Can soaps go rancid even if they are stored in a container?

[LMAN007]

First off, I have 6 soaps and 1 cream that I use. (5) of which are Mike's Natural Soaps, Arko, and one tub of
Taylor of Old Bond Street. The 6 soaps (MNS and arko) are in a pyrex bowls with lids, while Taylors has its own
tub. I use each soap for 1 month and then and go on to the next one. After each daily use, I leave the lid off
until the top of the soaps dries, which takes about a hour or so, and then replace the lid. By using this system
it means that after a months use of a certain soap or cream, I will not use that soap or cream for 6 months.
My question is will these soaps go bad or rancid after a period of time? The pyrex bowls(1cup size) are made of
glass with air tight or close to it lids. I have read somewhere that they will last for decade(?). I have been doing this system now 3 months .

 

[dfoulk]

I'm not sure it has anything to do with how you are storing them. I wouldn't worry about it.
From what I've read here soaps don't really go bad all that often. I believe it's very uncommon.
I mean you can still pick up a puck of vintage Yardley that is decades old and has no issues.
They will however lose their scents in time.

The creams on the other hand will dry up as they age.

 

[rand77]

Vintage soaps are still reported to work perfectly after decades. I personally used a vintage puck pf Penhaligons from the 80s and it was fine. I would keep soaps in a dry, airtight container if they will be unused for a long period of time. I wouldn't worry about hard soaps going rancid.

I'm not certain about soft soaps though. Creams might require rehydration after a period of time, or they might turn into soaps.

 

[GreekGuy]

The soft italian crops have been known to go rancid after a period of time. Some store them in airtight bags in dark, dry places which can help. The water content of a soap (or cream) has a lot to do with its longevity. A dry puck of soap will fare much better over the long term than a soft soap or cream.

 

[Mike H]

I have soaps that used sparingly over the last 4 years and never had a problem.

Fountain pen ink is another issue altogether. Of course, I don't lick my soaps.

 

[LMAN007]

Thanks guys, I feel confident that my soaps, the way I store them, will probably outlast me.

 

[Luc]

store them in a dry and dark place when not using them

 

[MikeGJ]

I had two Cella Crema de Barba (red bowl version) batches go yellow from their initial "snow white" color. The texture changed somewhat, as well.

They seemed to shave ok after the color change, but I thought "rancid", and disposed of both.

They were stored at room temperature, in a drawer, with other soaps, creams and sticks.

Loved the soap, but haven't bought it since, as I didn't use it fast enough to justify having it on hand.

Haven't had a problem with any other soap, that I have noticed.

 

[Attila]

I had two Cella Crema de Barba (red bowl version) batches go yellow from their initial "snow white" color. The texture changed somewhat, as well.

They seemed to shave ok after the color change, but I thought "rancid", and disposed of both.

They were stored at room temperature, in a drawer, with other soaps, creams and sticks.

Loved the soap, but haven't bought it since, as I didn't use it fast enough to justify having it on hand.

Haven't had a problem with any other soap, that I have noticed.

It was very likely the minerals in your water interacted with the soap to create that off color. If the soap does not smell off and the lather created is just as good as before, no need to dispose of them next time.

 

[Lockedin]

First off, I have 6 soaps and 1 cream that I use. (5) of which are Mike's Natural Soaps, Arko, and one tub of
Taylor of Old Bond Street. The 6 soaps (MNS and arko) are in a pyrex bowls with lids, while Taylors has its own
tub. I use each soap for 1 month and then and go on to the next one. After each daily use, I leave the lid off
until the top of the soaps dries, which takes about a hour or so, and then replace the lid. By using this system
it means that after a months use of a certain soap or cream, I will not use that soap or cream for 6 months.
My question is will these soaps go bad or rancid after a period of time? The pyrex bowls(1cup size) are made of
glass with air tight or close to it lids. I have read somewhere that they will last for decade(?). I have been doing this system now 3 months .

I'm sure that different soaps / creams can and do turn bad under certain conditions. That said - I have a puck of JHL that dates to the early '80s currently in my rotation. It was completely dry, so I added 1 tbsp per day for roughly 2 weeks until the puck didn't feel dry to the touch. It's a fair performer, not the slickest and very drying on the skin, but the scent is amazing.

 

[Teddyboy]

No, not if it is just soap.

 

[RT Smoothie]

I'm sure that different soaps / creams can and do turn bad under certain conditions. That said - I have a puck of JHL that dates to the early '80s currently in my rotation. It was completely dry, so I added 1 tbsp per day for roughly 2 weeks until the puck didn't feel dry to the touch. It's a fair performer, not the slickest and very drying on the skin, but the scent is amazing.

JHL.....isn't that a cologne?

 

[Retiredgene]

I have soaps that used sparingly over the last 4 years and never had a problem.

Fountain pen ink is another issue altogether. Of course, I don't lick my soaps.

Wait a minute, you aren't supposed to lick your soaps

But that Cella, Valobra and Klar Kabinett smell soooooo good

Gene

 

[mrb7]

No, not if it is just soap.

I take it that you mean as long as all the fat - whatever it is - has been saponified with nothing left to morph into FFAs.

But even though "rancid" has a specific meaning that cannot happen with no fat left, non "soap" ingredients can go bad. However I have a puck of Colgate that looks to be 30 years old. And it's fine. So "can" doesn't mean "will" in all, or maybe even many, cases.

An interesting find I just picked up is a bar of pure "Grandma's "
Lard Soap" to try. The only ingredients are lard and lye. Might be terrible, but it might not be.

The package claims it yellows on exposure to air, but does not degrade.

 

[rand77]

Soap makers usually include up to 5% extra fat to ensure that all the lye is fully reacted. Lye (NaOH and KOH) is extremely basic, if its not fully reacted it will burn your skin or cause irritation. Soap theoretically could go bad if the unreacted fat portion oxidizes and goes rancid, but in practice it seems that people have used decades old soap just fine.

 

[DanOK]

I am currently using pucks of soaps that date from the late fifties to the present with no problem. Maybe I'm just lucky but I have never had a puck go "rancid".

 

[mrb7]

I suspect that only some formulas can really go bad. Any commercial formulation is very likely to have enough research to get the proportion right. Anyone like P&G are going to pretty thoroughly research the process. And even the smaller chemical companies of old, like Williams, weren't shooting in the dark. They knew what they were doing. This chemistry has been well understood for a long time.

Some of the artesian soaps, especially in their early experiments, could easily have enough extra fat to go rancid - ie develop Free Fatty Acids as a decay product of oxidation. Or they could have some other additive that can decay in another way I don't understand. But you can bet that folks like Mike's, Sterling, Queen City, The Shave Den, etc. are right on top of anything that compromises their market. All these folks seem very responsive.

So I'll bet that the modern artesian soaps are pretty stable too.

Now, my made in my own kitchen concoction? All bets are off.

 

[Lockedin]

JHL.....isn't that a cologne?

It was. I received the puck (from an auction) in a Williams box. After asking around here I was given that information

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/359437-JHL-Surprise-Anybody-know-about-this-soap?highlight=