2% does make a difference

[cmzaha]

Stupid me, I decided to up my CO/PKO by 2% to up bubbly factor, that did not work out well. Yep, it lathers better and faster than my 15-17% CO/PKO in most soaps but it is now going to require me to age it at least 3 months if not 4 before taking to market. Sadly I needed these for restocking and not they have to wait longer. I just tried a couple I upped the CO /PKO (I split the two oils), to 18 and 19% and after a month cure I will not take them to market.

I have know for quite awhile that 2-3% difference in Castor will affect trace, but really did not expect the CO/PKO to be such a difference. Normally, when in a pinch, I can take my soaps to market after 4 weeks but not this time. So anyone that thinks a couple points in percentage does not make a difference, it does.

 

[soapmaker]

3 months maybe 4? I don't get it. Why would adding more CO/PKO make a difference if you also increase lye?

 

[cmzaha]

^^^Because CO, PKO and Babassu are the oils that make nice bubbly soap, but are high in Lauric and Myristic Acids, Babassu actually being the higher of the three, causing the soap to be more cleansing and stripping our natural oils. Upping the CO/PKO to the 18-19% range is very drying to my hands, which are quite sensitive so it would not bother many folks.

Many will up superfat to compensate for higher CO, I never do that unless I make salt bars. My plumbing and I am sure many of my customer's plumbing do not appreciate a lot of free oil going down their drains. I know my plumbing bills went down when I decided to cut superfat

By curing longer it will help the soap become milder and less drying. Curing is not just evaporation of excess liquid in soap

If it ain't broke don't fix it applies here I broke it....

 

[soapmaker]

Oh, I understand now what you mean, just to get a milder soap. No, you are so right not to fix what's not broke. I've done that many times in soap as well as other things!

 

[Rune]

Plumbing, well, I just dump lye in the drains, and they are as good as new. For me, superfat going down the drains is a not a problem, lye will fix it.

 

[cmzaha]

Plumbing, well, I just dump lye in the drains, and they are as good as new. For me, superfat going down the drains is a not a problem, lye will fix it.

I do that too, but it never helps...

 

[Rune]

Yes, now I understand why you don't want superfats down your drain. It has worked with my drains, but drains are different from house to house and from country to country, I guess.

 

[cmzaha]

Yep. I also wash all my soapy buckets and utensils in 5 gallon buckets and it goes over the bank not down the drain. One plus to that is I do not see the clouds of white flies that we used to have in some of the foliage here

 

[zanzalawi]

whats over the bank @cmzaha?

 

[cmzaha]

I live in a hillside house on stilts, so soapy stuff gets tossed over the bank. Don't picture anything fancy it is an old house old plumbing but a view that is fantastic. My mom always taught me to buy the worst house on a good street if that is all I could afford. Pretty much what we did...The house below me is a long way from me so my soapy water hurts nothing but the aphid and white flies. I bet no one has ever wondered why the white flies disappeared that used to be thick up here. Only a couple of neighbors even know I make soap

 

[Lin19687]

If i am not mistaken, the LYE you put in the drains only works on a solid clog. Not the gunk that lines the pipes and eventually makes it smaller and smaller.
I was under the impression that it is the heat/Lye has to sit with the oils/fats that get stuck.
If there is open pipe it can not sit on it, therefore it just washes away.

Anyway, back to @cmzaha I wanted to fiddle with my recipe too but I really need to just leave it be
But I just swapped out OO for RBO, now need to let it sit till cure and then try.

 

[zanzalawi]

I live in a hillside house on stilts, so soapy stuff gets tossed over the bank. Don't picture anything fancy it is an old house old plumbing but a view that is fantastic. My mom always taught me to buy the worst house on a good street if that is all I could afford. Pretty much what we did...The house below me is a long way from me so my soapy water hurts nothing but the aphid and white flies. I bet no one has ever wondered why the white flies disappeared that used to be thick up here. Only a couple of neighbors even know I make soap

That sounds incredible!
Also- the mental image of you tossing it over the edge is pretty great too lol- maybe that’s what I should blast our aphids with haha
But the view sounds fantastic, that’s a good real estate philosophy

 

[cmzaha]

That sounds incredible!
Also- the mental image of you tossing it over the edge is pretty great too lol- maybe that’s what I should blast our aphids with haha
But the view sounds fantastic, that’s a good real estate philosophy

There is a little more to the story of my house. Might be off topic but it is my thread .

I spent a year looking for a house on the hill and actually had a Realtor tell me to call her when I was serious. A couple of years later I ran into her at an open house below me, she remembered me and commented about me still looking for a house. Told her nope found the house on the hill at my ridiculous price I was will to pay, and I informed her it was on the market when she told me to call her when I was serious. This house had been on the market for 2 years and we asked the new Realtor to submit our offer, she temporarily refused because it was to low. She did we got it. It looked so bad in the inside with red flocked wallpaper in the bedrooms, in fact it looked like a Bordello and the previous owner is an attorney. Apparently when this house was first built there was a write up in Sunset Mag about it. The original owner was an Interior Decorator. I always called it the house that Jack built and he forgot some things like how to keep termites from eating it...But we love the view and the very open house, my Mom always told me it is my tree house. No walls go to the ceiling other than one added on room so it is pretty open and entire floor to ceiling glass on the view side.

 

[CaraBou]

That's right Carolyn, it is your thread -- so will you show us your view? I could use some California sunshine. It is supposed to frost here tonight. So much for our tomatoes and peppers!

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

For the lice on our roses and tomatoes- a little bit of soap in a spritz bottle of water. Soapy water and annoying little insects don't mix well. For the insect, that is [emoji39]

 

[CaraBou]

For the lice on our roses and tomatoes- a little bit of soap in a spritz bottle of water. Soapy water and annoying little insects don't mix well. For the insect, that is [emoji39]

Thanks TEG. I've done that too for aphids on fruit trees; sometimes mixed with neem oil. This year seems especially bad, but maybe the frost will bite them from another angle.

Sorry cmz, I guess we're drifting. Better show us that view!

 

[soapmaker]

Thanks TEG. I've done that too for aphids on fruit trees; sometimes mixed with neem oil. This year seems especially bad, but maybe the frost will bite them from another angle.

Sorry cmz, I guess we're drifting. Better show us that view!

We are drifting....but pine tar soap works wonders for everything even ants.

 

[soapmaker]

^^^Because CO, PKO and Babassu are the oils that make nice bubbly soap, but are high in Lauric and Myristic Acids, Babassu actually being the higher of the three, causing the soap to be more cleansing and stripping our natural oils. Upping the CO/PKO to the 18-19% range is very drying to my hands, which are quite sensitive so it would not bother many folks.

Many will up superfat to compensate for higher CO, I never do that unless I make salt bars. My plumbing and I am sure many of my customer's plumbing do not appreciate a lot of free oil going down their drains. I know my plumbing bills went down when I decided to cut superfat

By curing longer it will help the soap become milder and less drying. Curing is not just evaporation of excess liquid in soap

If it ain't broke don't fix it applies here I broke it....

cmzaha....I put 1 c. baking soda down the drain followed by 1 cup vinegar. While it's foaming pour boiling water down the drain. It works for me.

 

[cmzaha]

cmzaha....I put 1 c. baking soda down the drain followed by 1 cup vinegar. While it's foaming pour boiling water down the drain. It works for me.

Drifting is okay. I knew there was a system for using baking soda, but could not remember what I had read. Thankyou for the info I am going to try it today. I have never been convinced that the lye does not react and form more soap in my drains. My problem is my main line has no fall and yuck does sit in the drains. My house is below street level.

How do you use pine tar soap for ants? I have a terrible time with ants this time of year. On the plus side the little buggers do eat subterranean termites, which is a plus here.... But I want them to stay outside.

 

[soapmaker]

I grate 1/3 of a bar of pine tar soap and dissolve it in 4 cups hot water, put it in a spray bottle and spray around the house where I see ants. It doesn't only repel, it kills, so better yet if you find the nest where they're coming from. You may have to spray more than once but then (at least for me) they're gone!