CPHP using KOH?

[Melodee]

Hi All ~ You ladies (and gents) have gotten me so excited about trying CPHP soap! But unfortunately when I purchased my supplies, I was thinking only liquid soap - so I bought 8 pounds (the smallest I could get) or KOH. My question, can I substitute the KOH for NaOH? I see that the calculators give me that option for CP; but didn't know if it was valid for CPHP...

I tried to search the forum and couldn't find if this question has already been asked and answered, my apologies, if it has

Thank you all for your encouragement thru this forum!! You are a very talented and clever group!

Melodee

 

[xraygrl]

liquid soap can be done hot or cold process like bar soap can, but either way if you are using KOH, you will only get liquid soap paste. Now, I know that back in the day when they used potash to make soap, it was a paste and they would add salt to make a solid bar so maybe it's possible you could try the same. I'm no chemist though so hopefully someone will come along that cann answer your question better.

 

[Melodee]

thank you Xraygrl - that explanation made perfect sense! Slowly all this chemistry is becoming understandable.

Amazingly, I've been having trouble finding lye! The place where I got the KOH, well, I had to buy 25 pounds!! But DH to the rescue, he found out you have to ask for it at the hardware store now (I guess people use it to make drugs).

I'm so excited about making my first batch of soap!!!

Melodee

 

[Bigmoose]

I remember reading about this a long time ago. I think the KOH has a much smaller molecule makeup than NaOH and that is why you get liquid soap from KOH and bars from NaOH.

Bruce