Soap pot and tools question

[Dana]

Hey everyone, I have another newbie question.

I thought I would have to buy all new stuff to use in soapmaking (stainless steel pot, pitcher, spatulas, etc.)

However, when reading on the Miller site again, she said that except in the case of wooden utensils, there is no need to have specific pots and pans just for your soapmaking. Clean it up and put it in the dishwasher, that people are too lye-paranoid. That SS is totally safe (as is glass) and nothing is going to leach into it. Dishwash it and be done with it.

What do you all think? Since I am trying this new I am trying not to buy a bunch of stuff until I am sure that I am sticking with it.

A new 12qt SS pot for example is $30.......I'd rather spend it on materials if I could

Not trying to be super cheap here, doing what I can...thought I would run it past you all since Miller's seems to be a very recommended Soap site!

Thanks for your input,
Dana

 

[Mothi]

Starting costs was a concern for me when I first started out as well. I bought 3 glass measuring cups (1 cup, 2 cup, and 4 cup sizes). But later read of the possibility of glass shattering over time. Size of my equipment right now is a big concern seeing as I am moving in less than a month across country, so all I can take with me must fit in my suitcase or be shipped.

I do not use my soap making items for anything but soap making. I would rather be safe than sorry. I even have a separate sponge for washing soap making stuff. **Paranoid** No dish washer here, so hand washing is the way I go. So all glass measuring cups, measuring spoons, 2 heat resistant spatula, crock pot, and silicone molds are for soap making only.

 

[Soapmaker Man]

Dana, I would not have any problems with using SS or silicone utensils in my soaping or my food! Lye is used a lot in food production, like hominy, pickles, other foods. You could not have hominy if it were not for lye! I think, making sure all pots, pans, utensils are thoroughly washed and then rinsed well, there would not be a problem, per se. I now have all the dedicated SS pots, measuring cups, silicone spatula, spoonulas, crock pot, Kitchen Aide Mixer, Kitchen Aide stick blender, all dedicated to soap production. This was not the case when I started out, like you. Just wash, rinse, dry well and then use it as you normally would! Some may have different opinions, but for me, I think it would be fine until you can afford dedicated soap tools!

Paul.... :wink:

 

[tangled_panda]

Since I do HP and CP I use my crock pot for making all my soaps. . . they are much cheaper then SS pots too, and multi use tools. When I make CP I just turn the crock pot on, get my oils all most to temp and turn the crock pot off, and process like normal CP. But I do keep it all separate. . .no soaping stuff with my food stuff.

 

[soapbuddy]

Just don't use glass to mix your lye water in. Over time the temperatures can weaken the glass and the lye can etch your glass.
Find yourself a nice plastic pitcher. Dollar stores usually have one that you can use.

Irena

 

[Dana]

Thanks everyone for your input!

Dana

 

[NEASoapWorks]

Cheap Supplies

I'm not using SS stockpots, nor plastic pitchers for water and lye.

I'm using plastic buckets (a 2 gallon bucket is $3.68), from Majestic Mountain Sage to mix my oils and lye, and Anchor Hocking heat-resistant glass measuring cups, to mix my lye and water.

I've heard a few folks say "glass" is not the best, but I've also heard folks say as long as it's Pyrex/Anchor Hocking, it's fine for what you'll use it for. Pyrex can shatter, if you're not careful about exposing it to extreme temperature changes. What can you do? There are soapmakers, who use Pyrex (and have for YEARS), and have no problems.

If you don't have a lot of money, and you have stuff at home that will work for your first batch at least, use those things. You can always add to, and purchase "better" tools, once you determine if you'll be making soap on a regular basis. I had to buy a lot of stuff, because my kitchen isn't fully stocked with a lot of the basics — I don't cook much!

SS stockpots at Target are about $20 — at least at the ones in my area.
Eventually, I'd like one of those big SS steam pitchers (used for lattes). They're heavy duty and would work GREAT for lye water mixing. I'll get one — but not now.

 

[soapbuddy]

What you use is ultimately up to you. I used to use Pyrex for my water and lye, til it shattered all by itself; sitting in the kitchen sink.

Irena