MommaSoaper
Well-Known Member
Do you have an industrial dishwasher, hand wash, or use your regular dishwasher? Curious 
How do you wash your soaping dishes?
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Obsidian
Well-Known Member
I hand wash mine but I let them sit for a day or two so any residue can saponify. Easier to clean then fresh oily batter.
I do use the dish washer for spatulas and the stick blender but only after I've soaked any batter off. I don't want scented dishes
I do use the dish washer for spatulas and the stick blender but only after I've soaked any batter off. I don't want scented dishes
I wait a day or two to wash dishes and utensils that have soap batter in our dishwasher; I use the 'heavy duty' function which might be overkill. Our new house has a dishwasher, a first for my wife after 30 years of using the human type of dishwasher -- we're livin' like kings!
@Obsidian , I didn't recognize you at first!
@Obsidian , I didn't recognize you at first!
This might be a dumb question, but, isn't it just soap? Wouldn't a rinse in hot water do it?
I've taken to wiping everything as clean as possible with old newspaper.
Then, I hand wash everything with Dawn.
I rarely use the dishwasher because most of my soap-ware is plastic and I don't want them damaged or desire to have to dry them after they've been washed.
Then, I hand wash everything with Dawn.
I rarely use the dishwasher because most of my soap-ware is plastic and I don't want them damaged or desire to have to dry them after they've been washed.
Bubble Agent
Well-Known Member
I scrape everything out very well, use paper to wipe out any residual batter left in nooks and crannies, and then handwash in the sink with hot soapy water (soap = dish detergent. Yes. I know. Waaah?). There isn`t really much soap left in the containers to worry about, so that has worked very well for me.
Do you use dish soap because your soap batter is formulated for skin? So it leaves a residue?
Bubble Agent
Well-Known Member
Not a dumb question at all.
When you have made a new soap, it takes some time for the lye to react with the oils. Until it does it will not be proper soap, but a gloppy mix of freefloating oils and partially saponified soap and lye. You can see it if you fill a pot you have used for the batter, and you fill it with warm water. You will see beads of oil forming on top and maybe some very weak suds, but not enough to wash the pot clean with.
Depending on the lye discount (superfat) more or less oils will be freefloating in the water, because it hasn`t had time to become soap yet, and you will either need to let it sit until the saponification process is reasonably finished (a day or two) like a lot of people do, or scrape out all the batter very well, use paper to remove more residue and then wash the pots with warm water and dish detergent that will help break up free floating oils so they don`t start to clog up your sewage system.
I am not sure if I am misunderstanding you, so let me know if I am a bit unclear or miss the mark.
I use storebought dish detergent (not real CP soap) to wash my soapy pots and pans, because it cuts through the grease well.
My soap is formulated for skin yes, but it does not have a high superfat because the soap I make is very mild and gentle on the skin. My soap leaves the skin soft and clean but not greasy. But that is after the soap has finished curing.
Raw soapbatter will always be a bit oily in the beginning no matter what, that is why it needs time to saponify. I always use gloves to handle the caustic batter.
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MommaSoaper
Well-Known Member
I actually thought twice about even posting the question because it does sound a little self explanatory. I usually hand wash but the more I soap, the more dishes etc accumulate. I started putting in the new dishwasher but I'm seeing sediment accumulating around the bottom of the washer. Im sure it's going to take a toll on the dishwasher if I continue. I can let them sit in water and let the soap dissolve and then put them in the washer. Just wanted to know what most people practice.
Thank you for responding! Your answer was exactly what I was looking for. I was afraid that I was going to muck up the pipes with all this soap.
I'm sorry I'm not conveying what I mean.
Hypothetical situation:
You make a batch of soap.
You leave your dishes to sit, let's say, two days so whatever soap is left saponifies.
Now the batter residue that was left behind is now soap and no longer caustic? Am I missing something there? (Sorry, super new to all this and trying to get as much information as I can before I start Cold Process)
Since that batter is now soap itself, couldn't you just clean it out? Why use soap to clean out soap?
Or is it that dish soap is more striping by design to leave dishes clean with no residue; and the soap leftover from the batter is more "clingy" because it's designed to not dry out skin?
Basically, does the CP saponified soap batter leave a residue on soapmaking tools that cannot be rinsed off with just water; and therefore can only be removed by a more hardcore, dish soap?
Bubble Agent
Well-Known Member
You are very welcome
Yes, as long as you don`t wash raw and unsaponified soapbatter down the drain, or let it accumulate inside your diswasher, you will be ok.
I think I agree with you that it would be wise to not put unwashed soaping utensils in the dishwasher if it has raw soapbatter on it.
For the buildup - perhaps you can use some white vinegar and baking soda and do a couple of cycles without anything in it? It will help with build up and other residues, whether it is food or other things. Since it is a newer one it won`t take much if you start now. I did that with our 15 year old dishwasher that got build up after something happened to the water system in our area. It really helped.
I used about 1 dl (3oz) white vinegar in a container that sat on the top shelf, and put baking soda that I had mixed with a teaspoon of liquid dishdetergent and made it into a sort of putty that I put inside the drawer you usually put soap in.
I have even done that when I have run out of dishwasher soap and need a quick remedy!
Bubble Agent
Well-Known Member
No worries! Asking questions is a good thing. I hope I can get my point accross without confusing you to much.
But I think understand what you mean now:
Soap that has been fully saponified - aka has become soap - is no longer caustic as long it has fully used up all the lye to turn the oils into soap.
The soap will not be mild, but it will not be caustic as such - you are correct.
When I said I used soap to clean out soap (dishdetergent liquid) that was to wash away the raw soap.
Some people let soap equipment sit until the saponification process is finished and THEN they wash things.
Others - like me - wash when my soap is NOT saponified. (but after scraping everything out with spatulas and wiping with paper) So I needed detergent to break up the oily film that was on my soaping utensils.
When you talk about "clingy" residue of the soap after the saponification, it will depend on the superfat you use (or lye discount as you also will see people talk about. It basically means the same thing in the end so don`t get to hung up on it)
The higher the superfat, the more residue it will leave behind.
Now mind you that residue may not be free oils seeping out of the soap. No, the oils in the soap have been in contact with the lye and undergone a chemical change. I can`t remember what it is called (It is late here, so I don`t have my head screwed on properly to describe the process as clear as should., sorry)
But - if you have a high superfat in a soap, even if it is ready soap and all is saponified, you may need aid of an detergent to get the utensils and pots squeeky clean for your next soaping session. You just have to see how things turn out when you soap and act accordingly to the feel of your soap. So don`t worry to much about that now
Since you are new and haven`t been soaping just yet - clean utensils are very important. And gloves, even for cleaning out soap, and you are not sure it is caustic still. Gloves in general is a good thing.
I hope I didn`t confuse you! Looking forward to your journey, and no question is to stupid to ask.
MommaSoaper
Well-Known Member
I will definitely start doing this immediately! I waited a long time for a new dish washer and want to keep it working for as long as possible. Thank you so much for the suggestion. Your soaping wisdom is greatly appreciated.You are very welcome
Yes, as long as you don`t wash raw and unsaponified soapbatter down the drain, or let it accumulate inside your diswasher, you will be ok.
I think I agree with you that it would be wise to not put unwashed soaping utensils in the dishwasher if it has raw soapbatter on it.
For the buildup - perhaps you can use some white vinegar and baking soda and do a couple of cycles without anything in it? It will help with build up and other residues, whether it is food or other things. Since it is a newer one it won`t take much if you start now. I did that with our 15 year old dishwasher that got build up after something happened to the water system in our area. It really helped.
I used about 1 dl (3oz) white vinegar in a container that sat on the top shelf, and put baking soda that I had mixed with a teaspoon of liquid dishdetergent and made it into a sort of putty that I put inside the drawer you usually put soap in.
I have even done that when I have run out of dishwasher soap and need a quick remedy!
I use Dawn to get things clean.
On a rare occasion, I will leave something to sit overnight and turn into soap. But even then, I do more than just rinse them. (you can soak them and "fresh" soap will dissolve completely.)
I wash them so there's no residual on anything that might interfere with my next soaping.
better to be safe than sure.
THIS is VERY helpful!!!! Thank you so much for explaining it in such detail! Much appreciated!No worries! Asking questions is a good thing. I hope I can get my point accross without confusing you to much.
But I think understand what you mean now:
Soap that has been fully saponified - aka has become soap - is no longer caustic as long it has fully used up all the lye to turn the oils into soap.
The soap will not be mild, but it will not be caustic as such - you are correct.
When I said I used soap to clean out soap (dishdetergent liquid) that was to wash away the raw soap.
Some people let soap equipment sit until the saponification process is finished and THEN they wash things.
Others - like me - wash when my soap is NOT saponified. (but after scraping everything out with spatulas and wiping with paper) So I needed detergent to break up the oily film that was on my soaping utensils.
When you talk about "clingy" residue of the soap after the saponification, it will depend on the superfat you use (or lye discount as you also will see people talk about. It basically means the same thing in the end so don`t get to hung up on it)
The higher the superfat, the more residue it will leave behind.
Now mind you that residue may not be free oils seeping out of the soap. No, the oils in the soap have been in contact with the lye and undergone a chemical change. I can`t remember what it is called (It is late here, so I don`t have my head screwed on properly to describe the process as clear as should., sorry)
But - if you have a high superfat in a soap, even if it is ready soap and all is saponified, you may need aid of an detergent to get the utensils and pots squeeky clean for your next soaping session. You just have to see how things turn out when you soap and act accordingly to the feel of your soap. So don`t worry to much about that now
Since you are new and haven`t been soaping just yet - clean utensils are very important. And gloves, even for cleaning out soap, and you are not sure it is caustic still. Gloves in general is a good thing.
I hope I didn`t confuse you! Looking forward to your journey, and no question is to stupid to ask.
I had never even thought about THIS!!! That makes TOTAL sense! Thank you so much for your advice! Much appreciated!
SirSoapsAlot
Member
I wipe everything out with a cleaning rag which I will bag up and put into the laundry with a load a few days later. I wash everything using a liquid soap I also make. Occasionally after everything drips dry I will notice a film like I didn't wash it as well as I thought... plastic can be so difficult to get residues off. Sometimes it's hard to tell when you have heavy gloves on. Because of this, after handwashing, I now throw most things that held oil into the top rack of the dishwasher just to be safe and have no surprises. I hand dry when it is done just to speed up getting everything put away. I did try to put everything in a pail once when I was on a tight schedule with intention to wash after it turned to soap, but it didn't seem to make the process easier so I'll probably only do that when I am rushing out do to family schedules.
I use a paper tablecloth to protect my surface when I soap. After I am done, I tear off the paper topping and use that to wipe down all my soaping utensils. Then I roll up everything in the underlying plastic layer and throw it all away. I let the utensils sit for a couple of days until I unmold my soap. They easily wash even without much additional soap.
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