How do you know if lye is out of soap?

The zap is hard to describe, but you will know it when you feel it. Do not the zap test if the soap is seeping, as the liquid may be unsaponified lye that can burn your tongue. If the soap doesn't zap you, it is likely safe to use. You can use other methods to be sure though.

How do you know if your soap has too much lye?

Soap with a dry, crumbly texture could be caused by too much lye in your recipe. If your soap has a crumbly texture, ensure it is not lye heavy. If the pH is safe to use, the crumbly texture could also be caused by soaping with cool temperatures.

How long does lye stay in soap?

The exact amount of time your soaps take depends on your recipe that the amount of lye in it. However, most batches take about 2-6 weeks for the soaps to fully cure and be safe to use.

How can you tell if lye is still good?

If your lye solution does not get very hot, it may be expired. Above, the potassium hydroxide lye solution using expired lye only reached 124 ° F. If you notice anything odd happening with your lye, don't use it in cold process soap. Expired lye doesn't saponify properly, meaning your soap may not reach trace.

How do you know if soap is Saponified?

The Zap Test for Soap

The zap test is when you stick a bar of soap to your tongue. If it zaps you like a 9-volt battery, your soap is still not saponfied. If it doesn't, it is probably done with the process. Again, saponification takes about 24-48 hours.

LYE HEAVY SOAP - What is it and how to identify it?

How do you know if soap traces?

Once the lye and oils are saponified and the two will not separate, the soap has reached trace! Immediately upon pouring lye water into oils, the mixture will begin to turn slightly cloudy and milky. With a few pulses and stirs of the stick blender, the entire mixture will turn a creamy consistency.

Does lye stay in soap?

There is no lye present in the finished bars of soap or shampoo. While all real soap must be made with lye, no lye remains in our finished product after saponification (described below).

Why did my soap gel?

Has your cold process soap ever looked gelatinous after a few hours in the mold? It's likely going through gel phase. That's a part of the saponification process where the soap gets hot – up to 180°F. It doesn't affect the quality of the final bars, but it does affect the way they look.

How long is homemade soap good for?

Most commercial store-bought soaps expire after two to three years. Natural or handmade soaps may expire sooner, within one year, as the essential oils and fragrances can get rancid or moldy.

How long should homemade soap cure?

It will usually take 3 or 4 weeks for soap to cure. I turn my bars over several times during curing, so that all four sides get air contact. Once you have your soaps on the shelf, lightly place a sheet over them to keep dust and dirt out.

Does homemade soap need to cure?

Curing is the process of allowing saponification to complete and for the soap to fully dry and takes about a month for both cold-process and hot-process soap. Handmade soap needs to cure before you can use or sell it.

Why is my homemade soap slimy?

The main reason that your homemade soap may be is that not enough hard oils were added. These are usually the oils you find in coconut butter, castor oil, or even avocado oil, with the closest runner-up for your slimy soap being old, or not enough lye added.

Can you save lye heavy soap?

If your soap turns out lye-heavy (with a pH at 10 or above), you can add oils or fats in small amounts until the pH reaches a safe and mild number 8. If your soap is soft and oily, melting it back down and adding small amounts of lye solution can save it.

Why did my soap harden so fast?

If adding cold lye to butters and oils that are solid at cooler temperatures, it can cause the oils/butters to cool and thicken on contact. False trace happens pretty quickly. As the lye is poured in, the soap will start to thicken immediately. You may also notice it looks grainy.

Why did my soap turn black?

Different fragrances, especially, can have different natural colors that will cause soaps to be darker when combined. Fragrances that have a lot of vanilla, florals, or citrus tend to be the most likely to turn your soap darker and this can happen in melt and pour soaps or cold process soaps.

Why did my soap turn yellow?

First, it could be due to adding too much oil. Whether it is fragrance oil or carrier oil, the soap can only hold on to so much before the oil begins to leak out to create beads on the surface. More often, it is due to the soap drawing moisture from the air.

Why is my soap not hardening?

Too much extra liquid (milk, purees, etc.) on top of the water in the lye solution causes soap to not harden correctly. Water discounting soap reduces the chances of glycerin rivers, shown above. It also produces a bar that hardens faster.

Is there a substitute for lye in soap making?

Sodium hydroxide is the lye you use to make bar soap. No other substances can be used in place of either sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide to make soap.

Does Dawn dish soap have lye in it?

No. By the very definition, soap is not soap unless lye was used to make it (liquid or bar). Now you might be asking- so what's all the stuff on the shelves of the grocery store? None of those products list anything saponified….. well, essentially none of that is soap.

Does Castile soap have lye?

Does Castile Soap Have Lye In It? Yes, all soap needs lye. During saponification, lye and fats are converted into soap, and all of the lye is used during the is process.

How long to let soap cure before cutting?

While the exact time varies for each batch depending on size and ingredients, we suggest waiting for 24-48 hours before removing and cutting your nearly finished soaps. However, you can use a gloved hand to check the soap to determine whether the soap is too soft.

Is homemade soap safe?

Lye can cause serious damage to your skin and eyes if it splashes during the soapmaking process. It's harmful if inhaled and is fatal if swallowed. You can significantly minimize this risk by using proper safety equipment and following safety procedures.

How long does it take soap to trace?

Depending on your recipe, it takes about 30-60 seconds of stick blending to get there. Thin trace is the best time to add colorants and fragrances because it's easy to stir. It's also easy to pour, so it's perfect for swirl designs. As the soap sits, it will continue to thicken.