I use the powder now and we have hard water also. I've gotten blood out with it and just yesterday a ink cartridge hubby refilled squirted all over me and it took it right out. I put baking soda & washing soda in mine. Adding orange eo's helps degrease too!
I'm so glad it worked the 2nd time around. My 1st batch was a bust too lol. Do you have Catherine Failor's book on liquid soap making? It really is a fab book w/lots of good info. I'm always still learning though
I like using the summer bee meadows calculator for liquid soap. Did you use a crockpot? Why did you sf at 5%, just curious. I always thought temps didn't matter with liquid soap when you are getting a trace. I usually use the crockpot and didn't have problems. Maybe someone else can help.
You can check out the soap scent review board also. One of my favorites from them is rose in CP it's just lovely. Their chocolate fudge is drooling good in cp too
I don't neutralize anymore since I use summerbees calc I'm not sure what you would sf it at for shampoo though. So far I haven't had luck with the shampoo I have made. It could be my hard water though.