# Soapmaking Question



## Tirzah (May 19, 2006)

Hello everyone. I have always wanted to try making soap and found a recipe that seemed easy enough. The soap has been curing for almost 2 weeks and I can see tiny 'crystals' or tiny white grains (?) on the outside of the bars. Can anyone tell me what that might be or what I did wrong? I would sure appreciate it 

Here is the recipe I used (it is from Homestead Blessings DVD)

Homemade Soap


4 c. water
48 oz. vegetable shortening
32 oz. coconut oil
16 oz. olive oil
12 oz. lye

2-3 oz. essential oil added at the very last just before pouring into molds. Can add spices or oats at this point too.

Mix thoroughly in order until soap begins to "trace" ~ pour into greased molds. Let sit for 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Cut into bars. Let harden and remove from container. Let bars harden and dry by curing for two weeks. Made about 45 bars.


Thanks!


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## Seagrape (Aug 4, 2008)

I've never heard of making soap by putting all the ingredients into the pot and then stirring until trace. As far as I know, the lye must be dissolved in the water and then added to the warm oils. Anyone else ever made soap this way?


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

You're correct Seagrape.

The only purpose of the water in a soap recipe is the dissolve the lye and be the carrier to distribute it to the oils.

Tirzah, I'm not one that usually says there is nothing to do with the soap, but in this case, I wouldn't use it. Those crystals are lye and are dangerous.

The recipe is superfatted 15%. A bit high by my standards, but it's okay.

Try this for your next batch. Weigh and melt the oils. Weigh the lye and add to the water. When the lye is dissolved, add the lye solution to the oils. Stir until trace.

Make sure you are weighing your ingredients using a digital scale.

Let us know how your next batch turns out!


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## linn (Jul 19, 2005)

Could this soap be rebatched?


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Since the measurements are correct ... Perhaps .... It's worth a try

Using gloves, I would grate it finely, add about 1 cup of water and let it sit overnight. Place in crockpot and try to get the excess water out of it.

You're going to need the water to soak into the soap pieces (i.e. overnight) but you'll have excess liquid in it that needs to be cooked out or let sit to cure a good long time.


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## Tirzah (May 19, 2006)

This is a HUGE help! Thank you so much Cyndi. No wonder I didn't want to touch the soap  Thanks Linn for asking if the soap can be rebatched. I am going to try that and see if I can salvage it.

Cyndi, when you say to let it cure a good long time, how many weeks do you mean? Also when I try this recipe again as you instructed, how long should I let that cure?

I appreciate this so much! Thanks everyone


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

I usually let my soaps cure a minimum of 4 weeks. The soap is okay to use before that, but it lasts so much longer with a 4-6 week cure.


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## Tirzah (May 19, 2006)

Thanks Cyndi!!!


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## gina kay (Sep 12, 2007)

I've had this problem with the last two batches I've made. Thought it was maaybe from using a different recipe and measurements being wrong or something. I followed instructions correctly (have made good batches in the past so I knew how to do it): dissolve lye in cold water and melt lard then combine the two when just warm. That is all I use:no essential oils or other oils. I didn't know if I could rebatch it. Put it in a plastic container and dh said he might use it to clean his tires. Any idea what went wrong? I need to make more very soon. I'll go back to using the original recipe which is 6.2oz lye, 17 oz water and 48 oz lye. I'm sure that's the one I used---came off this forum.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

gina kay said:


> I'll go back to using the original recipe which is 6.2oz lye, 17 oz water and 48 oz lye. I'm sure that's the one I used---came off this forum.


I'm sure you meant 48 oz of lard.

Make sure all the lye crystals have dissolved before adding to the lard. (I'd lower the water amount to 15 oz.)

Lard is a slow tracer. Are you hand stirring or using a stick blender? If you're hand stirring, I'd combine the lye solultion with the lard when they're hotter than warm because the lard could cool enough to start to resolidify and give you a false trace.

Are you weighing your ingredients? Always weigh oils and lye. Don't go be volume measurements.


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## gina kay (Sep 12, 2007)

Yeah, I meant lard, not lye. I'll lower the water to 15oz and yes I do hand stir so I'll stir more and make sure the lye has dissolved completely. I'll combine the two when the lard is hotter. I do weigh the ingredients. I'll make a batch today or tomorrow.


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