Crumbly soap - temperature problem?

[renata]

Well, I made a soap batch 2 days ago. I'm quite new to soapmaking so I know one learns from his mistakes, but I have to find out what caused this problem.

I believe I made quite a few mistakes with this batch:
- I mixed lye flakes with water ice cubes so it didn't warmed up. It was quite cool when I mixed it with oils (oils were at room temperature)
- because I like the look of ungelled soap I put it in the refrigerator. I usually take my soap out the next day and leave it at room temp. for one more day. And then I cut it. This time I left it in refigerator for 2 days.
- I put 1tbs of TD in a batch of 500g of oils. To much?
- I tried to cut my cold soap but it was crumbly. So I left it to warm up and tried few hours later. Crumbly anyway.

So...this was my first disaster but I think I saved it. I used one piece of soap as a 'modeling clay' and fixed other bars by filling the cracks and smooth it out. it looks ok.

But do you think that soap will be crumbly after it is completely cured?

And what is the main problem? Too cold lye solution, too much time in refrigerator or too much TD? (it is definitely not lye heavy)

Thank you for all your answers

 

[dagmar88]

Did you zap test?

 

[renata]

I did. No zap

 

[judymoody]

Do you have a picture?

I'm not sure, to be honest. For what it's worth, I find it preferable to dissolve lye in room temperature water and let it cool because then I'm sure the lye dissolved completely. Even when I make milk or beer soaps, I may use cold liquid but not ice.

Could be the TD - I've never used that much.

Perhaps somebody else will offer some more definitive help.

 

[renata]

Thanks Judymoody.
I don't have a picture, because I filled the cracks and smooth it...it looks ok now. I'm just worried aboout crumpbling when fully cured

 

[Sihir]

I had almost this exact same problem with a batch I did a few months ago. The soap was super crumbly and not at all like the regular soap texture I'm used to, even after plentiful curing. What I did different that time was putting it in the fridge right after pouring it.

Made the same recipe again a few weeks later (same amount and types of EOs) and left it out, wrapped in a towel instead. Cured like a dream - so my (uneducated and somewhat novice) guess is temperature...

 

[Lizteria]

I had crumbly soap yesterday. I'd used a recipe with a water discount, and added goats milk powder to my oils. The soap was just too dry. I had to rebatch it last night and add another 5oz water. Cut it today, it's fine.


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