maryann Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 I've thrown out 2 batches and my 3rd is doing the same thing. Once its clear the mixture has flakes in it like it hasn't mixed WHY??After the 2nd one I totally cleaned the container so I know its not residue.I'm only using lye and water nothing fancy.[ATTACH]5503[/ATTACH] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 Is it a skin that forms on the surface? If left exposed to the air it will do that. I stir really good and pour thru a tea strainer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmille3 Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 Is it possible you don't have 100% lye? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryann Posted March 27, 2006 Author Share Posted March 27, 2006 As far as I know its 100% lye (from someone I respect and have done business w/ before so w/ that said I feel comfortable saying its 100% unless they were duped).It does have a skin or more so a film, but what I'm referring to is the flakes at the bottom of the container (see pic). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 Ok, I can't Reilly see the pic very well, but this was just discussed on another board and the consensus was that it resulted from inadequate stirring. Don't know if that may be what happened to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinInOR Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 How much water to how much lye? Just double checking..I don't worry about floaties or skin on the top, but I would be paranoid about heavier stuff that sits on the bottom. Could just be calcium carbonate, the lye might have saponified the small layer of oil that's always left in a container, even after a good wash. Did you ever use this container for oils before? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryann Posted March 27, 2006 Author Share Posted March 27, 2006 Check this out I just stirred it again and its worse!!!!!!![ATTACH]5507[/ATTACH] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryann Posted March 27, 2006 Author Share Posted March 27, 2006 How much water to how much lye? Just double checking..I don't worry about floaties or skin on the top, but I would be paranoid about heavier stuff that sits on the bottom. Could just be calcium carbonate, the lye might have saponified the small layer of oil that's always left in a container, even after a good wash. Did you ever use this container for oils before?Robin this is the recipe I was talking about this A.M. BUT I only had enough salt for a 2 lb batch (I know its not good to go below 3 lbs :undecided) w/ that said I was doing 8oz of water to 5.5 oz of lye.Why is this mixture getting worse??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 Looks to me like the film that forms when it gets cold. If I mix up lye and let it cool to room temp I get that, if I put it in a jug with a lid while warm it doesn't happen. It looks like is referred to as "lye lint" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinInOR Posted March 27, 2006 Share Posted March 27, 2006 Yeah, I'd say it's lye lint too, looking at the second picture. The more you discount your water, the more you get this it seems. That's a 42% lye solution, so I think you're OK. Just give it a stir so it's all floating before you use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryann Posted March 27, 2006 Author Share Posted March 27, 2006 I strained it and ened up w/ 12.1 oz of mixture. I probably shouldn't admit this BUT ..... I'm so confused by the whole bit that I thought to myself now how could I have weighed this all so wrong it should only be 8oz?? Thank God after weighing it 4x it dawned on me 5.5oz lye and 8oz water make 13.5 duh!! So now I'm down to 12.1, not sure how as I didn't spill any maybe straining it I lost some?? I don't know right about now So I ened up doing 32oz of oils and 12.1 lye solution (weight is the lye and the water together) ...... can I look at it like I took a decent discount and it'll be ok or am I in trouble?? Boy I don't like surprises when I'm trying something new !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen B Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 I strained it and ened up w/ 12.1 oz of mixture. I probably shouldn't admit this BUT ..... I'm so confused by the whole bit that I thought to myself now how could I have weighed this all so wrong it should only be 8oz?? Thank God after weighing it 4x it dawned on me 5.5oz lye and 8oz water make 13.5 duh!! So now I'm down to 12.1, not sure how as I didn't spill any maybe straining it I lost some?? I don't know right about now Um, since I've made a wopping 3 whole batches I should probably just keep my mouth shut, but I'm very talented at putting my foot in my mouth :lipsrseal :tiptoe: . Maybe that little bit of weight you lost is from when you added the lye. The water get's so hot maybe it was just a little bit of evaporation? OK I'll shut up now & let the real soap makers help you out,Karen B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca_IA Posted March 28, 2006 Share Posted March 28, 2006 Karen B, you're right. Evaporation will and does happen, so that accounts for some of the water loss (if not all). Depending on how you strained it, that too could account for some of the water loss (for example, if you used a coffee filter to strain it, some of the liquid will be left in the filter).I think you'll be okay. You might have lost a little lye, but not so much that your batch will be way discounted. You most likely will not notice it at all.I had this issue with metal bowls that I use to mix my lye in. These same bowls are also used when I break a bigger batch up, so they've had soap in them before. When this happened a few times in a row, I scrubbed my metal bowls out and then filled them with white vinager for an hour and scrubbed again, then hand dried. I think my issue was a combo of not getting 100% of the previous batch of soap out and my hard water (calcium, lime deposits building up). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maryann Posted March 28, 2006 Author Share Posted March 28, 2006 Thank you EVERYONE for your input it has really helped. It'll be interesting to see what happens the next time I soap (I need oils for that!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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