My first burn...

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So I have a rose soap I made four weeks ago that siezed on me as I was pouring. I basically cut the tops off cause they were all nubby and uneven and I've been tearing up the pieces for embeds for later. No gloves mind you and haven't had any problems.

Today I decided to wrap a few of the bars for some friends - they are ugly but my friends want rose soap so I'm happy to share.

That's when I noticed I had a small chemical burn on my finger. This is my first burn ever in my 6 months of soaping. I've been touching this soap for weeks and haven't had a problem. Where did this darn thing come from?

I do have some less than 24 hour soap still in molds in my "soap room" and I did pick up the mold today to see how it was coming along. Maybe I picked it up from that?

Maybe there are some little lye buggers floating around I didn't notice?

Needless to say no one is getting any rose soap till I figure this out. Any advice?

Maybe I just burned it on the toaster this morning and forgot... :eek:/ When the kids are yelling at me I get pretty distracted.
 
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At the moment, my money is on the soap mold that you picked up, seeing as how you've been handling the rose soap all this time with nary a problem. If it were me, I would go examine it (the mold) and see if there are any new soap drips on it from the batch you just soaped. Chances are good that you inadvertently came into contact with a small drip or two of new soap. If you can't find any, or if you are still in doubt, try handling your rose soap again later in the day and see if it happens again. Either that, or you could tongue-test your bars, especially any areas that look suspect to you.

IrishLass :)

Edited to add: I just saw your added edit about the toaster. Yep- it could be that, too. I've done such things before. lol
 
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This is just my experience and I don't claim to have all the answers. But as far as my experience goes, if I get a lye burn, I KNOW it immediately. For me, this scenario would most likely come from the toaster. I've been known to burn myself in the kitchen and not know til later. I've even done it on food (burned my tongue or the roof of my mouth) and not realized til later.

I hope others will speak up with their experiences.
 
Ok, feeling like a true idiot now. It probably was the toaster and I'm freaking out for nothing.

The other soap - no drips to speak of.

Totally licked the heck out of the rose soap ball I made with the scraps - no zappy. Best tasting soap yet actually!

Forgive me for the dumb post now! LOL!
 
Not dumb! Better to ask and "talk it out." You figured it out yourself.

No kidding, I was making myself crazy over here trying to figure it out but as soon as I typed it up it hit me - toaster! Makes more sense considering the placement of the burn too. Thanks so much for helping me figure it out!
 
I think it's a good thing you even thought about being worried. That just shows soaping responsibility. My guess would have been the toaster too, because as I know it, lye burns always start off as an itch first. They itch and itch and then first do you wonder if you may have gotten soap batter or lye on you. Toasters don't itch as far as I know. If you didn't feel an itch then the soap is innocent. If it doesn't itch, then you must acquit. LOL
 
Since your rose soap is some weeks old already, I think it's doubtful that your burn comes from the soap.

On another recent SMF thread, we've been experimenting with a castile recipe that has a -40% superfat -- yep, 40% MORE lye than required. Of the several of us who have made this recipe, we're finding the soap is incredibly, unexpectedly zap free in several weeks, even deep in the center of the bars. Kevin Dunn (of Scientific Soapmaking fame) has made soaps with up to -5% superfat, and these soaps also tested fine -- no excess alkalinity -- after a good cure.

I'm not saying folks should make lye heavy soap, but perhaps this is some reassurance to you about your particular soap.
 
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