strange failed batch of soap...question

[Guest guest]

I made soap today, and while adding the lye, it almost immediately started

thickening. I knew right away something was not right. I went ahead and

added the rest of the liquid, stirring, and it just turned into thick

pudding right away. I stopped before adding any eo's or other additives.

 

So, I'm sitting there thinking what to do, why did it seize? And I start

to smell....ammonia??? Huh? I sniffed carefully into the pot of

soap, and that's what it smelled like. Not like over-powering strong, but

definitely that scent.

 

My formula had these percentages...approximately:

coconut oil....36%

Olive oil.........27.5%

Palm oil.........22%

Shea butter.....7.25%

Borage oil........3.5%

Castor oil.........3.5%

 

Did I have too much shea butter do you think? Maybe my lye was bad?

I dissolved 7.9 oz lye into 16 oz water.

 

Has anybody ever had an ammonia smell come from their soap??? Quite

frankly, it scared me, and I threw the batch out immediately. Then I

thought, well scoop a bit into a bowl and see what happens to it in a few

days, and I've checked it now several hours later, and it's setting up fine,

smells like....soap....

 

Does anyone have any idea what I did wrong?

 

 

 

Christy

 

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[Guest guest]

Hi Christy!

 

Did you by chance use any milk in your formula??? I've made milk soaps that

always have that ammonia smell for the first couple of days. Then, it

smells just like plain ol soap!

 

The more coconut and palm oil you use, the quicker it will trace....at least

that's been the case in all the soaps I've made. So, I always use a very

slight or no water discount when using oils that will trace faster. I've

never used Borage oil.....so perhaps that might have caused the smell???

Hopefully someone else will chime in here, and give you some more

information on that end.

 

I've used all of the other oils/butters you've listed, and never had a

problem. Also, I've used lye that I purchased over a year ago....and never

had a problem. Other than the borage oil or milk being used, that's the

only thing I know of that would cause the smell you describe!

 

I would always keep the soap...even if you think it's bad....cause 9 times

out of 10 you can save that supposed 'failed batch'. I hate to hear that

you lost the batch....especially since the little bit you kept smells

okay....

 

Hope this helped a bit.....if not, surely you'll get some more info from

some of the other soapers here!

 

Take care!

Candy in AL

 

-

" Christy Greenway " <fufuno1

<Oils_Herbs_Etc >

Friday, November 26, 2004 8:24 PM

strange failed batch of soap...question

 

 

 

> My formula had these percentages...approximately:

> coconut oil....36%

> Olive oil.........27.5%

> Palm oil.........22%

> Shea butter.....7.25%

> Borage oil........3.5%

> Castor oil.........3.5%

[Guest guest]

, " C. Lucas " <cdlucas@f...>

wrote:

> Hi Christy!

>

> Did you by chance use any milk in your formula??? I've made milk

soaps that

> always have that ammonia smell for the first couple of days. Then,

it

> smells just like plain ol soap!<<<<<<

 

Hey Candy....

 

No, no milk in this batch. But thanks for all the tips! I agree, I

wish, now, I had saved it. After I checked the small portion I

scooped into a bowl, I went into the garage to check the trash bag I

threw it all into. It was still quite warm (the sopanifying soap

in the trash!), and was looking " ok " . and no funny smell, other than

plain soap with no fragrance. I shoulda not chucked it, and it was

all mushed up with other trash, so no way to save it now! Ah, live

and learn.

 

Christy

[Guest guest]

> Hey Candy....

>

> No, no milk in this batch. But thanks for all the tips! I agree, I

> wish, now, I had saved it. After I checked the small portion I

> scooped into a bowl, I went into the garage to check the trash bag I

> threw it all into. It was still quite warm (the sopanifying soap

> in the trash!), and was looking " ok " . and no funny smell, other than

> plain soap with no fragrance. I shoulda not chucked it, and it was

> all mushed up with other trash, so no way to save it now! Ah, live

> and learn.

>

> Christy

 

Christy,

 

Yes, live and learn! I had one horrible batch of soap one time.....all I

can say is YUCK! It was ugly and didn't smell good either! I ended up

coloring it a dark brown with cocoa powder, and then scented with chocolate

and peppermint. It turned out really well as Peppermint Pattie Soap

 

I just grated and rebatched. Wasn't as good as CP soap....but then again,

some folks like rebatched soaps pretty well. I know my kids loved it!

 

The only thing I could figure out was I used an oil that will discolor an

orangy color.....and then the scent didn't hold well either. So....I knew

not to use that oil again, and the scent...well, not one that I would ever

purchase again. <shrug>

 

Sorry you lost the soap! I'm crying with ya girl! Take care!

Candy

 

 

 

--

 

 

Version: 7.0.289 / Virus Database: 265.4.2 - Release 11/24/2004

[Guest guest]

Christy,

As far as I can tell everything looks good on the percentages...I've heard

of straight shea and olive oil soap, so that shouldn't have been the

problem. Did you have a lot of " floaties " in your lye water before you

added it to the oil? If your lye was bad, that is what would have happened,

at least that is how I knew I had bad lye one time. It may be that you just

had the soapin gremlin come visit...we've all had problems at one time or

another with batches, even if it is the same recipe we've used 100's of

times. However the only time I have heard of the amonia smell is with milk,

whether it be goat or cow. You did say water was what you used, didn't you?

Anita in TX

[Guest guest]

Could you rebatch it?

 

Jill Mc.

Alabama

 

Christy <fufuno1 wrote: