Another rebatch question

[Shelley D]

Hello y'all ~ I have a curiosity type question that I couldn't quite find an answer to searching the topics and threads (so much information, hard to refine my search).
How many times can a batch of CP be rebatched to fix a problem? I made an olive oil soap that never firmed up enough to remove from the molds so I did some recalculating, scraped the soft stuff back into a bowl and did a rebatch adding more lye solution, which totally went the other way, it got thick and lumpy. The first bit I could pour into the cavity molds, but the rest was just clumps that I mashed into the molds and by the next day it was just a hard crumbly mess. It was "soapy" in that it made a lather but it was super stripping on my skin so I got frustrated and threw it away. *I should add that the initial "test" was washing my soapy bowls, I got curious and worked a small bit on my hands; then, after a cure time of a couple months, i tested a bar in the shower, but after 2 showers I didn't want to use it anymore, which is when i threw it all away.
But then I wondered if it could have been salvaged? Maybe as a kind of confetti rebatch? Or is there a limit to how many times you can process and re-process your soap?

 

[Fireside]

I've been wondering that too. I don't have a definitive answer for you but I can tell you that recently I rebatched a batch of soap a second time and it seems to be just fine. I rebatched part of the rebatch with another batch of soap that didn't turn out how I wanted (Zany's Castille Soap, made to her specs but it cracked when I cut it [a topic for another post]) and I "partial rebatched" (mix the soap in with a new batch) another part of the rebatch. Both turned out okay which made me wonder how many times a batch of soap can be rebatched. In my experience, at least twice.

 

[AliOop]

There is no hard and fast rule. I've rebatched up to three times, but always stopped there because if things weren't fixed by then, I didn't want to waste more ingredients.

These days, I find it much easier and more fun to make confetti soap, chunky embeds, or ciaglia soap rather than rebatching. The results are usually much prettier, too.

 

[Zany_in_CO]

How many times can a batch of CP be rebatched to fix a problem?

As @AliOop said, "There is no hard and fast rule". It depends on why / what problem you're trying to remedy and the type of FAs and additives used to make the batch.

Before rebatching, it's best to post the printout, including any additives and your methed of processing in the Recipe Feedback Forum for help with troubleshooting the batch.

I made an olive oil soap that never firmed up enough to remove from the molds so I did some recalculating, scraped the soft stuff back into a bowl and did a rebatch adding more lye solution, which totally went the other way, it got thick and lumpy.

This is a good example of why it's best to identify the problem before rebatching to correct it.

Speaking from experience, 100% olive oil soap is notorious for taking a long time to trace (especially LS) and a long time to cook (especially LS). If you did it CP, you can expect it to be soft in the mold and take as long as 2 weeks to be firm enough to unmold and then another week or so before cutting to get a nice cut. Then at least 3 months cure after that. It's just the nature of the beast. But if you are patient, you are rewarded with one of the mildest soaps recommended for sensitive skin. Well worth the wait.

To correct the "thick and lumpy" soap, grate it up and rebatch it with enough olive oil to use up the additional lye solution. See how that works. Be patient. It will firm up along the lines mentioned above, or possibly less time.

For 100% Olive Oil castile (CP) have a look at Zany's No Slime Castile for a better option.



For 100% Olive Oil Castile Liquid Soap - The batch becomes soap in all of 2 minutes using KOH in glycerin (subbed for the water to make the lye solution) In Carrie Peterson's Glycerin LS.

The ONLY time I use the GLS technique is in making 100% Olive Oil castile or bastile. OO takes a long time to trace and to cook, so, and this is just me, I'm thrilled when it becomes soap in all of 2 minutes, using Carrie Petersen's Glycerin Liquid Soap Method



This was first published on YouTube in 2011. Since then, there have been many variations, of which @IrishLass 's is as good as it gets.

CAUTION: For experienced LS'ers only! Due to the high heat (over 210°F / 99°C) and possible exposure to toxic fumes if the KOH gets overheated (if it's yellow, it's scorched. Toss it.) Be sure to remove the melted KOH from heat the second you see "heat waves" rising from the surface.

HTH

 

[Shelley D]

As @AliOop said, "There is no hard and fast rule". It depends on why / what problem you're trying to remedy and the type of FAs and additives used to make the batch.

Before rebatching, it's best to post the printout, including any additives and your methed of processing in the Recipe Feedback Forum for help with troubleshooting the batch.


This is a good example of why it's best to identify the problem before rebatching to correct it.

Speaking from experience, 100% olive oil soap is notorious for taking a long time to trace (especially LS) and a long time to cook (especially LS). If you did it CP, you can expect it to be soft in the mold and take as long as 2 weeks to be firm enough to unmold and then another week or so before cutting to get a nice cut. Then at least 3 months cure after that. It's just the nature of the beast. But if you are patient, you are rewarded with one of the mildest soaps recommended for sensitive skin. Well worth the wait.

To correct the "thick and lumpy" soap, grate it up and rebatch it with enough olive oil to use up the additional lye solution. See how that works. Be patient. It will firm up along the lines mentioned above, or possibly less time.

For 100% Olive Oil castile (CP) have a look at Zany's No Slime Castile for a better option.



For 100% Olive Oil Castile Liquid Soap - The batch becomes soap in all of 2 minutes using KOH in glycerin (subbed for the water to make the lye solution) In Carrie Peterson's Glycerin LS.

The ONLY time I use the GLS technique is in making 100% Olive Oil castile or bastile. OO takes a long time to trace and to cook, so, and this is just me, I'm thrilled when it becomes soap in all of 2 minutes, using Carrie Petersen's Glycerin Liquid Soap Method



This was first published on YouTube in 2011. Since then, there have been many variations, of which @IrishLass 's is as good as it gets.

CAUTION: For experienced LS'ers only! Due to the high heat (over 210°F / 99°C) and possible exposure to toxic fumes if the KOH gets overheated (if it's yellow, it's scorched. Toss it.) Be sure to remove the melted KOH from heat the second you see "heat waves" rising from the surface.

HTH

Didn't realize there was a Recipe Feedback Forum ~ interesting and good to know for the next time! I have been experimenting with olive oil soap recipes and they all were firm enough to remove within a couple days. One of the first batches was an Aleppo Recipe with olive oil and Laure berry oil and I had used my last bar so this batch was a 2nd time around so I have no clue what went wrong since I followed the same recipe (80 OO/20 LB, made with goat's milk) Maybe I measured something wrong.
I have since made another batch and it came out fine