Kittish
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Does that mean isopropyl or ethyl? I have access to both 91% iso and 190 proof grain alcohols.
When people say spray with alcohol...
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Most folks I know of that spray their soaps use 91% isopropyl.
IrishLass
IrishLass
What IL said.
Kamahido
Paladin of Soap
Ditto.
Zany_in_CO
Saponifier
I spritz lightly with 70% or 90% isopropyl alcohol that I keep in a spray bottle... good for spritzing mirrors, glass, my black appliances, etc. too! LOL The alcohol spritz, followed by a piece of plastic wrap to cover, is said to help prevent soda ash.
Dahila
Well-Known Member
I got 99 Iso in Costco, and I do swear by it, I have no ash on my soap anymore. Vodka is much better in the glass with some ice cubes and sprite
Kittish
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Thanks everyone! I'll keep the ethyl for making vanilla extract and made from scratch MP, then.
Oh.... you probably don't wanna drink this 190 proof stuff I've got. At least not unless it's very well diluted.
I got 99 Iso in Costco, and I do swear by it, I have no ash on my soap anymore. Vodka is much better in the glass with some ice cubes and sprite
Oh.... you probably don't wanna drink this 190 proof stuff I've got. At least not unless it's very well diluted.
Dahila
Well-Known Member
Of course diluted 40/60 water
It is 95 % alcohol in it, it is tough for me to get it, why 190 proof? Instead of giving the actual percentage of alcohol.
This system was introduced in the 18th century. It might have happened earlier, when spirits were tested with gunpowder: a mixture of water and alcohol proved itself when it could be poured on a small amount of gunpowder and still light up the wet powder. If the powder did not ignite, the mixture had too much water in it and the proof was considered low. This process led to the nickname firewater, given by Native Americans.
A "proven" solution was defined as 100 degrees proof (100°). People have found out that this takes 57.15% ethanol. This value is still used as the British definition. A simpler ratio to remember is seven to four: 70° proof is 40% alcohol by volume.
A hydrometer can be used to measure the precise proof of a spirit. This test has gone through many formal changes.
I would think it is time to switch the system)
It is 95 % alcohol in it, it is tough for me to get it, why 190 proof? Instead of giving the actual percentage of alcohol.
This system was introduced in the 18th century. It might have happened earlier, when spirits were tested with gunpowder: a mixture of water and alcohol proved itself when it could be poured on a small amount of gunpowder and still light up the wet powder. If the powder did not ignite, the mixture had too much water in it and the proof was considered low. This process led to the nickname firewater, given by Native Americans.
A "proven" solution was defined as 100 degrees proof (100°). People have found out that this takes 57.15% ethanol. This value is still used as the British definition. A simpler ratio to remember is seven to four: 70° proof is 40% alcohol by volume.
A hydrometer can be used to measure the precise proof of a spirit. This test has gone through many formal changes.
I would think it is time to switch the system
)
dillsandwitch
Well-Known Member
I use the fore-shots I get from my still for spraying my soaps with 94-96% pure and it seems to be okay. And its free so even better
Mine is 99% isopropyl but it doesn't work. The only thing that worked for me was more of a water discount.
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
You need the isopropyl alcohol and to cover the mold for 18-24 hrs without peaking. One peak and ash sneaks in - well it does for me.
I can't up my water discount because my soap won't gel but if it works for you stick with it.
Penelopejane did you allow the plastic wrap to lay right on the soap or did the mold hold it up off the soap? I never did peak for 24 hrs. Some had ash, some didn't, but to me that said it wasn't working.
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
I don't use plastic wrap. As soon as the soap is made (this can be after swirl tops or just straight after pouring) I spray generously with alcohol. Then put a timber lid on it and wrap it in a towel and put it on a heat mat for 18-24 hrs.
I get it if I don't do that. I sometimes spray again just after I've cut it if it's still warm but that's irratic so I don't know if that works.
Not sure what a "timber lid" is. Must be Australian! I'm surprised it doesn't overheat. I can't imagine doing that with my recipe. I used to spray and then cover it with a plastic placemat that I had cut in strips to fit the top of my molds. Like I said too many of them still got ash. They would certainly get ash if you don't wait till they're completely cool to cut. At least that's my experience. Now I just leave them sit open on the counter for 24 hrs. They are completely cool by then and have no ash. But this change is recent and I haven't made that many batches in my new hdpe molds with more water discount. So far, so good.
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
I have a timber box that fits my silicon mold and a tightly fitting timber lid that goes on top. I want gel and as it's winter here and 12* C in my soaping room at night I need to do a light CPOP equivalent to get gel.
If what you do works for you, stick with it.
Oh, sure I will. I was just curious. It's interesting to hear how others do. Happy soaping!
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
Of course that's why I do it. My molds are 36 bar molds and they're heavy. I only move them if I have to. They disassemble completely so it's no trouble moving them later. I used to gel but for me I couldn't see that much benefit to the gel.
I had never read about using the alcohol spray 3 times in the first 90 minutes, but that's what the SoapQueen recommends in her book (which I borrowed from the library recently.) So maybe one of these days I will try spraying with alcohol 3 different times in the first 90 minutes after pouring the soap into the mold and see if it really makes a difference vs doing it only once. Of course that would mean I'd have to make a large batch and use 2 different molds so one would be for single spray while the other for triple spray.
P.S. Soapmaker, timber is wood, so penelopejane is talking about a wooden lid on her soap mold.
P.S. Soapmaker, timber is wood, so penelopejane is talking about a wooden lid on her soap mold.
Yes, I got that. Thanks, though!
