I try to microwave M&P as little as I can and still get the job done. I sometimes see lumps when I'm pouring. Question: how much does it matter? The only negative I can think of is when I'm using fragrances. The lumps don't have them, and the surrounding base has a very slightly higher concentration. Any other reason to worry about lumps?
Lumps in M&P
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Are you completely melting the soap? I do it in 30 second burst then stir and put it back in the microwave until it is all melted.
melstan775
Well-Known Member
I have a question, if you are almost melted when you pour and the lumps make you question them enough to ask the question, then why don't you just stick your soap back in the microwave for another 15 or 20 second to kill the remaining lumps? Problem solved in less then half a minute, and you get the satisfaction of doing it right without killing the M&P soap.
Sometimes I do. Depends on how lumpy it is. I am reasonably sure that overcooking causes bubbles, so I want to get it as tight as possible. The "best" from my perspective would be one tiny lump in each bar. And "doing it right" was the reason I asked the question. The less time in the microwave the better, as long as it's right. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't overlooking something. Hopefully, some day I'll be doing hundreds of batches, and those "half minutes" add up.
VanessaP
Well-Known Member
Doing hundreds of batches means you will be in business. I would not be impressed with a "professional" soap that had lumps in it that didn't have its color or fragrance all the way through. I don't find that to be a professional look, it simply looks like it was tossed together by someone with not enough time to do it properly. I consistently heat my MP so it is completely melted, and I have minimal bubbles. What few bubbles I do have are easily taken care of by ONE spritz (per bar or two, depends on how they're spaced out) of 91% alcohol from the pharmacy department. I always get more bubbles when I stir harder or use something that incorporates more air like a whisk.
And by the time you get to the point of making pounds and pounds of soap in a day, you won't be using a microwave - you will upgrade to using a melting pot much like what soapequipment.com sells. Measuring out the MP needed for each batch, then having to melt each batch separately is going to be a giant time suck. However, the extra 10-20 seconds it takes to completely melt the lumps will make your soap seem more professional.
And by the time you get to the point of making pounds and pounds of soap in a day, you won't be using a microwave - you will upgrade to using a melting pot much like what soapequipment.com sells. Measuring out the MP needed for each batch, then having to melt each batch separately is going to be a giant time suck. However, the extra 10-20 seconds it takes to completely melt the lumps will make your soap seem more professional.
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