# Gelling question



## MamaTiger (Jun 11, 2008)

The batch I made yesterday of goat milk soap gelled...something i've never had happen before. I realized what it was, having seen pics online. Will I need to let it stay in the mold longer before unmolding and cutting? It seems a bit softer than normal.


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

I would leave the soap in the mold a couple of days more. You can also put the soap and mold in the freezer and let it get hard and then unmold it.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Did you change your recipe at all? I make only milk soaps and make sure I get a good thorough gel. When the soap gels, it may stay warmer, thus softer, for a longer period of time. I feel gelled soaps go through complete saponification more quickly than ungelled soaps.


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## MamaTiger (Jun 11, 2008)

It hardened up enough that I was able to cut it the day after pouring. However, being it was my first time with milk soap, I obviously let the mix get too hot--no orange spots, but it turned a brownish color and was a bit sticky when I cut it. Today, the color is a darker color but it's not sticky now. The scent I used is gone. The smell isn't bad, but it's not nice either. I can use it, but I sure wouldn't share it with anyone else. lol


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## lathermaker (May 7, 2010)

mamatiger: milk soap can really stink for the first couple of weeks. It sometimes gets an ammonia odor. Don't worry about it. Let it air out really well for a week or two, then smell it again. If you used the correct amount of fragrance, it can reappear after the stink leaves. Just the nature of the beast.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

What fragrance did you use? Some will add color to the finished soap. 

How did you add the milk to the recipe? If it was in the lye solution, you need to make sure the milk/lye solution does not get hot at all. Take a look at the thread titled "Soaps". All of these are made using 100% milk in the lye solution and all of them gelled.


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## MamaTiger (Jun 11, 2008)

I got flustered doing it and yes, the milk/lye mixture got too hot. I have done a LOT of reading online and I'll be trying again today with a different technique to keep the mix from getting too hot.

It would be nice if the fragrance came back...it's a rose scent from Nature's garden.

The soaps are on a wire shelf curing--I'll keep checking them out and pray it gets better. lol


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## lathermaker (May 7, 2010)

Put your milk pitcher in an ice bath, then add the lye slowly. I do this even if the milk is slushy frozen. Just keeps the heat under control.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

lathermaker said:


> Put your milk pitcher in an ice bath, then add the lye slowly. I do this even if the milk is slushy frozen. Just keeps the heat under control.


<insert cackle laughter here>

And now I'm going to tell you to do the opposite of Lather!!

I weigh my solid oils and get them on the heat to melt, then weigh my liquid oils separately.

Then I weigh my milk. Some of my milk is slushy, but most is frozen in 1" (or less) chunks. 

Once the solid oils have melted, I pour my liquid oils into that pot. 

Then I weigh my lye.

My mostly frozen/some what slushy milk container sits in a sink of cold water.

I'll pour about 1/3 of my lye into the milk, stir, stir, stir. Pour about half the remaining lye into the milk, stir, stir, stir. then dump the remaining lye into the milk and use a stick blender to break up the frozen milk. (** safety note ** be sure to wear eye protection and keep your stick blender submerged)

Then I immediately pour the milk/lye solution into the waiting oils.

ARGH! Rose and milk soap ammonia scent is the worst!!! It was the scent I chose for my very first milk soap. I took nearly a month for that horrid scent to go away, but when it did I was left with a soap that sold me on making milk soaps exclusively.

ETA: Lather & I have both been making soaps since 1999, so it is not a matter of experience here ... just another "More than 1 way to skin a cat".


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## MamaTiger (Jun 11, 2008)

I appreciate your suggestions, both of you. It's always nice to hear from someone who has actually done it--for a long time.

I made another batch yesterday. This time, since I am using evap goat milk, I put my water and lye together and stirred and waited til it cooled waaaaaaaaaaaaay down, around 80 degrees, then added the oil and the room temp milk. Mixed as usual. Added the same rose scent. The color was a very light orange, very pretty, when I poured. I put the container in the fridge.

Gonna go check it out this morning. It's almost time to take it out anyway. 

Another question


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## MamaTiger (Jun 11, 2008)

Sorry hit reply accidentially

One more question: soap I made last weekend and soap I made earlier this week is still a bit soft--gives when I press on it. Is that normal?


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## MamaTiger (Jun 11, 2008)

Here is a picture of the last batch of goatmilk soap I made...it is a bit lighter than the color shows in this picture. I actually like the color--but I didn't add any colorant to it. I am guessing that the scent--Fresh Cut Roses from nature's garden--may have given it color.


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## lathermaker (May 7, 2010)

Nah, behave Cyndi...keep yer cacklin' to yerself! wahahahaaaa Actually, we make it the same way, except that I use an ice bath to mix up the frozen ,slushy milk, you use a sink of cold water...no biggie....When I say mix it in slowly, I just mean I don't dump all the lye in at once. The rest of the steps we do the same. Now that I reread what I wrote before...it doesn't sound right.....need coffee! LOL


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## MamaTiger (Jun 11, 2008)

Yes, the rose/ammonia scent is killing me! I can't stand that smell! Here's praying that it goes away soon.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I'm a lye dumper, Karla!

Nice looking soap, MamaTiger. The color is from the milk. Cut your rose soap and ignore it for at least a month.

As for the softness of your soap, it really depends on the oils used and the amount of lye you used and the amount of liquid used for your lye solution. We'd be better able to assist you if you posted the recipe you used.


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## MamaTiger (Jun 11, 2008)

Same recipe I used before I used milk for the liquid. It hardens up nicely when using just plain water for the liquid, fairly quickly.

2.25 oz lye
7 oz evap milk/water
4 oz olive oil
4 oz coconut oil
6 oz lard
2 oz castor oil

If I want to color this soap, how will I get a true color if the milk is giving my soap a light orangey color already?


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I would decrease the amount of water/milk you used to 5.2-5.6 oz

As for adding color, you learn to work with it. It is one reason my soaps use so much green!


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## MamaTiger (Jun 11, 2008)

Thanks so much for your patience and your willingness to answer questions. 

I'll try decreasing the liquid next time...probably Mon or Tues


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## Tinker (Apr 5, 2004)

I know some folks can get their milk soaps white, but mine are always a brown or tan, even when I do the frozen milk & ice bath. I do use all milk for my liquids, and I don't mind it coming out a bit colored--makes it look natural.


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