coffee nd one tbs of sand per pound of oil. How much do you typically add?


Have you made the soap yet? You may want to cut back a bit on the amount of grounds. I usually make 4 lb batches and I have found a few tablespoons is more than enough. The first batch I made was too scratchy. Of course, if you grind the grounds even further, it may not be a problem.


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## lathermaker (May 7, 2010)

Coffee soap stinks to high heaven for about two weeks. Then it mellow out and any fragrance that you have added will come back. It's weird stuff, but the customers love it.


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