I made a mistake...

[madison]

I decided to do my small experimenting batches all at one time to save time next week to catch up with other things. I prepared my lye solution in a big batch to work on all of them one by one to try new FO and colorants. One of the batches didn't reach a trace, it took so long stick blending, after I am done with all of them I am thinking I may have not added lye to that one, I am not sure, it has been few hours now, still thick liquid but not like any of the other batches.
How do I determine that it doesn't have lye? What advice you can give me to fix it?
Thank you
Edit to add/
I need help to calculate the % of lye I have used in each batch, please, I figured out where I made the mistake.
I made 10 small testing batches of 700 grams of oils each , the total liquid amount is 2184 grams, I was supposed to use 218.4 for each batch. For some reason I have used 371 grams of 31% lye solution for 6 of them, I missed one, and added 342 grams for the last three batches, so how much I added to each one of them? Was the lye concentration in the first 6 batches 52%, while in the last ones it was 48%? If my calculation is right, do I expect the batches to crumble?
Thank you

 

[lsg]

Have you got a pH strip? Heat the mixture up until it is just liquid and use a pH strip to try and get a reading. Don't know if this will work with oils and fats. Maybe someone else has a better idea.

 

[madison]

Have you got a pH strip? Heat the mixture up until it is just liquid and use a pH strip to try and get a reading. Don't know if this will work with oils and fats. Maybe someone else has a better idea.

Thank you Isg. Actually I did that already right after posting the question, I got 5.5 , most likely I didn't add the lye it's not the new FO I am testing.
I wonder if I can just add the lye ?

 

[lsg]

I don't see why not, if you fats/oils are liquid.

 

[madison]

I don't see why not, if you fats/oils are liquid.

Ok, I'll add it.

 

[Lin19687]

Hope it turns out, so hate it when I forget something but it is too late to do anything about it.
Looks like you caught it

 

[madison]

Hope it turns out, so hate it when I forget something but it is too late to do anything about it.
Looks like you caught it

I hope so too. Thank you Lin.

 

[Mlroun]

My mistake is worse than Madison’s. I tried my first loaf size and it turned into a messy glob. When I went to clean up today I realized their was a hard ring of lye left in my container. It’s good Essential Depot lye so I can’t blame the lye.
Since I don’t know how much lye I’m missing I guess I need to trash it? It’s the largest batch I’ve made so I can’t bring myself to dump it till I check with all of you experienced soapers!

 

[madison]

My mistake is worse than Madison’s. I tried my first loaf size and it turned into a messy glob. When I went to clean up today I realized their was a hard ring of lye left in my container. It’s good Essential Depot lye so I can’t blame the lye.
Since I don’t know how much lye I’m missing I guess I need to trash it? It’s the largest batch I’ve made so I can’t bring myself to dump it till I check with all of you experienced soapers!

Almost a year ago, I had my first 7 lb. batch , it was my biggest one. I had to cut it and use it in confetti soap, I still have plenty of it. I didn't make any more batches of that size until now

 

[Mlroun]

I'm temped to mix up half the lye amount and try to re batch. I guess I never mixed my solution. I did get it to trace. It looked beautiful for a few hours and them it was all over

 

[madison]

I have been having hard time melting the oils, maybe FO, mica and too much stick blending are the culprit.
I have used Bain-Marie on the stove and in the oven for long time, the oils are becoming thicker Any suggestions?

 

[atiz]

I have been having hard time melting the oils, maybe FO, mica and too much stick blending are the culprit.
I have used Bain-Marie on the stove and in the oven for long time, the oils are becoming thicker Any suggestions?

Are you stickblending before the oils are melted? Or maybe I don't understand.
That sounds weird. I usually just use a stainless steel pitcher directly on the stove top on low heat, and that does the trick. Or you can also microwave.

 

[madison]

Are you stickblending before the oils are melted? Or maybe I don't understand.
That sounds weird. I usually just use a stainless steel pitcher directly on the stove top on low heat, and that does the trick. Or you can also microwave.

They are not melting, they are becoming much thicker and harder every time I try to re-melt them.
I didn't sb while melting the oils, a lot of sb happened earlier when I was thinking that I had added the lye.

 

[atiz]

They are not melting, they are becoming much thicker and harder every time I try to re-melt them.
I didn't sb while melting the oils, a lot of sb happened earlier when I was thinking that I had added the lye.

It's hard to say anything since I don't know what oils you are using. Oils/fats do melt in high temps, so maybe what you have is not oils, after all. Maybe you do have soap (although soap melts too). A fuller description and/or picture might help.

 

[madison]

It's hard to say anything since I don't know what oils you are using. Oils/fats do melt in high temps, so maybe what you have is not oils, after all. Maybe you do have soap (although soap melts too). A fuller description and/or picture might help.

you are right, I washed my hands with it, it's actually soap but very hard. It should be lye heavy as well. I would really love if I can do something about it.

 

[atiz]

you are right, I washed my hands with it, it's actually soap but very hard. It should be lye heavy as well. I would really love if I can do something about it.

Yes, that looks like soap!
I would zap test it first and if it is okay then maybe try to rebatch so that you could put it into a mold.

 

[madison]

Yes, that looks like soap!
I would zap test it first and if it is okay then maybe try to rebatch so that you could put it into a mold.

Thank you atiz. I think the long time the soap was exposed to the heat when I was trying to re-melt it has helped with the extra amount of lye.
I am already re-batching.

 

[DWinMadison]

Thank you Isg. Actually I did that already right after posting the question, I got 5.5 , most likely I didn't add the lye it's not the new FO I am testing.
I wonder if I can just add the lye ?

You should be able to get a good idea from how full you mold is.

 

[linne1gi]

My mistake is worse than Madison’s. I tried my first loaf size and it turned into a messy glob. When I went to clean up today I realized their was a hard ring of lye left in my container. It’s good Essential Depot lye so I can’t blame the lye.
Since I don’t know how much lye I’m missing I guess I need to trash it? It’s the largest batch I’ve made so I can’t bring myself to dump it till I check with all of you experienced soapers!

The best advice I give to all new soapers is to trial small batches! Less product wasted and you won’t feel guilty trying out new recipes or fragrances.

 

[madison]

You should be able to get a good idea from how full you mold is.

Thank you DWin, I should have thought about it, it's a good point to consider in case similar thing happens in the future, I hope it's the last time I have to deal with re-batching.