Yesterday I was mixing my oils together and I noticed that tiny bubbles formed in the oil mixture. I used coconut oil, olive oil, sunflower seed oil and maize oil. I tried to pop those bubbles with my stirring rod but they were too small so they just kind of bounced away. I didn't encounter this problem when I did my 100% coconut oil batch. So I'm just wondering, are those tiny bubbles normal, or did I get some low quality oil. the sunflower seed oil and maize oil were significantly cheaper than the coconut oil, and while the coconut oil smelled like coconuts, the other two just smelled like oils.
bubbles in oil
- Thread starter MiHan
- Start date
Help Support Soapmaking Forum:
Are you using a stick blender to mix your oils? I get bubbles when I pour my liquid oils but once I add my lye and place my stick blender in I burb the bell before mixing. No bubbles after that.
I was blending with one of those stainless steel egg scramlers by hand. It's basically an upgrade from a glass stirring rod...
I'm thinking maybe I was pouring my liquid oils too fast. I measured those in a smaller beaker and then transfered them to a bigger one. I poured the oil real fast to reduce the amount of oil left in the smaller beaker.
I'm thinking maybe I was pouring my liquid oils too fast. I measured those in a smaller beaker and then transfered them to a bigger one. I poured the oil real fast to reduce the amount of oil left in the smaller beaker.
If you are using a whisk you are adding air into the oils. That's likely the problem. Also, you should not be making soap in glass. Plastic with a 5 or 2 in the triangle on the bottome or stainless steel are the best.
Then I should probably get a stickblender. It doesn't make sense to stir for four hours and make soaps with air bubbles in them.
And I should get polyethylene containers too. I now remember even diluted lye solutions were store in those black plastic bottles in my lab. I was using glass beaker because I really enjoyed doing labs back in college. I'm certain they can survive the temperature and the basicity of the lye for a while. Are there any other reasons to switch over to polyethylene containers? Like will the reaction go faster in polyethylene?
Thank you very much for the help.
And I should get polyethylene containers too. I now remember even diluted lye solutions were store in those black plastic bottles in my lab. I was using glass beaker because I really enjoyed doing labs back in college. I'm certain they can survive the temperature and the basicity of the lye for a while. Are there any other reasons to switch over to polyethylene containers? Like will the reaction go faster in polyethylene?
Thank you very much for the help.
Stickblenders make soapmaking go so much easier/quicker, but keep in mind that they can add air bubbles, too- some more than others depending on the design of the bell that houses the blade. I have 3 different brands of stickblenders, each with different bell housings, but only one of them does not generate air bubbles. The other 2 generate air bubbles unless I 'burp' them (as Shari mentioned in one of her posts above), but I never have to 'burp' the other one. To give you an idea of what type of bell housing to look for when shopping for a stickblender, here is a thread where I show pics of the different bell housing on each of my stickblenders: http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showpost.php?p=644279&postcount=14
The reaction won't go faster in polyethylene, but it will be safer. The reason why we recommend against using glass- even tempered glass- is because a good handful of soapers have reported incidents of their Pyrex containers shattering/breaking when mixing either lye solution or soap in them. I liken soaping in glass to playing Russian Roulette. You might be safe for a certain amount of time, but you never know when it's going to go 'KABLOOIE!' on you. Better to be safe than sorry. Also, clean-up is a whole lot easier/safer with plastic as opposed to glass if you ever have the misfortune of dropping your mixing container.
IrishLass
"..Are there any other reasons to switch over to polyethylene containers?..."
In a word ... breakage. Lye solution or raw soap batter on the floor is bad enough. Mix either with glass shards and you greatly increase the risk of serious injury.
In the lab, borosilicate glass is better for precision analytical work because it can be cleaned more easily to an ultra-pure standard, and glass tolerates a wider range of working conditions. In the home, we're making soap, not doing quantitative analysis, so the need for super cleanliness and the ability to withstand a gas flame or vacuum doesn't apply. In the lab, you have chemical resistant flooring and counters, enclosed vented chemical hoods, an eye wash and safety shower close to hand, and no pets, kids, or husbands underfoot. In the home, you have little or none of that.
I'm with the others on this point -- the wisest choice is polyethylene or polypropylene containers, not glass.
In a word ... breakage. Lye solution or raw soap batter on the floor is bad enough. Mix either with glass shards and you greatly increase the risk of serious injury.
In the lab, borosilicate glass is better for precision analytical work because it can be cleaned more easily to an ultra-pure standard, and glass tolerates a wider range of working conditions. In the home, we're making soap, not doing quantitative analysis, so the need for super cleanliness and the ability to withstand a gas flame or vacuum doesn't apply. In the lab, you have chemical resistant flooring and counters, enclosed vented chemical hoods, an eye wash and safety shower close to hand, and no pets, kids, or husbands underfoot. In the home, you have little or none of that.
I'm with the others on this point -- the wisest choice is polyethylene or polypropylene containers, not glass.
