# Soap fail



## Angelknitter12 (Feb 16, 2012)

I tried a new recipe, and of course I went a little nuts and made 20 pounds. It has been curing for 3 weeks, and is still very soft. It came out of the molds fine, but it is not as hard as I would like. I can push it into different shapes. So, would you let it cure longer, or would you hand mill it to try again to make it harder? Thoughts?


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## Guest (Mar 18, 2012)

Kami, did you put your recipe thru a soap calculator? it sounds like your recipe did not have enough lye in it to stay that soft this long.. When ever you try a new recipe, Please put thru a calc... typos often happen.. 
or check your scale to make sure it is working correctly..
Barb


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

Agree with Barb. 

Wow, that is such a bummer! I have to say, why did you do 20 lbs of a new recipe without testing with a smaller quantity first??!!? That's insane!!! Of course, I've been known to do a new fragrance without a test batch and have it accelerate like crazy, but at least mine is only 7 lbs.

You are a crazy, but daring girl!


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## Angelknitter12 (Feb 16, 2012)

Cindy, it was insane. I have no excuse except that I lost all sense when the soap making began. I made the first batch, thought it was ok after a week, so made three more. I have a recipe that I love but my friend borrowed my recipe book so I decided to get a little heady and try something new. Totally not my best move!

Barb, I am fairly new here, and this sad mistake was before I came here and learned about the calculator. I had been working out of two soap making books. This recipe is one I got off of the net, and when I went back to try the lye calculator (too little to late anyway) the website with the recipe had been deleted. Lol

Live and learn. 

Thank you ladies!!


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## Guest (Mar 19, 2012)

Kami, don't throw it away... mix a couple of ounce of lye with some warm water, shred your soap up and melt it down adding more water and the lye water.. Add some washing soda and borox and you have tons of laundry soap for the next year.. works good too..
Barb


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## Angelknitter12 (Feb 16, 2012)

That sounds like the perfect plan!!


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## Guest (Mar 19, 2012)

16 oz shredded soap
About 30 to 60 oz water
2 cups borox
1 cup washing soda
Add your extra lye to some of the water, this will take out some of the superfatting and make it a harsher soap so that it cleans your clothes good... 
let this set for a day or two and if it gets too thick to pour add more water..
Let it set in a bucket or if it gets too thick in a narrow mouth jug, you can't get it out..


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## Angelknitter12 (Feb 16, 2012)

What is washing soda? I have never made laundry detergent. So this will be a liquid!! That works great. Any idea how well it works in an HE washer? I am excited to try this.


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## Guest (Mar 19, 2012)

Washing soda can usually be found in large grocery stores, Meijers here in Michigan carries it.. it is in a yellow box...
And yes I use mine in a HE machine and have now for two years.. and yes it is a liquid... 
Barb


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## Angelknitter12 (Feb 16, 2012)

Thank you Barb!


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## LynninTX (Oct 25, 2007)

Interesting! We had a fail batch a bit ago... a total goof on a measurement... realized part way into soaping it.

tried to use it as laundry soap without adding extra lye and it is NOT cleaning. I set it aside and made up a fresh batch with our laundry bars. I'll have to see if I can save it for laundry soap still... but with 6 boys I need soap that CLEANS!


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