spraying with alcohol

[Marilyn Norgart]

just made a cp batch at 104 degree lye and 99 degree oils. I sprayed with 91% alcohol to see if it would stop ash, it already looks like its ashing up. am also not thrilled cuz I put it outside in the garage which is about 45 degrees--I didn't want it to gel. well I can tell its doing a partial gel--I think I am so over CP soaping.

 

[Dawni]

Aww I feel for you. Those are the issues I didn't want to deal with hence my focus on HP hehehe

But don't be discouraged, ash can be steamed off or wiped off even in some cases. I have bought many a soap that had ash and I just use it in the shower as is lol. Also, your soap top is very pretty!

Maybe it has something to do with the amount of water you used? If you post the recipe, our other more experienced members might be able to help you better ^^

 

[KiwiMoose]

It looks lovely Marilyn! Did you cover it too? Just air circulation can cause ash - I found out the hard way.

 

[Obsidian]

Do you know that gelling can prevent or greatly reduce ash?

 

[KiwiMoose]

Do you know that gelling can prevent or greatly reduce ash?

Oh - that makes sense now you mention it Obsidian - I have my loaf moulds which always gel and they have much less ash (if any) compared to the cavity moulds which never gel and get soda ash.

 

[Zing]

just made a cp batch at 104 degree lye and 99 degree oils. I sprayed with 91% alcohol to see if it would stop ash, it already looks like its ashing up. am also not thrilled cuz I put it outside in the garage which is about 45 degrees--I didn't want it to gel. well I can tell its doing a partial gel--I think I am so over CP soaping.View attachment 35242

Your soap looks so nice and I'm sorry you are frustrated. It's hard when you have one expectation and the soap behaves otherwise! For me, it's been a lesson in letting go and framing each batch as an experiment. Hang in there!

 

[Dean]

I always had ash until recently when I was taught to spray immediately after pouring, again in an hour and again at unmoulding. Low SF created horrible ash so I keep it at 5. CPOP works too for me.

 

[Carl]

I was able to completely stop ash by spritzing with the alcohol. I only spray one time though and don't do it an hour later; only at pour because I do not want to lose the heat when I open it up. I was told that once you covered it do not open it for at least 24 hours which means do not even peek.

 

[lsg]

You may have ash, but your soap is still very pretty. You might try CPOP next time.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

CPOP is putting it in the oven right? when I saw it was going to partially gel I thought of that but didn't know if my mold would hold up to that. I made 2 soaps yesterday one I tried for it not to gel--call me stubborn but I really want to make some that doesn't gel. I made a lemon when I first started where part of it didn't gel all the way and I loved the coloring on the part that didn't gel. the first one I made yesterday partially gelled so I decided the next one I was just going to go for it and gel it all the way. I will post pics in the pic section. thanks for the advice you guys

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

I always had ash until recently when I was taught to spray immediately after pouring, again in an hour and again at unmoulding. Low SF created horrible ash so I keep it at 5. CPOP works too for me.

I don't SF, I just never have understood the whole concept. maybe I need to research it more.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

Your soap looks so nice and I'm sorry you are frustrated. It's hard when you have one expectation and the soap behaves otherwise! For me, it's been a lesson in letting go and framing each batch as an experiment. Hang in there!

I am working on that mindset--not too many of my soaps have turned out the way I wanted hahaha--most not bad just not how I imagined. the colors change or it accelerates way to fast, at least with CP, HP seems to come out better for me.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

Oh - that makes sense now you mention it Obsidian - I have my loaf moulds which always gel and they have much less ash (if any) compared to the cavity moulds which never gel and get soda ash.

I have been wondering if its my mold that I am using. its got thicker walls and is the white plasticy type stuff. if I use a juice carton it seems to behave a bit more as far as the gel but does seem to get ashier

 

[lsg]

Depending on what lye calculator you used, SoapCalc is automatically set at a 5% superfat, so if you use the original setting, you have superfated. I never let my milk soaps gel, I put them in the freezer. To CPOP, I make CP soap as usual then put it in an oven preheated to 170*F. I turn the oven off and leave the soap in the oven for the rest of the day and overnight. This works for me.

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

Do you know that gelling can prevent or greatly reduce ash?

yes I know but I am trying to get around it without the gel--just being stubborn and maybe just need to get over the whole not gelling thing

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

Depending on what lye calculator you used, SoapCalc is automatically set at a 5% superfat, so if you use the original setting, you have superfated. I never let my milk soaps gel, I put them in the freezer. To CPOP, I make CP soap as usual then put it in an oven preheated to 170*F. I turn the oven off and leave the soap in the oven for the rest of the day and overnight. This works for me.

thank you--what temps do you use then? I have thrown soap in the freezer--out in the snowbank too but still get partial gel with just under 100degrees. I use the brambleberry calculator and it asks what % of SF and I always put in none

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

It looks lovely Marilyn! Did you cover it too? Just air circulation can cause ash - I found out the hard way.

no I just sprayed it

 

[Marilyn Norgart]

Aww I feel for you. Those are the issues I didn't want to deal with hence my focus on HP hehehe

But don't be discouraged, ash can be steamed off or wiped off even in some cases. I have bought many a soap that had ash and I just use it in the shower as is lol. Also, your soap top is very pretty!

Maybe it has something to do with the amount of water you used? If you post the recipe, our other more experienced members might be able to help you better ^^

I kinda think I should just stay with HP it seems to do what I want more

 

[lsg]

I usually don't worry about temps when doing CP, unless I am making milk soap. I make the lye/water solution first and move on to melting my solid fats/oils in the microwave. I add the liquid oils to the melted fats/oils and stir well. I touch my hand to the outside of the mixing container and if it is just warm, I move ahead with soap making. If the oils are super-hot, I wait until they have cooled to warm and proceed. I have used this process for years with success. If I am making milk soap, I freeze the milk and add lye slowly to the milk. Before mixing, I set the mixing container in an ice water bath to prevent overheating of the lye/milk solution.

 

[Dawni]

I kinda think I should just stay with HP it seems to do what I want more

I will say welcome to the club then harharhar

But seriously, you can get great soap using both processes, with limitations to each one, so I'd say try n try again with the CP til you get the results you want, and maybe HP in between hehe