# Almost ready.......couple ?'s



## mill-valley (Feb 22, 2008)

I am slowwwwwly collecting supplies for the Walmart recipe. I now have everything but the mold....I think . Anyway, my scent is Ocean Breeze from Candle Science. It is in a dark glass bottle, we did open it a couple times to sniff. Also I have a 1 oz sample of Rain Water (is this useable except for sniffing?) in a clear plastic bottle. How long can these be stored without losing the smell? I've had them...about 5 or 6 months I think.

Another question...how much fumes will this actually give off when I do make it? I live in an apartment with a 1 yr old baby. I can probably do it at my parents if it's not safe to do in a small area. Also...do you all REALLY glove/goggle/longsleeve up every time you make soap...or is it one of those do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do kind of things?

TIA,
Beth


----------



## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Yes much better to be safe than to get burned. and LYE BURNS your skin your eyes. if your kitchen sink has a window or a vent then the fumes are not that bad I personally don't think. but you but you want to do this when the baby is down for a nap or at night when asleep because you dont' want a toddler around at all. your scents can lose thier potence and may need to use more than normal after some time.


----------



## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

I don't wear any *safety* gear. If I did not already wear glasses though I would wear goggles. I do wear one of those paper masks when I'm measuring out lye and mixing it into the water. I do this at the sink and open the window and do not lean over the pitcher. The fumes are only evident right where I'm mixing and it settles down fairly quick. There are no fumes that I notice when I mix it into the oils.

As for the fragrances, I have a one that I just finished up that was 1.5 years old. Still smelled strong in the bottle and in the soap. But I think that is going to depend on each fragrance. 

If you are in a small apt. you might be bothered by the fragrances themselves. I keep mine curing on a wall shelf in my LR and there are times when it bothers me. At one time I kept it curing in my DR and I know it affected the taste of food that I cooled in there so I try not to keep curing soap near food.


----------



## Madfarmer (Nov 18, 2008)

Well, I've always been fairly lax about safety gear. After getting a grain of lye under a fingernail, I can tell ya, the lye DON'T get opened till I have gloves on. I use the latex medical exam gloves. (Every time I put them on, I think of the late Jack Elam in the movie, "Cannonball Run"). I pre-mix lye solution, 32 oz at a time, because I soap every day. I've noticed that the fumes subside after the first third or so of it is mixed in.

Tom


----------



## dvm-mommy (Feb 5, 2009)

Nah..fumes sren't too bad..but then I mix in a deep glass jar and don't stand over it- no problems here.

Something for eyes is recommended. And I do not liek my skin burning ..happened once or twice and now I wear the latex "kitchen gloves"..you knw, the yellow or blue ones from wal-mart...they are long enough to cover arms and I re-use them over and over. I would not soap around a youngster. That said, my 9 year old helped me today in VERY specific ways and did not help with lye or anythign to do with it


----------



## mill-valley (Feb 22, 2008)

I am planning to wear the gear at least at first. Probably better add a mask if only because I'm asthmatic and fumes of any kind are a bad deal for me anyway. I was more curious for those of you who do this all the time.

Also, there is no window or vent in my kitchen. There is a fan over the stove but I don't think that does a whole lot of good.

And yes, will definately be doing it when the baby is either sleeping or not in the house. He's into everything as it is .

Deep glass jar.....like a 1/2 gallon canning jar? I have those around........


----------



## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

No way your apartment is smaller than my soap house. I use a personal fan right at my sink blowing on me, so it blows the fumes of lye away, and then keeps me from sweating while I soap  The rest of the fumes from soaping will make you the best smelling apartment in the complex!

I always wear gloves and saftey glasses, always. I am also one of those anal, people who do things the same way all the time, so once you get into a rhythm you can go into your soaping area, get a batch of soap curing in about 1/2 an hour, and goggles and gloves and my chef apron have just always been part of the whole rhythym. 

I soaped around Jace all the time and still do, now at 3 he knows the rules and isn't allowed off the step or his chair and table when I am soaping, I used a doggy gate to keep him out of my area when he was little. When I put on my addition, I will have a counter seperating me and customers and family, they can sit at the counter and watch, but can't come into my area unless the open my little bar door.

You keep your child out while you cook...boling water for pasta or tea? Same premise. Vicki


----------



## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

Just an FYI. I wear glasses and thought they would be adequate for soaping. I was WRONG. I am just lucky that the speck of raw soap landed on the white part of my eyeball. I wear full coverage googles now. I could have blinded myself and I have total respect for the dangers of raw soap now. I guess I turned my head while stirring and exposed my eye.


----------



## Seamus (Apr 9, 2009)

Oh I bet that did hurt, adillenal. Glad that it didn't do any more damage to your eye than what it did. I wear glasses and have never worn the goggles. Will the goggles fit over glasses?


----------



## Madfarmer (Nov 18, 2008)

There should be someplace near you that sells safety equipment--or maybe even some place like Lenscrafters that sells glasses--they have a side shield that fits over the bows of your eyeglasses & keeps stuff from flying in from the side.

Tom


----------



## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Oh, now there's an idea. I never knew there was such a thing. I have tried goggles over my glasses but I can't see so well then. I'll check around and see if I can find such shields.


----------



## mill-valley (Feb 22, 2008)

I've seen them too....check at Lowe's or Home Depot or Menard's. Our woods/shop teacher in high school always wore them, and my dad wears them at work too.


----------



## Seamus (Apr 9, 2009)

Thank you for that info, Tom! I've not had any close calls, but I've got that 'Murphy's Law' kind of luck, so I know I need to get my eyes protected with more than just my glasses.


----------

