# Help with olive oil soap!



## shining (Oct 30, 2004)

I haven't made any straight olive oil soap in years, but decided to try last night. I read that the trailings are hard to see so I went with what I thought was the beginning of trace and poured it into my molds. Then, I read that with olive oil soap, you want to make sure you have a good trace before pouring. So, this morning, they are still quite soft and don't seem like they are going to harden up. Is this batch a lost cause? Is there anything I can do to correct it? Any tips for staight olive oil and lye water batches?

Thanks so much!

Staci


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## kesoaps (Dec 18, 2004)

100% olive oil will stay soft for a _looong_ time. If it's not seeping oils, you're fine. Just leave it in the molds for a few days, or until it's hard enough to remove. It takes several weeks to cure; much longer than one that has coconut, lard or the like. After a few months it'll be rock solid.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

What were the weights you used?? For 100% OO soaps, I take a very heavy liquid discount.


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## shining (Oct 30, 2004)

Thank you so much! Hopefully, it will be fine. I was worried I had poured too early. I hope that's not the case. I'll give it some time!


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## shining (Oct 30, 2004)

Cyndi,

I used 52 oz. olive oil, 6.5 oz. lye, and 20 oz water.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Staci,
It will take a good 6 months or so for this to 'cure' & harden so that it won't disapper quickly when being used.

If the soap is separating in the mold, you can _carefully_ stir it back to emulsification.

fwiw, I would have used between 10-13 oz of water (that is using a lye solution that is 33.5% - 40% saturated with lye) I don't use this much of saturation percent when doing my regular batches, just 100% OO batches.)


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## shining (Oct 30, 2004)

Cyndi,

When I started reading more about it and looking at other recipes, I saw that the recipe I used may have had too much water. Oh well! Maybe it'll be useable by next year at this time!

Staci


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## Charleen (May 12, 2002)

shining said:


> Cyndi,
> 
> When I started reading more about it and looking at other recipes, I saw that the recipe I used may have had too much water. Oh well! Maybe it'll be useable by next year at this time!
> 
> Staci


Soap improves with age!


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## kesoaps (Dec 18, 2004)

I was given a few 100% OO soaps and found one a year later. Rock hard and smelled great. Good things are worth the wait. But the waiting is _soooo_ hard!


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## shining (Oct 30, 2004)

Waiting is so hard! I was finally able to unmold them today and they look great, now I'll just have to wait for the cure. I wasn't sure in the beginning if they'd even come out of the molds, they were soooo soft!

Thanks to all of you for your advice!

Staci


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## FUNKY PIONEER (Sep 20, 2005)

I put my soaps in the oven on the lowest temp over night with the door propped open about an inch and it really helps speed up the curing process.


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## shining (Oct 30, 2004)

Now, that's an interesting idea! I might have to give that a try!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

FUNKY PIONEER said:


> I put my soaps in the oven on the lowest temp over night with the door propped open about an inch and it really helps speed up the curing process.


That is a common misconception. All you're doing with that is ensuring your soap goes through gel.

Years ago I experimented with this. On the same day I made identical batches, one went into the oven, the other under blankets.

After unmolding, I weighed both & the oven batch did weigh less. Over the next few weeks, I continued to weigh them. About the 3rd week, both soap batches weighed the same. In subsequent weeks, the soap batch that was NOT in the oven continued to weigh less than the soap batch that was in the oven.


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## kidsngarden (Mar 24, 2006)

I've tried putting some bars near my woodstove and it doesn't seem to dry them out any more than those 30 feet away in another room on the cure rack either.

Best thing to do is use less liquid. Most things I soap at a 33% lye solution. Some less if they accelerate, some more if they are very nice behaving fragrances and it's a rushed batch.

Bethany


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## FUNKY PIONEER (Sep 20, 2005)

MullersLaneFarm said:


> That is a common misconception. All you're doing with that is ensuring your soap goes through gel.
> 
> Years ago I experimented with this. On the same day I made identical batches, one went into the oven, the other under blankets.
> 
> After unmolding, I weighed both & the oven batch did weigh less. Over the next few weeks, I continued to weigh them. About the 3rd week, both soap batches weighed the same. In subsequent weeks, the soap batch that was NOT in the oven continued to weigh less than the soap batch that was in the oven.


 :shrug: I dunno I PH tested them and they are ready way before other soaps. In theroy it should work as heat causes water to evaporate.


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## kidsngarden (Mar 24, 2006)

I think because they are being cooked a bit, that "oven curing" would lower the Ph a bit just like HP would. But if you are talking taking the water out and hardness, it's never worked for me. Even HP is so SOFT for ages after you do it, even though the PH reads great.

Bethan


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