Beginner Soapmaking Tips? Working with milk.

[CherryGardenGirl]

Hello!

I am a new soapmaker and was wondering if there were any important tips that I should know?

So far, I've read two books by Susan Miller Cavitch. I know to wear protective clothing (goggles, gloves, mask) when working with lye and to always pour lye into water, instead of the other way around!

I have milking goats and I have been experimenting with the milk but I have a big question about it! Does the milk have to be frozen solid, slushy, or totally thawed before you add the lye????

Thanks ahead of time!

 

[Zenobiah]

Here you go! Decent soapmaking books on milk soapmaking without making things seem overly scary or complicated.

 

[Half Caper Farm]

What kind of goats do you have? I'm milking Saanens right now, but have a couple of LaManchas and a Nubian bred for the spring.

I've made a few batches of GM soap now, and I've had best luck with "slushy" milk. The last batch I did, the milk was frozen hard, then thawed to slush, and I ended up with funny white spots all through it. Not lye, thank goodness. I put the container with the milk into a sink full of cold water, and ice packs, and mix it very slowly. The milk will turn an interesting shade of yellow - about the same as your rubber gloves! - but it will go to a nice tan when mixed with the oils, and cured.

You're going to love your milk soap - everyone I've given a bar to has asked for more. I can even use mine on my face without feeling like I just walked across the Sahara desert.

 

[CherryGardenGirl]

Half Caper Farm thanks for replying! I have three Nubians If everything goes well, all three should be kidding out this Spring! At the moment though, I just have one milking doe. My other two are still at the breeder's so its giving me lots of time to get set up with the ADGA and experiment with all our frozen milk How many goats do you have? I would like to add a Saanen or two to my little herd in the future!

I will definitely try the slushy milk. Some video tutorials on the web show how to make GM soap all three ways so I wasn't too sure what worked best!

Keep replying soapers! I can use all the advice possible

Oh yeah, where do all of you buy your coconut oils? I noticed Sams Club didn't have it and local health food stores are waaaay too much.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I like to freeze the milk into ice cube trays and use it that way. I get very creamy coloured soap that way. :wink:

 

[ycartf]

Usually you can find CO at Wal-Mart in about a 2lb container ... found near the cooking oils and Crisco. As far as using milk, I have used the following method on all my milk batches. I just discount the amount of water I use to account for the milk volume, then add the milk after my lye and oils are first blended up good together. For instance, if I need 32 oz of water, I will mix the lye with only 20oz of water, then add a 12oz can of milk to the oils/lye after initially blending together (you will get an ammonia smell so don't be alarmed). When using milk, I lower my temperatures to 100 F for lye and oils, so I don't overheat, then cover the wooden slab molds with a cardboard box "just until it gels completely" and uncover. Works like a charm!

 

[Half Caper Farm]

Milk comes in a can?

I use 100% milk, straight from the goat.

How many goats do I have? I think there's about 37 plus 4 that are someone else's. Two little Nigerian Dwarfs in for breeding, a big stinky hairy LaMancha buck on loan, and a wether that was born here, whose owners are in Florida for the winter.

OMG, I've just realized that I will have eleven milkers in the spring!

 

[IrishLass]

It would be so nice to have milk straight from the goat. The next best thing that I can get here is the *fresh* refrigerated GM in a carton from Meyenberg. I never freeze it or slushify it, though. It's just too much hassle for me. I just use it straight from the fridge, or at room temp. I also never mix my lye directly into it. I divide the liquid amount of my batch into half water and half GM. My lye gets mixed with the water part, and the GM gets mixed with the oils before adding the water/lye solution. That makes a 50% milk soap. For a 100% milk soap, I proceed as I would normally do for a 50%, but I add enough powdered GM to the liquid GM portion in order to make the milk concentration for the whole batch equal to 100% GM.

IrishLass

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Milk comes in a can?

I use 100% milk, straight from the goat.

How many goats do I have? I think there's about 37 plus 4 that are someone else's. Two little Nigerian Dwarfs in for breeding, a big stinky hairy LaMancha buck on loan, and a wether that was born here, whose owners are in Florida for the winter.

OMG, I've just realized that I will have eleven milkers in the spring!

I really should come over there and show you in person and help you to milk the goats (I soooo want goats).

I use pure fresh, goat's milk with no water. I posted some photos on one of my posts somewhere on this forum. :wink:

 

[Half Caper Farm]

[quote="Half Caper Farm":1tch8hvz]Milk comes in a can?

I use 100% milk, straight from the goat.

How many goats do I have? I think there's about 37 plus 4 that are someone else's. Two little Nigerian Dwarfs in for breeding, a big stinky hairy LaMancha buck on loan, and a wether that was born here, whose owners are in Florida for the winter.

OMG, I've just realized that I will have eleven milkers in the spring!

I really should come over there and show you in person and help you to milk the goats (I soooo want goats).

I use pure fresh, goat's milk with no water. I posted some photos on one of my posts somewhere on this forum. :wink:[/quote:1tch8hvz]

Oh, I already know how to make GM soap! I'm not the OP.

I might have a cousin from England coming over in June to learn all about goats - she's going to have to learn to milk them. :twisted:

 

[Soaps House]

Hello,

I like to add the lye to 1/3 of the milk (chilled) and then add the other 2/3 of the Milk (frozen) to keep the temperature of the lye mixture down, so we don't burn the soap. I don't add the frozen milk all at once. I'll add half and as it melts add the second half. It really isn't as difficult as some would have you believe. We always end up with beautiful soap.

Happy Soaping
John

 

[CherryGardenGirl]

I'll have to try those methods . . . I was worried about the high temps of the lye reaction killing the good stuff in the goat milk!

Another question! Do all of you measure your ingredients by volume (measuring cups) or by weight on a scale? I'm considering buying a cheap digital scale that measures grams and ounces, they're only $7 on ebay!

 

[dagmar88]

Weight in grams is the most accurate; I'd go for that scale :wink:

 

[Soaps House]

I'll have to try those methods . . . I was worried about the high temps of the lye reaction killing the good stuff in the goat milk!

Another question! Do all of you measure your ingredients by volume (measuring cups) or by weight on a scale? I'm considering buying a cheap digital scale that measures grams and ounces, they're only $7 on ebay!

Hello,

Use a scale not measuring cups...you don't want to risk putting too much lye or not enough oil.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Half Caper Farm wrote:

Oh, I already know how to make GM soap! I'm not the OP.

So you're not, I got confused. Makes no never mind, I can still come over and milk your goats.

 

[Half Caper Farm]

Half Caper Farm wrote:

Oh, I already know how to make GM soap! I'm not the OP.

So you're not, I got confused. Makes no never mind, I can still come over and milk your goats.

Sure you can, but it's rather a long way! And right now you'd probably freeze to death.