# using soap without 4wk cure?



## holliehmstd (Apr 26, 2012)

so I made Castille soap and I am in such dire need of relief from store bought detergent bars that I started testing it on my hands today. I think we are at two weeks. I do not have pH test strips yet and this is my first batch of soap. Have I completely lost it or should I be safe? What should I look for when determining if it is okay to use? So far I have used it three times and nothing is burning or itching. It is very hard and a little goes a long way so I am thinking that the other bars will get 4 weeks curing before we use them.

Thanks


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

I know nothing about soap making so googled cure times. What I found said that the cure time for regular soap is three to four weeks, olive oil soaps need three or four months. I read that some people think it is best to allow this soap to cure six to twelve weeks as it gets better as it ages. If it was me, I would purchase a bar of high quality Castille soap and let your homemade stuff age. If you use it before it fully cures you won't know its full quality. You'll be short changing yourself.


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## Tinker (Apr 5, 2004)

If made properly, soap is safe to use within 24 hours. I usually start using my "end pieces" right after I cut my bars. The additional cure time is for you soap to harden. Castile is already sort of a "slimey" soap, so using it early may make it even more so. I will not last as long as you fully cured soap, but it is safe to use.

If you ever have a problem and don't know if you soap is lye heavy, you can do the "tongue test". Just touch the end of your soap to your tongue. If you feel a wee bit of tingle, you have a lye heavy soap, that is not safe to use. Either way, it will taste nasty, but will let you know if it is safe to use.


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## holliehmstd (Apr 26, 2012)

Tinker said:


> If made properly, soap is safe to use within 24 hours. I usually start using my "end pieces" right after I cut my bars. The additional cure time is for you soap to harden. Castile is already sort of a "slimey" soap, so using it early may make it even more so. I will not last as long as you fully cured soap, but it is safe to use.
> 
> If you ever have a problem and don't know if you soap is lye heavy, you can do the "tongue test". Just touch the end of your soap to your tongue. If you feel a wee bit of tingle, you have a lye heavy soap, that is not safe to use. Either way, it will taste nasty, but will let you know if it is safe to use.


 
Thanks! We have been using it and it seems good. I am sure that we will have better soap the longer it cures but it has good lather and feels nice. I will wait on using for washing though. Just hands for now to make sure!


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## LearningLife (Aug 11, 2010)

It should be fine to use. The lye has gone through its chemical reaction with the oils after about 24 hours. After that, the "curing" process is more about allowing excess liquid to evaporate and your soap to harden. After that initial reaction, the lye can't change any more, so there's no reason (other than the hardening) that the soap can't be safely used. Like Tinker above, we often use end pieces soon after they're cut with no problem at all.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

You can give it a try.
I know that with me if I use a soap (or even touch a soap) that isn't cured all the way my hands smell very strongly of baby spitup.
It's horrible.
One of my best friends makes wonderful soap and I am forever taking a sniff of the new soaps and my hands reek.
It is the strangest, most horrible smell.


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## Peggy (Feb 14, 2010)

Joshie said:


> I know nothing about soap making so googled cure times. What I found said that the cure time for regular soap is three to four weeks, olive oil soaps need three or four months. I read that some people think it is best to allow this soap to cure six to twelve weeks as it gets better as it ages. If it was me, I would purchase a bar of high quality Castille soap and let your homemade stuff age. If you use it before it fully cures you won't know its full quality. You'll be short changing yourself.


 I let my soap cure for 2 weeks then use it. It is fine.


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