# Soap for Hard Water



## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

One of my testers has really hard water so she doesn't get great lather with ANY soap. I would like to make a batch that lathers really well, but I don't want it to be drying either. Can it be done? I've read on other forums to increase the CO, but I have read mixed info on is it drying or isn't it. I've also read sugar will give lather, too. Can that equate to honey? I'd rather use honey. I don't care about color. I can embrace the brown. 

Hints, idea, suggestions? Thanks.


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## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

I have had extremely hard water in the process of developing my recipes or formulas and my soap lathers quite well. Now that our community water system has installed a water softener somewhere along the line, My soap is going overboard on the lather. Now I have used sugar (powdered) to increase lather and I am not sure it does anything extra. I have made it with and without and I just cannot tell a lot of difference. 

The soaps that did not lather well in my hard water were ones I received in swaps and if I remember correctly, antyhing with any amount of cocoa butter or shea butter was a dud in the lather deparment. (in my water)

These oils lathered well in my hard water and it was extrememly hard. The minerals would eat right through the pipes and fittings. That was fun for some unexpected water breaks. 
coconut oil
castor oil
lard
rice bran oil
olive oil

Another mix that worked well
coconut oil
castor oil
cottonseed oil (bought at the feed store as a cooking oil)
olive oil pomace
tallow

In my water, palm was the oil in the mix that made for a draggy soap with little lather but remember hard water can be caused by different minerals in different parts of the country. 
Good luck with your formulating.


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

100% coconut oil lathers great. To counteract any drying affect superfat it at 20%.


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## Jenny M (Nov 21, 2009)

Interesting. I just had an "Ah ha" moment. My sis in Alabama says my soap won't lather with her water. I have never had anyone say that. I use a lot of shea in my soap. That must be it. 

Thanks!


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## Guest (Dec 19, 2010)

Shea and Cocoa butter will cut back on lather.. but so nice .... I am lucky, have soft water... 
Barb


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

adillenal said:


> I have had extremely hard water in the process of developing my recipes or formulas and my soap lathers quite well. Now that our community water system has installed a water softener somewhere along the line, My soap is going overboard on the lather. Now I have used sugar (powdered) to increase lather and I am not sure it does anything extra. I have made it with and without and I just cannot tell a lot of difference.
> 
> The soaps that did not lather well in my hard water were ones I received in swaps and if I remember correctly, antyhing with any amount of cocoa butter or shea butter was a dud in the lather deparment. (in my water)
> 
> ...


Would you mind sharing your % Coconut and % Castor?


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## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

I use 5% castor in every soap I make and the coconut varies from 20-25%. I make salt bars but have never tried the 100% coconut oil at 20% superfat. Maybe I can do that during my holidays and just see how it works. I have new molds. I need to try them out anyway.


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

I've been using about 28% CO usually (walmart recipe). I'm going to up it to 50%, add some castor at 5%, superfat at 15% with the balance lard and sunflower and see what happens.

Thanks, everyone.


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