# Room Temp Method



## JudyM (Jan 9, 2015)

I've been reading a lot since I screwed up my mandatory first 2 batches. (I read that it was mandatory on this forum I think.) In reading I came across the room temperature method which has me intrigued. I bought goat milk specifically to make goat milk soap so I want to use it. I haven't seen anything about how to use goat milk with room temp and after my first 2 batches, I'm afraid to assume it doesn't matter. 

Also, in my first 2 batches there were no directions about wrapping in blankets. I used cold process, is that why? Why would you do it for one and not the other? Would I need to wrap the soap if I used room temp?

Thanks!!


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## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

According to the ladies I hang out with, room temps help to slow trace. Odd, we were just discussing this topic at the bar the other night. I always use room temps with blender soaps, which are a CP.


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## JudyM (Jan 9, 2015)

Thanks Bow, I'll give it a whirl and let you know how it came out!


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

There are two types of thinking when it comes to room temp (RT) soaping. One is to melt your solid oils then combine with the liquid oil then let your combined oils cools to room temp before adding the lye solution that has also been cooled to room temp. 

The other is to let the heat of the lye solution melt the solid oils.

Since you want to use goat's milk (GM) the second option is pretty much out since the fats in your GM will start to saponify AND your milk/lye solution will be a bright orange because of the burnt sugars causing your finished soap to be dark.

I've always been hesitant about using RT for making soap because it _may _cause a false trace (when your oils/lye solution are cool enough for the solid oils to start to re-solidify).

I do soap using only milk in the lye solution. I do melt my solid oils over low heat just until most has melted, the residual heat melts the rest. I then combine with RT liquid oils. 

Once the oils are combined, I combine my lye with my frozen milk chunks using 3 'dumps' of the lye on to the frozen milk, stirring well after each 'dump' then finish using a stick blender (SB) to break up and dissolve the remaining frozen milk chunks. I then immediately pour the milk/lye solution into the waiting oils.

Wrapping in blankets is to insulate the soap. Insulation encourages the exothermic reaction of saponification and forces the soap to gel. Some folks like to gel their soaps, others do not. Actually, with milk soaps, some folks will put their molded soaps into the refrigerator or freezer to prevent gelling. It's a personal choice.

Since the soap is going to heat up anyway, if you decide to gel, you might want to make sure the gel goes all the way to the outer edges of the soap. Some folks do this by wrapping in blankets or towels or putting the mold in a cooler or oven (turned off) or on top of the fridge.

What & how you insulate will depend on the mold you are using. If you're using a wooden mold with a lid, no further insulation is needed. If you are using a large slab mold, you may want to insulate so you don't have a partial gel.

Just keep in mind that there is a thing of insulating too well! I had that happens once when I was using a wooden log mold for a soap that used milk & honey and a 'hot' eo. I wrapped the mold in towels and put it on top of the fridge.

When I unmolded the next day, I had tunnels that went down the middle of the soap. It was pretty cool! To salvage the soap, after I sliced it, I applied silver & bronze mica in the tunnels.

Making 2 batches of non-milk soap before foraging into making milk soap isn't 'mandatory' but it is recommended just so you can get a feel for the soapmaking process without having to worry about the milk aspect.


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## JamieCatheryn (Feb 9, 2013)

I don't wrap my cp soap up but my molds are wood which insulates it some already. Anything with honey or milk or sugar in the recipe will get hot faster anyway and you don't want to burn it. Get the milk really cold, frozen before you start so the lye doesn't burn it.


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## JudyM (Jan 9, 2015)

I think I may have done a version of room temp. I *think* it turned out great! Way better than my first 2. I was planning on letting the lye/milk melt the lard and coconut oil but I suppose the milk was very frozen because the lye didn't get really hot, it stayed a light color so I figured there's no way that's going to melt my oils so I put them on the burner and melted them about 2/3 of the way, added my other oils and used a stick blender for around 5 minutes to a medium trace. The next morning, Saturday, I unmolded them and cut my bars! 

I used a small card board box lined with freezer paper with freezer paper on top. There was a little gooey soap along the edges where the paper didn't quite cover.

The whole gel thing is confusing! I'll just stick to this method for now!


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## rfay (Apr 9, 2006)

Yup, sounds Room Temp to me, good job Judy 
Sometimes when I do the Room Temp method, I have to heat up my hard oils like Coconut a little too or they don't melt completely when the lye solution is poured over them. I think my cool house in the winter months has a lot to do with it as well.

Fay


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