Question about handeling oils

[marchroses]

I wanted to tap into your wisdom...

The first few CP batches that I made...each night I opened the buckets of oils and measured for that night's batch and then wiped down and closed everything up again. By night 4, I decided to pre measure several batches out into stainless steel pans and cover with foil. They were made into soap within a week and were not exposed to light due to the steel pan and foil covering.

I'm wondering now... perhaps that was too long to expose the oils to the air? The soaps look fine and are working lovely in the shower but as I've read more about DOS and handeling oils in general, I'm wondering if that approach may have been a mistake?

I do like pre-measuring and I plan on making a few more batches after the holidays that will cure in time for teacher appreciation week in the spring. Is it better to pre-measure into some type of more airtight container? Is it silly to worry about just a few days of air exposure in a pan with a layer of foil?

 

[Healinya]

I've left oil in a stainless steel pot with saran wrap for the top for for several days more times than I can count. I never used aluminum foil, just the glad press and seal. I've never had a problem. But if I ever run out of saran wrap, I would likely grab the foil and just make sure to use it up sooner.

 

[ycartf]

I have several of the big 5 qt. Sam's Club size Wesson oil containers that I like to pre-measure all my oils into (melting the coconut before adding it in) beforehand (they have a nice airtight screw-on lid). Having pre-mixed water/lye also, all I have to do is pop the lye into the microwave for an amount of time I already know will give me the right temperature, and heat the oils in my cast-iron dutch oven the same. For instance, I know that 90 oz of oils in the pot - on low (gas) - for 9 minutes and then allowed to sit for 10 - will give me exactly 120 degree oil. I can use that time to smear Vaseline thinly on my wooden block mold and line it with freezer paper (that I precut a whole roll of at a time).

 

[marchroses]

I will start saving some reusable plastic containers with lids. Thanks for the ideas!

 

[soap_rat]

Could you tell me what DOS is, please? I'm new here (but not to soapmaking) and ignorant of a lot of these soap-talk acronyms.

Oils and fats do not go rancid after a couple of days exposure to air. Months or years, more likely. However, I once bought kukui nut oil and it went rancid in the bottle after a few months or a year, so looking up each oil will probably put your mind at ease. Oils used in fryers are sometimes used for months (eek! yes! Those are the more saturated oils).

I like weighing out a few batches at once, too. I mix it all together, and when I want to use it, I heat it up a bit to ensure it's melted and well-mixed, and pull out the right weight of oil.

 

[vivcarm]

Dreaded orange spots - when your soap starts to develp orange spots - surprisingly enough, because the oils have gone or were rancid. Never had it myself so far!

 

[soap_rat]

Ah! like the BSOD (blue screen of death)

I've gotten those orange spots--but on soap displayed in the bathroom for a year or two, because my relatives would rather decorate with the soap than use it. Never soon after making soap. I assumed that's what superfatting causes, after time.