Sticky Soap/ Hard Water?

[jules92207]

I searched this topic a bit but didn't find a good consensus to why a soap may feel sticky and hard to rinse off. Maybe it's my formula? Maybe from hard water? Any ideas or solutions?

Here's a recipe example:

Olive oil 40%
Palm 20%
Coconut oil 15%
Almond oil 10%
Avocado oil 10%
Castor 5%

 

[biarine]

When I use my tallow, coconut oil and rice bran soap with 0% SF to wash my dishes. My sink feel sticky and bit greasy too. I am not sure why. Sorry I can't help you, I am just a newbie.

 

[KristaY]

I stopped using castor oil for that reason - the sticky feeling. Personally, I just don't like it. If it were me, I'd remove the castor and add the 5% to the palm. To increase bubbles I add sodium lactate to my cooled lye water. If you don't want to use SL you could add sugar or honey. This is just my personal preference so let's see what other longer-than-me soapers have to suggest!

 

[jules92207]

I am almost out of castor so this seem like a good time to test that theory. I think a few new batches are in order.

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[cmzaha]

With your low coconut oil what is your superfat? This is one reason I low superfat my very low coconut oil soap recipes

 

[doriettefarm]

Jules - I'm curious if you had similar issues with any of my swap soaps? I also have hard water and pretty much use 10% castor in all of my recipes for what it's worth.

ETA: I also use 15-20% CO or PKO in most recipes . . . more than that is too cleansing for my delicate epidermis

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Seems to be a lot of soft oils - how long are you curing for?

 

[jules92207]

This was actually a report from my aunt. She may just not be use to homemade soaps so to her it feels strange but I thought I would troubleshoot just in case I can improve.

I typically use a 5% sf.

The bars she has tested are 8+ weeks cured at this point.

All my swap soaps feel awesome, and the only bar I have felt a bit of the same was the black raspberry vanilla soap I tried to make for the swap but didn't work out. Those have cured only 6 weeks. I will have to look at that formula closer to see if it varies much from this one.

I am sending her a higher coconut oil bar (25%) a 100% coconut oil with 20% sf, and a salt bar for comparison. This may just be a preference of hers and not a reflection of my recipe but I figured it wouldn't hurt to run it by my experts.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

With only 35% hard oils, I would consider a longer cure as well

 

[nebetmiw]

Ok probably it's your water. Drop the olive oil up your coconut oil. That should fix it. Olive oil gets sticky with some water conditions and high humidity. One reason I don't use it at all.

 

[DeeAnna]

Or use sodium citrate or tetrasodium EDTA to help reduce the formation of hard water scum. I would use one or the other, but not both.

 

[jules92207]

Nice, good suggestions. Thank you!