Hand soap

Bigmoose · Jul 22, 2009

I was thinking of making some hand soap bars, for people with greasy hands. Something like the Lava bars if you have ever seen those. My question is just how much coconut oil should I put in it? Since it will be for hands only I don't mind going past what soapcalc recommends for cleaning. Any thoughts on this?

Bruce

LJA · Jul 22, 2009

Maybe some fine pumace in there?

carebear · Jul 22, 2009

Bruce, anywhere up to 100%! Seriously1

It depends on your whole mix - I cannot just answer a question like that.

Depending on the type of dirt you are going after you may want to drop your superfat pretty low.

Pumice is great - it's what is in Lava.

Deda · Jul 22, 2009

When you mix pumice or ground luffa in CP don't do it at thin trace. It will all sink (pumice) or float (luffa). - Mistake #453.

Guest · Jul 22, 2009

Grease dissolves grease....so 100% coconut super-fatted galore would work well. I know of a commercial mechanic's hand soap that contains cornmeal instead of pumice. It works well.

carebear · Jul 22, 2009

Deda said:
When you mix pumice or ground luffa in CP don't do it at thin trace. It will all sink (pumice) or float (luffa). - Mistake #453.

see, we DO admit our errors!
(Mistake #11, 79, 418, 647 for me - I'm a slow learner)

MikeInPdx · Jul 22, 2009

I agree with the pumice as the best option.

Another option for really greasy hands is to add about 1.6 oz kerosene (YES kerosene) ppo. Mix it in with your melted oils and then work up as usual.

It really boosts cleaning on oily stuff. Sandy Maine uses it in her Mechanics Special soap, and I use it in stain sticks to get soaping oils out.....works like a sonofagun!

MikeInPdx · Jul 22, 2009

carebear said:
Deda said:

When you mix pumice or ground luffa in CP don't do it at thin trace. It will all sink (pumice) or float (luffa). - Mistake #453.

Click to expand...

see, we DO admit our errors!
(Mistake #11, 79, 418, 647 for me - I'm a slow learner)

Join the club.....I think I make a new mistake about every batch. However, recovering from them makes me a better soaper.

Guest · Jul 22, 2009

carebear said:
Deda said:

When you mix pumice or ground luffa in CP don't do it at thin trace. It will all sink (pumice) or float (luffa). - Mistake #453.

Click to expand...

see, we DO admit our errors!
(Mistake #11, 79, 418, 647 for me - I'm a slow learner)

Does this have anything to do with the thread ?

carebear · Jul 22, 2009

indeed it does!

did your post?

Deda · Jul 22, 2009

Kitn said:
carebear said:

Deda said:

When you mix pumice or ground luffa in CP don't do it at thin trace. It will all sink (pumice) or float (luffa). - Mistake #453.

Click to expand...

see, we DO admit our errors!
(Mistake #11, 79, 418, 647 for me - I'm a slow learner)

Click to expand...

Does this have anything to do with the thread ?

Kitn, mistakes are how we learn. It's not just reading, but actually doing.
The #'s, well that's because most of us really do want to learn, we keep track of the mistakes, along with the errors. I have volumes of comp books and spirals with notes about failed batches. Numbered.

I'm hoping your comment was tongue in cheek and not truly snarky.

Guest · Jul 22, 2009

Nasty, inflammatory comments divulging personal information will not be tolerated.

Bigmoose · Jul 22, 2009

I keep a log on every batch of soap I make and put it into the computer. I put a code on the label so that if anything goes wrong I can always go back and see just what I did. As for the hand soap I did order some pumice and from what all of you very helpful soapers have said I think I will go 100% coconut oil. Now I just need to decide on the level of superfat!

Bruce

honor435 · Jul 22, 2009

i made some "hand" soap, use lots of pk, it will be very cleansing and hard as rock!

kittywings · Jul 22, 2009

:shock:

carebear · Jul 22, 2009

allow me to clarify for anyone who was wondering about the relevance of my post:

indeed I do keep a log of "lessons learned". and beyond that, I was pointing out that
1 - even experiences soapers make mistakes
2 - sometimes we have to re-learn things, thus the repeat mistakes
3 - it's important to pay attention to what you are doing even when experienced
4 - it doesn't hurt to remind soapers, new and old (tho I'm not that old), numbers 1-3 above. at times I could have benefited from a reminder ")

LJA · Jul 22, 2009

:shock:

ChrissyB · Jul 22, 2009

Carebear, I agree.
Sometimes, I get it in my head that I have to try something, even though I've done it before and it didn't work, I might think "well if I do this differently the outcome will be different".
And then it doesn't work anyway!! :lol:

topcat · Jul 22, 2009

Thank you all for the relevant information on this thread...I am in the process of developing a mechanic's hand soap and need to 'up' the ground dirt cleansing effect....I have already added pumice (thanks for the past help on that one Carebear!) and need to tweak the cleansing factor, so your input here Mike is awesome. I never would have come up with kerosene on my own that's for sure :shock:

Thanks again (and to you too Bruce for starting this one :wink: )

Tanya

ChrissyB · Jul 23, 2009

I imagine you have to soap cool with the kerosene?
I am interested in trying this out for some stain sticks.
DH rides motorbikes and comes home with all manner of grease on him.

Hand soap

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