I abandoned heating oil

[zolveria]

I have successfully used the heat of the lye to melt my hard oils.

Love this process much better. so many years heating oils.

Just made 2 batches
one Sea Salt and Sand Soap

and My very famour Rosemary Rosemary Soap

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Indeed! I was so glad when I tried that at the suggestion of Susie and others here. Certainly saves a bit of time and energy

 

[Susie]

You will need to pre-heat the solid oils in the cooler months(I do, even in the deep south.), but yes, it saves time and energy! And I got it from someone else, I promise, I did not invent it.

 

[dixiedragon]

I'll have to try it again - I tried it last winter and the lye water heat wasn't enough.

 

[Susie]

I melt my lard and CO in cooler months. My house needs to be at least 73F to not have to melt oils. I keep the house 68F in the winter.

 

[not_ally]

Susie, how does this work w/your recipes (even in the summer) w/so much lard? Ie; W/mine - 65-75 % lard usually - there just seems too much of it to get melted by the lye water. It's warm enough here now that the CO is liquid at RT, but I still have to melt those big old dollops of lard.

Also, assume this would be hard to do if soaping w/the split method? Again, just seems as if there wouldn't be enough liquid to melt the hard oils.

Do you guys find a benefit other than convenience/speed? I know that I've read that some people find that the thermal transfer method slows trace for some reason, although I don't really understand the mechanics there.