Using alcohol to prevent soap ash?

[Amber1111]

As my first batch of soap is curing, it's developing a thin layer of soap ash on the top. I read that you can spray a little alcohol on the top of the soap right after you pour it in the mold to prevent this. Has anyone tried this and does it work? What kind of alcohol do I use, rubbing alcohol? Thanks for any advice!

 

[carebear]

Actually, spraying a LOT of alcohol helps. Mostly. And yes, the rubbing kind. 70% is ok, but 90% is better by far. You want to totally wet the top of your soap with a fine mist. I do it twice - once it has set up in the mold and then about an hour later. The second probably isn't necessary but I AM a bit OCD.

 

[nattynoo]

I've embraced ash, in fact I like it.
Tip for spraying though - make sure you get it even otherwise you'll get part ash part not. Well at least this is what I found, ask me how I know???

 

[reallyrita]

I do the alcohol spritz immediately after pouring. I have excellent results when I use rubbing alcohol 90. The 70% one gave me only so-so results.
It is harder to get rid of all ash when you have a very textured top but my smooth-topped soaps do not have any ash since I started spritzing. I am pretty heavy-handed with the bottle. It does keep that ash at bay.

 

[kelleyaynn]

Actually, spraying a LOT of alcohol helps. Mostly. And yes, the rubbing kind. 70% is ok, but 90% is better by far. You want to totally wet the top of your soap with a fine mist. I do it twice - once it has set up in the mold and then about an hour later. The second probably isn't necessary but I AM a bit OCD.

Thanks for the tip. I have an FO that seems to encourage ash formation, so I'll try that the next time I use that FO.

 

[Pepper]

I never had a problem with ash when I used to gel, but since I started doing RT CP, and not gelling, now I get ash. I finally remembered with my last batch, and sprayed madly with alcohol (70%), and NO ASH!! Yay, it does work. But I was wondering if it's only on non-gelled soap, as in my experience?

 

[Amber1111]

This is a total newbie question but what is gelling? How do i do it and know whether I should be or not? I have only made 1 batch and i just followed the recipe in my book.

 

[agriffin]

This is a total newbie question but what is gelling? How do i do it and know whether I should be or not? I have only made 1 batch and i just followed the recipe in my book.

Here are some pictures from Soapbuddy...

http://soapmakingforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23703

 

[Araseth]

I never had a problem with ash when I used to gel, but since I started doing RT CP, and not gelling, now I get ash. I finally remembered with my last batch, and sprayed madly with alcohol (70%), and NO ASH!! Yay, it does work. But I was wondering if it's only on non-gelled soap, as in my experience?

I was the same, little to no ash on gelled soap. I recently tried not gelling and got ash quite bad. Didn't know about this alcohol tip though, will be trying that in the future.

 

[carebear]

another tip is that if your formula is more than 65% hard oils, you really need to gel, else it is very likely you will get thick, sticky ash that no amount of alcohol will prevent.

i was told this, but didn't believe it. because I need to make every mistake myself. twice. maybe 3 times.

 

[kelleyaynn]

another tip is that if your formula is more than 65% hard oils, you really need to gel, else it is very likely you will get thick, sticky ash that no amount of alcohol will prevent.

i was told this, but didn't believe it. because I need to make every mistake myself. twice. maybe 3 times.

I'm assuming lard would be considered a hard oil?

 

[carebear]

Yep
And yes I am sure there are exceptions.

 

[back2ack]

alcohol

I found the 91% and sprayed my soap-how long until the alcohol smell goes away??

 

[Fragola]

how long until the alcohol smell goes away??

By the time you are reading the very words I'm typing

Since alcohol goes away so quickly, I am wondering how can it possibly help. Maybe because it eats the lye before it can turn to ash ...

 

[Soapsugoii]

Interesting! I'll have to try this. I occasionally get ash, but I usually just wipe it off when I'm buffing my soap with a towel before I give it away. It comes off pretty easily in general

 

[Stinkydancer]

another tip is that if your formula is more than 65% hard oils, you really need to gel, else it is very likely you will get thick, sticky ash that no amount of alcohol will prevent.

i was told this, but didn't believe it. because I need to make every mistake myself. twice. maybe 3 times.

LOL- this is my problem...Alcohol never helped at all. I just trim the ash off since it's usually on my textured top...Sigh...

Beeswax did seem to help but it could have been a fluke.

Also- it's ash is worse if I don't gel. Go figure.

 

[Moonblossom]

I swear I almost have a layer of alcohol on the top of mine after I'm done spraying my soap, and if I forgot I have serious ash.

 

[Maythorn]

I only seem to get ash if I gell or the temps were too low with a recipe. But alcohol didn't help much, if at all with it.