# DOS? :(



## jdranch

I soaped with a new fo (Lovespell) and my soap got all funky . Is this DOS? If not, what is it? What can I do to prevent it? It has been curing in my closet for 3 weeks. 

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## Caprine Beings

Your picture reminds me of lye that didn't dissolve all the way and is concentrated in areas.
Are you straining the lye mixture?
Tam


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## jdranch

Caprine Beings said:


> Your picture reminds me of lye that didn't dissolve all the way and is concentrated in areas.
> Are you straining the lye mixture?
> Tam


I am not straining the lye- should I? I thought I had mixed it up really good with the gm. I guess straining it would catch lye that had not dissolved?

Thanks for the reply...


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## Poverty Knob Goats

I agree with Tam, it looks sike undisolved Lye. Straining will help with Lye that has not dissolved.
J.L.


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## Faye Farms

I think 3 weeks is too fresh to get DOS like that. I would say it's a mixing problem.


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## jdranch

Thanks so much for the replies- gosh darn, I am so bummed! 

So, moving forward, to prevent this from happening again, should I strain my lye/ gm into my oils every time?


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## Caprine Beings

Yes. Lye pockets like this can be harsh on skin just like lye heavy soap. Good news though you don't have to throw it away, shred it and reuse it. You can use it in a rebatch, a filler in another batch or laundry soap. Its not lost 
Tam


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## MF-Alpines

Can we assume there were no other additives in it (botanicals or something)?

That is a bummer, Jennifer.

How many of you strain your lye?


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## jdranch

thanks for the suggestions Tam 

Cindy, no additives. I am curious too- how many others strain their lye?


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## Caprine Beings

I do.


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## hsmomof4

OTOH, I just made a batch of soap with Love Spell last night (from AHRE) and when I unmolded this morning, there were small spots, not as dark or as many as these, but they are there. I always strain my lye, and the spots do not zap (because that was the very first thing that I thought, too.) No botanicals in mine, just raspberry pop mica. The color is a uniform medium pink, except for the spots, which are round and sort of tannish. I figure that if I got that mica mixed in evenly with my industrial strength stick blender, then the soap is pretty well mixed. This was part one of a two part soap...I will be using the pink chunks in a white (ok, off white) soap, also to be scented with Love Spell. So we will see what happens when I make the rest of it later today!!


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## Kalne

If you touch one of those spots with your tongue does it zap? If so, then yes, it's lye. But with all the spots if it is lye it seems like a lot to get through. I'm just not sure it's really undissolved lye but I don't know your experience level. Since it was a new to you FO.....could be a funky FO. Where did you get it from?

I never strained my lye until I started making lye solution the day/days before using it. Anytime I do that I strain.


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## Caprine Beings

I have heard that "Lovespell" discolors and I have heard it can seize so maybe that is the problem. I have not used it so :shrug I just know from my own mistakes and not straining I would get these spots. 
Tam


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## jdranch

Thanks for the additional replies- I appreciate y'alls time, experience, and sharing. 

Stacey- how'd yours turn out today?
Kathy- I am a BIG weenie and am afraid of the zap.  I guess I can found out real quick though if it is lye or Lovespell. Hmm, do I risk not tasting Christmas cookies or should I wait til the 26th when I start my diet?    I bought it from Taylored Concepts. 

It was a small test batch and I really stirred and stirred the lye and added it slowly. But I'd rather be safe so will be using a strainer from now on. I completely missed the memo on straining the lye/ milk mixture! Never heard of that! 

Tammy- What kind of strainer do you use?


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## Caprine Beings

I have one of those stainless steel basket type strainers that is small woven, kind of a pain.


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## hsmomof4

Especially a pain when the milk gets thick and you have to force it through the strainer!!


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## jdranch

could it be caramelized sugar?

How bout this strainer? http://www.amazon.com/Oxo-Grips-Lar...?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1293250189&sr=1-10


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## Poverty Knob Goats

Jennifer, you could be on to something. I scorched a batch of milk with lye a few weeks ago and it produced spots alot like the ones in your soap. It produced no zap but funky looking soap! 
J.L.


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## Guest

Try taking the stick blender to your lye and milk before mixing, just be extremely careful not to lift the blender out of the mix with finger off the button.
I purchase lovespell from WSP, it does not discolor or seize.. some might since companies make fragrances different.. Lovespell is one of my biggest sellers and always has been, so I keep making it... 
"Barb


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## tmfinley

I strain, especially in the winter when it is cooler in the house. With using frozen milk sometimes the lye mix doesn't get hot enough to do a real good job of dissolving all of the lye and I will get a few chunks. I stick blend my lye mix as well to make sure but once the lye gets hardened into a chunk it is nearly indestructible. It is not a problem when the lye mix is able to heat up more. 

The zap you would get from lye heavy soap is not a big deal and wouldn't prevent you from tasting any xmas goodies. Kind of like a very mild static shock.


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## Anita Martin

I've used lovespell lots of time with no issues at all. No spots, etc. I do NOT strain my lye...but, neither do I just dump it into the oils. I watch is carefully and stir it with a spatula, scraping the sides and bottom. If I feel a lump in the bottom that is too hard to smash with the spatula, I take it out. When there are just a few almost melted milk cubes left I stick blend, making sure to pay attention to blending at the bottom of the glass bowl I'm using. I then pour carefully and slowly into my pot of oils, and sometimes I do have yellow clumps of lye at the bottom. These are heavier and so hang back and are nor poured into my oils. When I get the lye/milk all added, then I use a spatula to stir for about five minutes or so to help melt any lye not melted. 

My kitchen is cold and I've had the problem in the past during the winter of ending up with granules of lye on top of my soap that looked like white measles. I did rebatch all that soap with good results, but since I've been giving my lye more time to melt into the heated oils, by not stick blending for several minutes, but hand stirring instead, I've not had this problem again. These granules passed through one strainer, and clogged up another which is why I stopped straining. They did not discolor the soap, just sat on the top and look like rock salt. The orange hard chunks that sometimes end up in the bottom of the lye/milk bowl will discolor the soap...I had that happen to a batch one time. It was a citrus orange soap and I cut it up into very small pieces, and put it in a very white blackberry sage soap that I sold out of very quickly.


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## Jenny M

I started using Barb's stickblender method years ago & have not had DOS since. WSP as the best Love Spell & the soap comes out a beautiful creamy white every time.
Jenny


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## Faye Farms

Jenny M said:


> I started using Barb's stickblender method years ago & have not had DOS since. WSP as the best Love Spell & the soap comes out a beautiful creamy white every time.
> Jenny


What is Barb's stick blender method?


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## MF-Alpines

What is Barb's stick blender method?
[/quote]

At first, I was wondering that, too. Then I realized she was referring to an earlier post where Barb suggested she stick blend the lye mixture before adding it to the oils.


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## Jenny M

Yep. Straining is an extra step you may not have to bother with. Try stick blending your milk & lye. It has worked for me since I read Barb's first post on this topic years ago. Just tilt your soap pot away from you & make sure you don't pull your s b out till it has completely stopped. I just leave the blender in the pot & pour my oils in & whizz away. Easy peasy. No DOS.

Also, I really believe that those little white spots that show up every once in a while may be milk solids (protein?) that were not fully incorporated into your soap. Like cheese curds, kind of. Another reason to blend your liquids before adding the oils.

Straining your pre-made lye/water mix is fine but if you're adding your milk to the lye then use your s b to avoid spots.

Jenny


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## Kalne

Well.....the one time I tried using my SB to blend my lye solution I ended up with lots of air bubbles in my soap. I do all the tricks when using my SB.....tilting it as it goes in to minimize any air getting trapped, don't take the SB out once it's in, etc. So those of you who do this all the time, do you not get air bubbles?


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## Caprine Beings

I burned out my SB so I have a mixer, so yeah I'm gonna strain so my customers do not get any surprises in their soap. Its a pain, but I have more than enough laundry "mistake" soap so I will continue with what I am doing.
Tam


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## Guest

I don't get air bubbles when I stick blend my lye mixture at all... I don't strain my lye at all either.. I think this may depend on what kind of stick blender you are using.. I have three kinds of stick blenders and use the one that does not have outlet holes.. if thats what they are.. 
Barb


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## Jenny M

I truly have never had bubbles & I do this religiously. The lye/milk mixture is always very smooth & the oils blend beautifully. I don't blend until I have the lye & milk mixed together (using a big slotted stainless steel spoon) & I'm ready to add the oils. Don't know if this makes a difference.

Jenny


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## tmfinley

I don't get a lot of bubbles either. I do have on sb that gets a lot more air in the batter than my others - of course it is my most powerful one.


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## Kalne

Hmmmm, guess I should look for another SB and see if it makes a diff. Mine does have opening around the blades. I thought they all did. Amazon.....here I come. LOL


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## Guest

kathy, there are some cheap ones at walmart stores that don't have these slots... 19.00 I think... I am still using one that I bought more than 10 yrs ago... its getting pretty rickety tho..
Barb


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## jdranch

Well, I did the zap test and didn't get any zapped. My tongue still tastes yuck though and might be tinglely. 

I will sb and strain my Lye/ milk next batch and will try WSP's Lovespell. I haven't used WSP yet- can those who do recommend another fragrance or flavor oil to order with Lovespell, please?


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## Kalne

I'll look next time I'm in, Barb. Amazon didn't have any without the openings.


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## tmfinley

All of my sb have openings - I have 6. Only one of them lets air in (of course it is my favorite). It didn't used to be a problem but I think it is on its last leg now.


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## Jenny M

Jennifer, I use WSP Vanilla Lavender, Black Raspberry Vanilla, Sage & Citrus, Mango Papaya, Love Spell. They are my top sellers. I do not care for the Sage & Citrus at all but it sells like crazy in soap, shea cream & candles. They are all pretty pricey but the shipping is free & you get credits towards future purchases. On my last order I got the Love Spell for "free". That's how I looked at it, anyway. Maybe they just jack up the prices to cover the shipping. Whatever...they are good FOs.

My s b is has slots at the bottom too, but really & truly have not had any bubbles or foam.

Jenny


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## jdranch

Jenny M said:


> Jennifer, I use WSP Vanilla Lavender, Black Raspberry Vanilla, Sage & Citrus, Mango Papaya, Love Spell. They are my top sellers. I do not care for the Sage & Citrus at all but it sells like crazy in soap, shea cream & candles. They are all pretty pricey but the shipping is free & you get credits towards future purchases. On my last order I got the Love Spell for "free". That's how I looked at it, anyway. Maybe they just jack up the prices to cover the shipping. Whatever...they are good FOs.
> 
> Jenny


Thanks for the reply and info.


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