Soap Problem

[Jan Johnson]

I’m hoping someone can answer a question for me. I’ve been soaping for the last couple of weeks the same recipe and the same fragrance. Everything has been fine until this last batch. The surface of most of the bars have a powdery residue…Not an even all over coat but it looks kind of like if I mixed up some salt water and let it evaporate down to just the salt. It disappears with a spray of alcohol…what could it be? No zap..I've had ash before but I think this seems a little different. Thanks, Jan

 

[Bukawww]

I get uneven ash a lot - it looks neat on dark soaps with textured tops, IMO

 

[Bnky]

It sounds like ash. Did you use a new container of lye, a different fragrance, or anything else?

 

[soapbuddy]

Any humidity changes?

 

[Galavanting Gifts]

Any humidity changes?

Oh soapbuddy, our humidity here is almost killing our soaps, usually the damp rid controls it but I would need buckets of the stuff at the moment. The "H" word makes me shudder everytime I hear it :x

Yep, sounds like soda ash, won't harm the soap or the human, just a cosmetic issue for looks. I like it most times, makes some soap look good.

 

[newbie]

GG, are you from AUstralia? It sounds terrible from the news.

 

[Jan Johnson]

Thanks everyone…I appreciate the help. I didn’t think this was ash because the white powder was kind of in clumps…I know this sounds weird but it looked like I’d sprinkled rice over my soap. It was a newly opened container of lye but everything else was the same. I believe everything was very thoroughly mixed so I guess it has to be ash. I don’t get it very often and I’m still trying to guess what caused it each time it happens. I don ‘t think I can blame the humidity this time…it’s only 21%…amazing for the coast of Texas…but then it is winter, summer is a very different story. Thanks again, Jan

 

[shteph]

i got the same problem at the beginning. but i read some places which I don't remember... that the lye interacts with the air and creates that white superficial layer. other place, i read that you may get that white layer in case you have an access of lye. Have a look at that.
http://www.colebrothers.com/soap/trouble.html.
to get rid of the white layer i started covering the moulds with a plastic foil as used in the kitchen for the fist 24hours. it works well....
i have also a question... it may sound stupid, but what does MP stand for?
thanks

 

[calico21]

MP=melt and pour soap base. Also known as glycerine soap

 

[Galavanting Gifts]

GG, are you from AUstralia? It sounds terrible from the news.

Newbie, yes, we're in Queesland, we got off lightly compared to many, 3 goat deaths, flooding etc and the soap is not coping at all so i've been having a looooong break :roll:

Jan, as much as I HATE doing it, you could zap test it, rather than stick the tip of your tongue on the powder lightly press the tip of your finger on the powder (brush some off it it's too much) if it zaps your tongue, it's lye.

I was once considering getting my husband to zap test my soap whilst asleep with his mouth open :shock: but I thought better of it hehe.

 

[Jan Johnson]

the end of ash

Shteph: Thanks for the reply…I have zap tested and everything was fine…tastes like soap. I guess the problem is just going to happen every once in a while no matter what. I have covered my soap with plastic wrap for the first 48 hours then unmolded… within a few hours to several days later…ash. The alcohol spray works but I’m hoping there's a way to prevent it.

GG: Sorry to hear about the flooding and especially the goat deaths. I hope you can get back to soaping soon. To prevent ash someone suggested beeswax 1 to 2 %…they promised it will work every time. I’ve always been afraid that it might make my soap have a waxy feel but at only 2%… I’m going to give it a try. Thanks everyone! Jan

 

[shteph]

calico21: thanks for the answer. there are many short names and abbreviations around here which i've no idea about.