Thread: Why melt soap?

Originally Posted by markevens

Do you now why that is, or have any guesses? Do you think the heating changes the chemical composition in any way?

I make soap from time to time with my mom. Nothing for shaving use but just for showering.

The point of a double boiler is not to let the soap come in direct contact with heat. If it does, such as a pan on stove, microwave it will dry out the soap. The glycerin will break down, fragrance will be stripped and sometimes the color diminishes. Using a double boiler is to allow the water to come into direct contact with the heat and using the steam to slowly melt soaps. The highest temp I use is about medium on the stove. And, stir frequently... sometimes those soaps won't melt properly and need to be stirred. Just as Glen said, just enough to melt it and pour. You really don't need much.

If you have a transparent mug and would like the soap to be a little more transparent, try tossing it in the freezer until hard. Be careful, expansion and contraction could crack your mug.

This same method works great for chocolate and strawberries.

This is just what I know from playing around with soaps. I am not a professional soap maker but what I have mentioned does work.

Just don't use your wife's good graters to grate your soap. Many women take a dim view of that.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Just don't use your wife's good graters to grate your soap. Many women take a dim view of that.

Really? I figured since it was soap, it wouldn't be a problem.

Okay, so tonight I'm getting ready to melt two cakes of soap into glass bowls. Lacking a double-boiler, I was planning to just set the glass bowls in a simmering water bath with the soap pucks inside. Should I instead put a stainless steel bowl atop the saucepan with the simmering water and then place the bowl inside that?

Or do I need to melt the soap in another vessel over a hot water bath and then pour it into the glass bowl?

Or should I worry less and just try something?

Never mind. I found the right combination of search terms, patience and beer. I have successfully melted a Conk puck into a glass bowl by just setting the glass bowl in a hot water bath and stirring gently, periodically. It sure looks like it worked; we'll see when it hardens.

I just grated a puck of soap from Old Dominion Soap Company. I liked the smell and it seemed to lubricates pretty well, but didn't lather worth a darn. I grated it up with a small grater, pressed it into my soap dish and now it lathers like a dream.

Easier than a double boiler, I just put a glass bowl with enough watter to go higher than the soap level in the shaving mug in the microwave, boil the water, then put the shaving cup into the boiled water and stir with a bamboo skewer. Works great for me.