Many do ask me what to add to soap to make it very smooth.
A very smooth soap is a product of three things:
1. Your oils
2. Your water ratio.
3. Your processing skill.
YOUR OILS
Oils play a very important role when it comes to texture of your finished soap. To be sure that you will have a smooth soap take a little quantity of the oil and react with half quantity of caustic soda solution. It it thickens fast then the quality of the oil is questionable. In this case you will have to reduce the quantity of caustic soda solution. It is always adviceable to test your oil each time you get a new stock from your vendor.
YOUR WATER RATIO
Also, when you are not having hydrometer to gauge concentration of your caustic soda rough soap is likely to occur. Some good caustic sodas at water ratio 1:2 gives strong concentration that thickens soap fast. A good hydrometer gauge to give you a smooth soap is at 1275. To be at safer side use caustic soda to water ratio of 1:3.
YOUR PROCESSING SKILL
When you overstir your soap you will have rough soap. Oftentimes many soap makers delay between adding raw materials during soap making. Many add fillers and bulking agents after the soap has already traced. Others continue stiring when the soap has reached trace.
In your next production, test your oils before use. If you have hydrometer be sure your caustic soda and soda ash are at 1275 gauge. If you do not have a hydrometer I would advise you to use ratio 1:3 hydrometer reading. If you are doing a cold process soap, mix all your bulking agents and fillers in one container such that you will have just three containers - your oil, caustic soda solution and soda ash solution with all other fillers and bulking agents in.
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Odfid Technical Center, Eket, Akwa Ibom State. Nigeria
I always appreciate your contribution to help members of the group. More grease to elbow. To maximize profit in soap making I think semi-hot method allow infusion of additives without causing any problems.
ReplyDeleteThank your kind words. You are right about the semi-hot process. I personally do prefer a fully hot process in soap making. It allows for more fillers and bulking agents. And that is profit
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