# what happened to this liquid soap?



## a4patch (Oct 7, 2009)

Last night it was clear and dark caramel in color. I had heated and added water 48 oz. This AM it had cooled and now looks like a thin peanut butter.

What to do? 
Suggestions?


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## a4patch (Oct 7, 2009)

those are bubbles and not brown spots.


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## Guest (Apr 28, 2012)

I have never seen this before, is this your coconut recipe? Did you use distilled water? the minerals in tap water can cause problems but I have never seen any like this.. Put on and cook again, it should thin some with heat, maybe clear up..
How long did you cook this soap and did you use a crock pot?


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## a4patch (Oct 7, 2009)

I did use a crock pot. It cooked for three days, but I was afraid to let it cook during the nights. I did cover and unplug during the nights. I did use distilled water. It is the 100% coconut recipe. neutralized with citric acid diluted in boiling water as per the LS recipe.


It still suds and feels nice. It just looks like a thinned down peanut butter. Smells the same as it did when it was clear and caramel colored.

Non related question.
Will LS mold? 

BTW. Do I need to use any type of


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## Guest (Apr 29, 2012)

Citric Acid is your problem... try using borox next time, I have only used CA once and did not like the results.. you probably used too much (even going by the recipe) I find the same is true of Borox, less than recipe calls for is better.. I add just a tablespoon at a time and test for pink with pheno, then test PH... usually never takes what the recipes call for.. Its good to use.. Scent with a fragrance that matches the color of the soap, like almond or mocha...I have never had any mold and I don't use preservatives in mine.. I make it a year ahead of time too... and just store in 5 gallon buckets..
It might even clear up some later... but be careful thinning it down at this point, add just a couple of ounces at a time.. One thing I will say is LS takes some trial and error before you get the hang of it.. I made alot of batches of it before I could get a nice clear soap, but they all cleaned the same and was good soap... 
Barb


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## a4patch (Oct 7, 2009)

Ok, great to hear. I have some OMH sent that would work great. 

Barb, I guess I can get the pheno from any soaping source?


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## Guest (Apr 29, 2012)

No, not many places carry it... Lotioncrafter has it... lotioncrafter.com (i think)


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## a4patch (Oct 7, 2009)

Does it matter if I used a crock pot or not?


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## a4patch (Oct 7, 2009)

http://www.nurnberg.com/pc_product_detail.asp?key=CE63D0725A464B71ABE835E86E67B5A6 Would this work? I could not find it on lotioncrafters.com


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## Guest (Apr 29, 2012)

Crockpot cooks liquid soap wonderfully.... and yes that is it... it turns pink when soap still has excess lye in it.. 
Barb


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## a4patch (Oct 7, 2009)

I think I know what happened to the soap. The newest batch finished yesterday. I brought the water to a rolling and added borax. Decided to neutralize it slowly as per suggestions here. Set the unused portion aside in a sealed jar. This AM the bottom was covered with crystals. Did I not boil it long enough?


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## Guest (May 3, 2012)

Are u making sure that the borox is completely dissolved?
By adding slowing I mean (use half of what recommended) and set the soap aside for a week,, don't add the whole recommended amt.... 
Are you using a stick blender to mix borox in good, I don't.. I stir in by hand... 
"Are you cooking your soap for a least a couple of days?
Stir again and set aside, leave it for a couple of weeks... liquid soap really takes patience, I have never had crystals in mine.. did you use distilled water...


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## a4patch (Oct 7, 2009)

MRFBarbara said:


> Are u making sure that the borox is completely dissolved?
> 
> I brought the distilled water to a rolling boil. I added the borax and let it come back to a rolling boil. I am not sure how long I should boil it with the borax in the distilled water.
> 
> ...


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## Guest (May 3, 2012)

You need to add the water that you neutralize right away, don't let it sit and you cannot reuse this later on another batch of soap, it does not keep.. Once you boil it, stir in your borox and stir until dissolved, then add to the soap, do not boil again.. you are boiling off half of the water and that changes the formula..You won't have crystals this way... 
Make your soap, cooking just like you have been.... dilute it and leave it alone for a week.. stirring once in a while to make sure you have it at the concentration you want to.. After that week then neutralize but don't make your neutralizer ahead of time and don't boil it twice.. add to your soap slowly at half the rate the formula says... Then leave your soap alone for a month.. You will be so surprised how how nice it it... 
Barb


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## tlcnubians (Jan 21, 2011)

You didn't use fractionated coconut oil by any chance did you? I had major "cream" issues with a liquid soap I made with FCO several years ago. . . .


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## a4patch (Oct 7, 2009)

ok will do "add to your soap slowly at half the rate the formula says... " 

add the WATER to your soap slowly at half the rate the formula says?

Thanks so much.


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## a4patch (Oct 7, 2009)

I think I used the 76 degree coconut. I need to double check.


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

You would know if you use FCO...it's a clear liquid.


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## Guest (May 3, 2012)

Try this recipe...
Making a Good Liquid Soap

Making liquid soap is not much different from making CP soap except for the final stages of dilution and neutralizing it. It can be frustrating for some. I have made many batches of LS and made many mistakes along the way. A liquid soap with a higher percentage of soft oils (liquid at room temp) will actually be thicker after dilution than soap with a high amount of coconut oil or other hard oil.
A Good soap recipe to start with
33 oz Sunflower oil or olive oil..
14 oz of Coconut oil
11 oz of KOH
33 oz of distilled or soft water 
Minerals in your tap water can cause your soap to cloud..
Yes, this recipe is high in KOH, and for a purpose, so that all of the oils will saponify and you will have a clear soap.. For this reason I do neutralize my soaps with boric acid, citric acid or borax. It is the fatty acids in the oils that can cause a cloudy soap. Some oils are noted for doing this also..

Instructions for your soap
Melt your oils together in a large pot (top of double boiler) or a crock pot… in the meantime mix your distilled water and lye together. There is no need for temps on either solution. You are going to cook this soap. Once oils are melted, pour your lye solution in the oils and mix with stick blender until mixture emulsifies and then add your goat milk, continue to mix with stick blender until your mixture is med thick like a thick applesauce. Now it’s time for your crock pot or double boiler.. Some like a crock pot, I don’t since the soap can scorch on the bottom of the pot easily. I use a double boiler and it takes a little longer cook.. Some will tell you to only cook for three hrs.. I cook all day.. For a full eight hrs. Sometimes I turn it off and cook again the next day. 
You are going to cook your soap until all of it becomes translucent like Vaseline. Now it’s done.. it’s time to dilute it and neutralize it.. 
Adding water dilutes it, using distilled or soft water ensures a clear soap. Adding 9 oz of water per pd of soap paste will keep your soap reasonably thick. Adding more water makes thin soap.
After complete dilution, you can neutralize your soap, this will take care of excess lye in your soap so that you get a PH of around 10.
Borox solution: 
8 ounces boiling water, add three oz of borax until dissolved..
Add 1 tablespoon per pound of soap paste
I use this sparingly.... adding only half of what is called for, then test for excess lye and check the PH.. most of the time I don't have to add more.. aging your soap will also help it..


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## a4patch (Oct 7, 2009)

My coconut is not clear, until it is melted.


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## a4patch (Oct 7, 2009)

Barb, I will def try this soap.


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

a4patch said:


> My coconut is not clear, until it is melted.


Then it's not FCO.


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## a4patch (Oct 7, 2009)

good, thanks.


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