| Last week, I was helping a customer with some questions she had about soap, when she asked me how she could get rid of the soda ash on her soap. At first, I had to admit that I was stumped. After all, I had experienced soda ash on my soap before. Personally, I feel the soda ash adds character to the initial bar of soap and I have never had the desire to remove it when the soda ash will wash off the first time the soap is used. However, this is my opinion and not everyone will agree with me.
After I finished talking to the customer, I tracked down the technical support team and asked for more information about soda ash. Let’s start with the basics, what is soda ash? Soda ash is sodium carbonate that has formed when Sodium Hydroxide in the soap has had contact with Carbon Dioxide in the air. How do I prevent soda ash from forming on my soap? Simply cover the surface of your soap with plastic wrap after pouring the soap into the mold. We prefer Saran Wrap to other plastic wraps since it doesn’t seem to stick to itself as much. Allow your soap to sit for the normal amount of time before you cut your soap. Peel the plastic wrap off your soap and cut. You shouldn’t have soda ash on the top of your soap now. Wasn’t that amazing? Happy Soaping! Don’t forget to submit your blog or video posts to win the MMS Perfumer’s Kit. Remember, this kit is worth $280! Submissions are due by December 1st for posts during October and November.
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 The orange arrow points to soda ash on the surface of the soap. |
It’s amazing as long as you don’t put a decorative topping on your soaps. Any tips to prevent soda ash from forming without damaging your peaks?
Bonny, You can spray it with 91% alcohol. It helps alot with ash.
I hv soda ash too, when I test with ph Tester, its highly alkaline.
I spray the top of the soap in the mold with 70% rubbing alcohol ! No more ash ! works great
I have sprayed them with 91% alcohol… still got soda ash 🙁
Alcohol is best used on melt and pour soap to prevent bubbles and a skin from developing. For cold process soap the best option is to use Saran Wrap and have it barely touch the surface of the soap. You need to block the sodium hydroxide from reacting with the air. If you can put the block in place, you will have it made.
Cheers!
Tina
I need to know, how long does the soap has to “rest” before using it. Is the reaction of saponification still happening after the soap is done? what about the pH?
Nicole,
I think we have a great blog post that will help you with that. The Curing Soap post in January of 2013 will answer these questions.
The short answer is that you can start using your soap when you cut it. I hope this helps!
Hi Andee,
Thanks for the great work done here.
Ima in a country where palm oil is scare and thus expensive. I also don’t have those exotic oils that you have in the west.
I would use soap stock in the place of the oils. Can you advise on the % of lye. Please
Also if I had 25kgs of caustic and added 140ltres of water. What will the w/w % be.
Many thanks
What oils do you have that are available?
Tina