CP Soap & DOS

[bugtussle]

I have been searching for pictures of DOS everywhere on the Internet and there are not a lot of pics.

Please look at the attached pics and let me know if this is DOS. The soaps were made last Feb/Mar so the soap is 6 mos old. They were cured on waxed paper and then wrapped when cured. They have been stored at <80 Deg/<50 or less humidity.

They have no odor except lav and karma soap and this has just happened in the last 3 weeks. TIA Carole

[Carriegsxr6]

yep that is DOS, it also has to do with your recipe as well as your superfatting. Some oils are not as stable as others. I know if the Linoleic amount of your recipe is higher that 10, it usually gets DOS. too much soybean oil will do it or too much canola or sunflower.

[bugtussle]

I use 9% sunflower oil, no soybean or canola. Guess it is the sunflower. Why do you think it took so long to develop? Could it be seen in a dark colored soap? TIA Carole

[Carriegsxr6]

Its considered mold and mold takes a while to grow. There are two types of Sunflower oil there is one that has high Oleic (usually from soap supplier stores), next time purchase that type and it shouldnt happen again.

Your recipe with Sunflower at 10% shows Linoleic at 14.

[Jeana]

What does DOS actually stand for?

So if you have any yellowing in older soaps, it would, or could, be this type of mold?

[Carriegsxr6]

Did you also add Castor? If not, that would be a great one to replace some of the sunflower with if you dont find the high oleic one.

[bugtussle]

Sunflower Oil was bought from BCN and does NOT say high Oleic, but just bought some more from Columbus Foods and it is high oleic.

What about dos showing up clearly in dark soap? Carole

[bugtussle]

Yes, it has Castor 7.69%.

[Carriegsxr6]

Use the high Oleic one next time. Also make sure when using the soap calc, you choose the proper one. DOS will still develop in any color soap. Its mold, so it grows where ever it wants.

[bugtussle]

Carrie, Thank you, thank you!! I will use every suggestion.

Jeana, DOS is "dreaded orange spots." Everyone talks about it, but pics are hard to find. Carole

[CareBear]

mold? no I believe it's rancidity, but yes it still takes time.

sometimes we can pinpoint certain causes like older oils or high levels of rancidity-prone ones, sometimes it's certain EOs or colorants, sometimes it's contact with metal shelving, sometimes it's a heat (80 is fairly warm) or a humidity issue.

and sometimes it's a mystery.

how long did they cure before wrapping? I (personally) never wrap in plastic until it's pretty much time to pass it on.

[Carriegsxr6]

its like mold since it grows in humidity, it will not show up right away. Like mold or not, its not good.

I am pretty sure its because she used the sunflower oil as she stated above. She is going to try the High Oleic next time.

[bugtussle]

I cure the full 6 weeks before I wrap it. For Texas, 80 and 50% humidity is COOL. lol I appreciate all replys. The discoloration really looked harmless but I thought I'd better check. Now I KNOW. Carole

[Soapgirl]

How do you know for sure it's DOS is it always large spots or could it be small spots? Will it have a smell? I know you have to pitch them once you get it correct?

[CareBear]

sadly it's not harmless - it can stink, it eventually gets soft, and it spreads... no I don't think it'll hurt YOU but it will the soaps!

it's so strange that we have so many different experiences across soapers. I use sunflower all the time - usually HO but not always, yet I rarely get DOS and not necessarily in my sunflower soaps LOL!

ETA: don't wrap it till it's time to move it out.

[Scented]

Only time I experienced it was using safflower oil and high humidity were my guesses. Stopped using safflower and haven't had it. Haven't had the cooling system bunk out again either. Didn't take long for the breakout, about in the seventh week.

[kidsngarden]

I've read on another forum that having additives like GM you don't get DOS. All my soaps have 20-30% HO sunflower, and they are made with fresh GM. I've never had a case of DOS, many bars are over 2 years old in my stash right now. I did have a case of DOS in one batch - it was made with 20% canola and had no GM....interesting.

[Tall Blonde]

I have some old (I'm talking over 1 year old!) 100% oo that developed DOS, but I make castile (100%) most of the time and this was the only batch to develop DOS. Weird.

[Meridith]

I use high oleic sunflower from SC and don't usually get it. But recently, I got it - or from what looked liked it on some bars. But I've gotten it before to know what it is. Only difference this time in my recipe was I replaced 100% of my water for aloe vera juice. Another soap I did only replacing a part of the water with AVJ so far has nothing looking like DOS. So note to myself, 100% AVJ = DOS.