I somehow overlooked adding the citric acid before adding the lye (I did add salt and sugar that the recipe called for) so now am wondering where/when to add it. The water is already adjusted so I can't leave it out. Should I add it to the cooled lye solution? To the oils? Thanks!!!
URGENT!! Missed adding citric acid before lye
- Thread starter Arlo
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If you add it to the oils, it will probably not dissolve and be grainy. I think I would try adding it to the lye solution or leave it out altogether. The only danger with leaving it completely out is that you will have a heavier lye concentration, which may or may not work for your design.
Usually I use a little of the water to dissolve it and then add this directly to the oils.
Found this advice on ClaasicBells.com
https://classicbells.com/soap/citricAcid.asp
"How should I add citric acid to my soap?
Method 1: Dissolve citric acid powder in about 2 times its weight of room temperature water. Stick blend the citric acid solution into the oils.
Method 2: Dissolve the citric acid powder in the ROOM TEMPERATURE water you will be using to make the lye solution. When the powder is fully dissolved, SLOWLY add the NaOH to the water while STIRRING CONSTANTLY. If the mixture starts to foam or bubble, stop adding NaOH, keep stirring, and let the mixture settle down. Then SLOWLY add more NaOH while stirring.
Usually I use a little of the water to dissolve it and then add this directly to the oils.
Found this advice on ClaasicBells.com
https://classicbells.com/soap/citricAcid.asp
"How should I add citric acid to my soap?
Method 1: Dissolve citric acid powder in about 2 times its weight of room temperature water. Stick blend the citric acid solution into the oils.
Method 2: Dissolve the citric acid powder in the ROOM TEMPERATURE water you will be using to make the lye solution. When the powder is fully dissolved, SLOWLY add the NaOH to the water while STIRRING CONSTANTLY. If the mixture starts to foam or bubble, stop adding NaOH, keep stirring, and let the mixture settle down. Then SLOWLY add more NaOH while stirring.
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Thanks. I just added it to the still-warm lye solution, stirred for a few minutes and it has yet to dissolve. I'll wait a while to see what happens. I might just cut my losses and dump it :-(
Don't dump it! You can strain out the undissolved CA so the lye solution is still usable.
Then you can dissolve the CA separately in an equal weight of boiling water, and then add that to the lye solution.
Then you can dissolve the CA separately in an equal weight of boiling water, and then add that to the lye solution.
Thanks for the advice but it's too late!! But I have a question: it called for 15g of citric acid, which would mean 15g of water. What would all that extra water do to my recipe?
Honestly, unless you were making a very small batch (500g or less), 15g of water isn't much. Depending on your starting concentration, it might slow down or speed up trace a bit, and it might make the soap take a little longer to firm up. But if your batch was 1000g or more, you probably wouldn't have noticed anything different from 15g of extra water.
