Instead of standing for hours steaming bars...

[soapysoapgirl]

I have a quick question. I washed my soap top just before unmolding and it looked great but after a few weeks it grew soda ash again. Any idea why that happened. It is a slow moving soap base (unmold after 3 days kinda slow).

 

[LazyUmbrella]

I thought I read somewhere that as the soap cures, water and other components move up and out of the soap. So my guess is that the soap didn't finish curing and more components on the inside of the soap made their way out after you washed it.

I'm sure someone will have a more eloquent and technical way of explaining this!

I usually wait about 4 weeks before washing.

 

[boyago]

Did you zap test? I think that surface ash is evidence of the sodium hydroxide reacting with the air. After three days I would think that this was a symptom of heavy lye. But is it also possible that the ash didn't wash away and just looked like when it wet?

 

[Seawolfe]

I notice that when I get ash, it increases between the time of unmolding and when its finally cured. Which is why I usually wait to wash the ash off when the soap is cured. I think you just didnt get all the ash that your soap was going to put out.

I get a lot of ash, but all my soaps pass the zap test within 48 hours, none of them are lye heavy. I don't mind washing it off it bugs me, otherwise I embrace it.

 

[boyago]

I notice that when I get ash, it increases between the time of unmolding and when its finally cured. Which is why I usually wait to wash the ash off when the soap is cured. I think you just didnt get all the ash that your soap was going to put out.

I get a lot of ash, but all my soaps pass the zap test within 48 hours, none of them are lye heavy. I don't mind washing it off it bugs me, otherwise I embrace it.

I don't think i have ever done anything with my ash until everything was cured and ready to give out. The I usually just wipe them down as I like the look of the shiny peaks and ashy valleys. Have you ever noticed how long it takes for ash to stop... showing up?

 

[Seawolfe]

I don't think i have ever done anything with my ash until everything was cured and ready to give out. The I usually just wipe them down as I like the look of the shiny peaks and ashy valleys. Have you ever noticed how long it takes for ash to stop... showing up?

I want to say 2 or maybe 3 weeks, but I haven't paid that much attention. This is where time lapse photography would be useful.

 

[IrishLass]

I wait until after my soap has cured before removing ash. In the past, I've removed it earlier, but it would oftentimes come back. LazyUmbrella actually explained it very well why it's better to remove ash later rather than earlier.

IrishLass