Overheating/Refrigerating

[crunchy_cruncher]

Hi, can someone please clarify refrigerating soap? If I worked with milk, sugar or honey, I'd have to put soap in the freezer so it doesn't overheat. What about just adding a tbs of sugar in water for bubbles? Am I correct thinking that it's enough to just cool the water+sugar/lye mix before adding it to oils? Also, what about vegetable matter? Should I refrigerate soap if I add puréed veggies? And does soap still go through gelling phase in the fridge? Thank you all very much!

 

[FlybyStardancer]

Any sort of sugar and some EOs/FOs will cause the saponification process to speed up and heat up. The reason many put such soaps in the fridge/freezer is to prevent it from overheating and separating by trying to stop it from gelling entirely. If it does heat up quick enough in a large enough loaf, you might get a partial gel where the cold can't reach the center. Otherwise no, they won't go through gel in the fridge.

 

[Flipper]

I have seen posts from many folks over the years who refrigerate or freeze fresh batches of soap to prevent overheating. I've been a soapmaker for a number of years now. I make a lot of CP goat milk soap. I never freeze my goat milk - just add lye very very slowly to very cold milk and do the mixing in an ice bath. And I always cover and insulate all of my batches to encourage a full gel stage. I have never had an overheating problem. My advice - experiment! There's not just one right answer to making soap. The only rule to live by - "Don't lick the spoon! "
Chris

 

[seven]

i only put my soap into the freezer if i want to prevent gel entirely, which is rare. i also soap with milk, honey frequently and i don't feel the need to place the soap in the freezer. i just watch the soap after being poured. if the mold is hotter than usual, it could be too hot down there, i then just place the mold somewhere cooler, like next to a fan. i rarely get partial gel these days.

 

[crunchy_cruncher]

Thanks, guys! Seven, so when DO you want to prevent gel entirely?

 

[ilovesoap2]

I have seen posts from many folks over the years who refrigerate or freeze fresh batches of soap to prevent overheating. I've been a soapmaker for a number of years now. I make a lot of CP goat milk soap. I never freeze my goat milk - just add lye very very slowly to very cold milk and do the mixing in an ice bath. And I always cover and insulate all of my batches to encourage a full gel stage. I have never had an overheating problem. My advice - experiment! There's not just one right answer to making soap. The only rule to live by - "Don't lick the spoon! "
Chris

I've so stolen this
Hope you don't mind.

 

[Flipper]

LOL - have at it!
Chris

 

[ilovesoap2]

:razz:

 

[seven]

Thanks, guys! Seven, so when DO you want to prevent gel entirely?

i rarely do. i'm not fussy about some slight color difference. some say ungelled milk soaps are lighter and creamier in color. i personally don't care about this.

when i know for a fact that i have additives that are heaters, i just let the soap gel on its own, but i place the mold next to a fan so it doesn't get too hot.