Ammonia smell?

[Grumpy Girl]

I did two batches of GM CP last night using OMH from Tradewinds. I've never done a GM soap before, so when I mixed my lye water, I used half the amount of liquid, then after it cooled I added the GM to make it 100%. It turned a light orange, was kinda thick and stunk to high heaven with a really nasty ammonia smell. I notice the smell in the finished soap when I cut it, but on the end pieces where it was exposed to air, it's not there. Is this normal and will the ammonia smell go away over the cure time?

[quietgirl2004]

Yes its normal and will go away. What I usually do is chill the milk and add just before trace. It will be fine.

[Kaybee23]

I either freeze it and add the lye to it, or I sit it in an icebath while mixing the lye in it. Quietgirl is right, the smell should go away.

[Grumpy Girl]

Thanks ladies!

So, if I add it at trace, it'll stay lighter colored?

[Kaybee23]

Yes its normal and will go away. What I usually do is chill the milk and add just before trace. It will be fine.

That is a good idea....will have to try that next time.

GG - I am not sure, the batch I used it in was Oatmeal Raisin Cookie and it turned a med. brown because of the FO.

[quietgirl2004]

I dont scent my goatsmilk and mine turn out very light colored.

[Mnhorsemom]

When I have done gm soap I have used powdered gm. I mix it into my oil at 1 tbsp pp. I have scented mine several different scents, and all of them are at least a light tan color. I figured it was from the gm, not the scent since I doubt that CLV or satsuma guava would turn my soap tan.

[smokymountainraine]

Powdered goat milk is a beautiful thing! I like how easy it is to just add it to the oils.

[Jcandleattic]

I use 100% fresh frozen GM for my gm soaps and don't let my soaps gel while using it and I get a really light tan soap. (if I don't use a scent that discolors that is)

The smell will eventually go away. Since it turned a slight orange I would say it probably got a little burned from the lye. Like the others suggested, frozen GM or an icebath with help eliminate that.

[Shani]

It sounds like the milk was burned when you added the lye to it; the ammonia smell will go away with cure. I use 100% goat's milk and all my bars have come out a light tan color; except for those with discoloring fo's. What I do is pour my goat's milk into an ice cube tray and put it in the freezer overnight. When I'm ready to make the soap, I take the cubes out of the freezer measure, prepare an ice bath in the sink, sit the pitcher in the ice bath with the goat's milk cubes in them and SLOWLY add the lye. Make sure your oils ready and the mold is lined so as soon as you're done making the lye/goat's milk mixture you can add it right to your oils. The lye will start to saponify with the fat in the goat's milk; that's normal, just stick blend it once you add it to oils to get an even consitency. As soon as I pour the soap in the mold, I pop it right in the freezer to prevent gel.

HTH

Shani:)

[Crafty1_AJ]

I did two batches of GM CP last night using OMH from Tradewinds. I've never done a GM soap before, so when I mixed my lye water, I used half the amount of liquid, then after it cooled I added the GM to make it 100%. It turned a light orange, was kinda thick and stunk to high heaven with a really nasty ammonia smell. I notice the smell in the finished soap when I cut it, but on the end pieces where it was exposed to air, it's not there. Is this normal and will the ammonia smell go away over the cure time?

Grumpy, do it this same way next time, EXCEPT chill the concentrated GM and don't add it until trace. No scorched orange milk stench. Heh heh

Yes, the ammonia smell will cure out, as others said. THANKFULLY. LOL

[Meridith]

I make gm soaps all the time. I do it 2 different ways.

I use frozen gm and slowly add the lye to it so as not to curdle the gm. If you get in too much of a hurry, it will curdle, turn you mixture a putrid orange color and stink to high heaven (that smell will cure out).

I also keep back half of the gm that I add at trace to keep it from curdling. Sometimes I will use 1/2 water and sometime 1/2 gm that I add the lye to while adding the other 1/2 liquid (gm) at trace.

[Anna]

It sounds like the milk was burned when you added the lye to it; the ammonia smell will go away with cure. I use 100% goat's milk and all my bars have come out a light tan color; except for those with discoloring fo's. What I do is pour my goat's milk into an ice cube tray and put it in the freezer overnight. When I'm ready to make the soap, I take the cubes out of the freezer measure, prepare an ice bath in the sink, sit the pitcher in the ice bath with the goat's milk cubes in them and SLOWLY add the lye. Make sure your oils ready and the mold is lined so as soon as you're done making the lye/goat's milk mixture you can add it right to your oils. The lye will start to saponify with the fat in the goat's milk; that's normal, just stick blend it once you add it to oils to get an even consitency. As soon as I pour the soap in the mold, I pop it right in the freezer to prevent gel.

HTH

Shani:)

Are you not supposed to let GM soap gell?

Anna

[Scent Cellar]

You can let it gell if you like, I prefer not to gel mine.

[Jcandleattic]

Are you not supposed to let GM soap gell?

Anna

It's really a matter of personal preference. I don't let mine gel because when they gel they tend to get a darker tan color instead of the light tan color that I prefer. Also my ungelled soaps seem to (of course this could be my imagination) but they seem to have a creamier lather and I really like that. That's why I don't gel my GM soaps.

[Shani]

You can let it gell if you like, I prefer not to gel mine.

Exactly. Some gel gm soaps and some don't. I prefer not to gel :smiley2:

[giedre11]

I'm no expert by any means, but I love to add milks to my soaps. I have used coconut milk from the can, powdered goats milk, and am planning to try the powdered buttermilk this weekend. I never add the stuff to my lye water. I mix all of it in with my oils and yes it does mix in. Don't ask me how, lol, as I know oil and water isn't supposed to mix! As a matter of fact, I add all my additives to my oils...fo, SL, milk, etc. stick blend it very well and when the temps are right, I just add my lye water. I figure everything is going to get zapped by the lye anyway, even if you add stuff at thin trace.