# What caused my soap to crack?



## nappint (Jun 26, 2008)

I made a batch of Spearmint & Eucalyptus EO/goatmilk soap last night and this morning when I checked on it there is a crack in the middle of the top of the log. It isn't the full length and not very deep, just in the center and it is slightly heaved up around the crack. There is also some "sweat" around it.

Did it get too hot? I like the look of gel so I lightly covered the mold with a towel, I soaped at room temp & mixed the lye with frozen milk so I thought I'd covered my bases on overheating.

Did I use too much liquid? I used the top end amount of liquid because I wanted to make sure I had enough time to work with it, I'd never used that EO before.

Any thoughts? Thanks


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

My guess is that it got too hot. I have one FO that I leave uncovered the first couple hours. Otherwise, if I cover it like I normally do it will crack. That said, I make the same EO combo and I've not had a problem with it overheating.


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## nappint (Jun 26, 2008)

Thanks Kathy, I guess next time I won't cover it at all. I'm just worried about a partial gel, I mean, I'd rather have no gel to a partial gel. Do you think I should put it in the refrigerator to try to prevent any gelling?


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## Guest (May 29, 2009)

The only time I have ever had soap crack it was because it was too hot.. even tho you freeze the goat milk, the lye heats up the milk.. Some fo's will cause this more than others.. honey is a cause of overheating in soap..I never insulate my milk soaps and they always gel unless i soap at RT, and in a cool room.. I used to, and I had cracks all the time, or try not insulating it for the first 15 minutes to half hour... 
Have you ever touched the bottom of your mold, say right after pouring and then again 15 minutes later.. those batches of soap can really heat up...
Barb


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I can't use my big molds for several of my soaps because I have to put them in the fridge to keep them from becoming liquid gel hot, which ruins the look of the soaps I am doing. Now my eucalyptus (eucalyptus, mint, lemongrass, patch, tea tree EO's...doesn't cause me any problems, well it ashes on the top at times. Vicki


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## nappint (Jun 26, 2008)

Thanks for the replies. I guess I shouldn't have covered it :/ . I'm going to try another batch tonight (diff EO) so I'll see what happens if I don't cover it - and if that doesn't work then I'll try refrigerating. The house was a little warm last night so maybe that contributed to the overheating too. Thanks again!


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## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

I use goat milk and sometimes the soap can get super hot. I never cover and I use a fan to keep them from getting too hot. In the heat of summer I have been known to put my mold on the floor over the AC vent (my soap workshop is a mobile home) and turn the thermostat down to keep it from overheating on those FO's I know tend to get REAL hot.


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

OK I don't get this I use EO's Goats milk etc and put them in the oven so why don't they overheat and crack?


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## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

Not all of mine get too hot. Certain FO's and combinations such as honey are my problems.


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

Well I must just be lucky at something as have never has one crack course I don't soap everyday either like some of you.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I think it volcano's up, and then like pound cake, as it falls it sticks to the lid and then cracks as it falls.

My problem isn't cracking, mine is if I don't get my honeycomb soap in the fridge as soon as a I pour and stick the bubble wrap on it, the honey overheats, goes into lava gell, and then you get no texture from the bubble wrap, just ugly what looks like snake skin underneath when you peel it off. Vicki


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## Sheryl (Oct 27, 2007)

Yep, some of my logs volocano up, then when they cool down, they drop. And it usually causes a crack in the top.....if they look too bad, then we do all the edges with a crickle cut and you never know it has a crack.

:biggrin
Sheryl


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

I have managed to push a crack back down and smooth it over a time or two. As long as it's still warm it's possible. Not perfect but better than it would be otherwise.


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

I too put a fan on certain soaps. The EOs you mention do get real hot. Another set that gets awfully hot is cinnamon cassia, ginger, vetiver, and any citrus. I use mostly EOsTammy


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## adillenal (Feb 6, 2009)

4fromgoatilia said:


> I too put a fan on certain soaps. The EOs you mention do get real hot. Another set that gets awfully hot is cinnamon cassia, ginger, vetiver, and any citrus. I use mostly EOsTammy


Good know that about ginger since I bought some in a co-op and have yet to soap it. thanks for the info.


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