Question about liquid soap

[Norai]

Hi, I'm new here. /wave

My question is about liquid soap - a soap making book I had (is back to the library now, so long, farewell) says that I can make liquid soap by grating up my CP bars and melting them with water in a 4:1 water to soap-ish ratio.

When I look up liquid soap online, I mostly come up with the hot process KOH liquid soap making information, where it's liquid from the getgo. From what I gather, this is somewhat more difficult to make than CP soap, more finicky, and takes more attention.

So what is the difference in the product between making liquid soap these two ways? Is there a reason to use one over the other, quality-wise?

 

[desert_gold_hound]

Well I have never made any soap but I have searched soap making and found recipes for CP Liquid using KOH. So it can be done I just cant give any more advice then to search "Liquid Soap Recipes" through your favorite search engine.

 

[Bigmoose]

I have never tried the bar of soap method mixed with water but I can tell you one big difference I think that would be there is how clear it would be. Also I think it would hard to make clear soap CP style because you need the heat in the cooking process to neutralize excess fatty acids that would otherwise cloud your soap.

Bruce

 

[Inodoro Pereyra]

I have never made liquid soap from KOH, but I have made it with the system you read in your book. I just grated some soap, put it in a bowl with some water (I can't tell you exactly how much, because I used the calibrated "eye meter" to dose it :wink: ), and stick blended the heck out of it.
It does stay liquid, and it does clean as well as the soap you made it with, but, as far as I can tell, it has 2 defects:

1. it tends to clog the nozzle of your bottle (I used an old dishwashing liquid one).

2. the consistency is not as nice as commercial liquid soap. Sorta gooey, kinda yucky...

 

[jbarad]

Just curious here, but since liquid soap is diluted with water, would it then call for a preservative at all ?

 

[knicelyr]

Liquid soap made from grated bar soap should not need any additional preservatives that would have been in the soap before it was used to make liquid soap.

Making liquid soap from scratch might need some preservatives if you do not fully saponify the soap. Liquid soaps can be made intentionally caustic hot with a hot process and then backed off with some citric acid, boric acid or even borax.

An added benefit of borax is that it will help to thicken diluted liquid soap.

I make liquid soap from the biodiesel glycerin byproduct and add some lathering and conditioning ingredients. I use HP and make the soap caustic for the reasons mentioned above. I dilute it to 50:50 and add the borax. When I’m done it is as thick as your favorite dish soap or bath gel.

Another trick to help thicken the soap is to add a bit of oleic acid. Oleic acid is a good viscosity booster and has a long shelf life.

 

[jbarad]

Liquid soap made from grated bar soap should not need any additional preservatives that would have been in the soap before it was used to make liquid soap.

I don't know of anyone off hand who uses a preservative in bar soap.

So I would assume then that if making soap using grated bar soap that had no preservative added to add some.

 

[welder]

It does stay liquid, and it does clean as well as the soap you made it with, but, as far as I can tell, it has 2 defects:

1. it tends to clog the nozzle of your bottle (I used an old dishwashing liquid one).

2. the consistency is not as nice as commercial liquid soap. Sorta gooey, kinda yucky...

That's exactly what I had heard also. (re: 2nd defect)

In fact, I'm really glad I came upon this thread because it answers 2 questions that I had asked about making liquid laundry soap over here:


http://www.soapmakingforum.com/forum/vi ... php?t=8673

Basically Inodoro, you have seconded the other info I had previously heard about "liquid" soap made by dissolving solid soap in water being gloppy & generally substandard in texture quality. Thanx for confirming that concern I had. (you've saved me from learning the hard way) I guess it's a "good enough for me & my family, but not proper for guests" sorta product.

I'm thinking that borax added to butcher scrap based KOH reacted liquid laundry soap would thicken it up nicely & also preserve it somewhat too.

Anyone else have any opinion on this???

If you have knowledge that applies specifically to preserving liquid LAUNDRY soap, OR specifically to reacting butcher shop waste fat with KOH, but don't want to drag this thread off topic, then please feel free to post your input on the other thread I linked to.

I'd love to read more specific info on this topic if anyone has experience or book knowledge they're willing to share!

Thanx!

 

[Inodoro Pereyra]

Welder: I'm glad I could help
I want to make something clear: it's NOT "awful", it just takes some getting used to. But you're right, it's not something you'd want to give to your guests (at least not to the ones you want to come back to you :wink: ), but if you can go past the consistency thing you'll love it.

Unfortunately, I have no knowledge about laundry soap. My whole soapmaking experience comes down to 1 CP batch I made a few months ago (from which I made the liquid soap), 1 failed batch that ended in the garbage, and 1 HP batch I'm curing now...


Anyways, are you the same "Welder"that's on the biodiesel infopop forum?
If that's the case, you already know me...

 

[welder]

Anyways, are you the same "Welder"that's on the biodiesel infopop forum?
If that's the case, you already know me...

Yes sir, that's me.

What's your username over there on infopop?

I don't generally have too many arguments with people, but there are a few guys over there who frequently look for trouble. I try not to oblige them, but I can only take so much & I do have a breaking point.

Anyway, I hope that you & I are on good terms over there, whoever you are. I generally prefer good sentiments to bad ones.

Peace.

 

[Inodoro Pereyra]

What's your username over there on infopop?

I'm Bernyjb.
As far as I'm concerned, we're in good terms, (I hope...).
Anyways, you know I had more than my share of conflicts over there...but not anymore.

In any case, it's a pleasure to have you here as well.

 

[freesoul]

We make liquid soap from the glycerin layer of the biodiesel process and it turns out wonderful. We use it for everything from general houshold cleaning to shampoo. I'm trying to experiment with tweaking the recipe and adding pumice or walnut shell for a mechanics soap.

 

[welder]

What's your username over there on infopop?

I'm Bernyjb.
As far as I'm concerned, we're in good terms, (I hope...).
Anyways, you know I had more than my share of conflicts over there...but not anymore.

In any case, it's a pleasure to have you here as well.

Cool Bernie. Yeah, I remember you now.

I remember seeing your posts in a few scuffles, but then again, anyone who joins up over there will ultimately be drawn into something nasty sooner or later.

It's like some sort of saloon in the worst gold rush town in the wild west days or something over there. If you hang out there long enough, you'll either be walked on or stand up for yourself.

You never seemed like an aggressor there though, so I'm glad to see you here too.

Cheers!