It won't melt!!!

[ScotchDave]

So, today I decided to melt down a palmolive stick so that I could put it in a pritt stick tube. I used the double boiler technique, but I couldn't get the soap to melt properly! I got a pasty goo, but never a fluid.

My question is, what did I do wrong?

Ta,

 

[adamant]

Maybe you aren't getting it hot enough? I've never tried this, so I don't know. Is it gooey enough to pour or scoop into your desired container? You could add a whole bunch of salt to the outer pot to increase the temp.

 

[HoratioCaine]

My understanding is that melting only works on melt-and-pour type glycerine soaps, not milled soaps. I'm not sure what kind of soap Palmolive is, but I can tell you that you will end up with a disgusting looking and smelling heap of a mess if you try to melt milled shaving soaps. That's what happened to me once with a round of AoS lavender. "Pasty goo" is as apt a description as I can think of the results I got. Perhaps that's your problem?

 

[UncleStu]

I believe you'll find that most tallow-based soaps don't melt well. Example: locally, I can find Williams($1) and VDH DeLuxe($1.50) in the stores. VDH melts just fine when nuked in the microwave, & I bet a double-boiler would work well too. But Thou Shalt Not microwave the Williams! The difference? VDH is largely glycerin based, Williams is tallow based.

You may have to get out the cheese grater & then just pack into the tube for your DIY shave stick.

BUT: If someone knows a way to liquefy Palmolive &/or other tallow based soaps, I'd like to learn!

 

[mparker762]

So, today I decided to melt down a palmolive stick so that I could put it in a pritt stick tube. I used the double boiler technique, but I couldn't get the soap to melt properly! I got a pasty goo, but never a fluid.

My question is, what did I do wrong?

Ta,

Did you add any water?

 

[ScotchDave]

I added some water, but all that happened was that it evaporated!

 

[adamant]

Is it a glycerine or tallow based soap? I guess I assumed it was glycerine.

 

[HoratioCaine]

Dave, you might be up against it. In a situation like this, you can't solve a problem to which there is no solution. I mean, you wouldn't put water in your gas tank, scratch your head at why your car won't run, and then try putting Gatorade in there instead, would you? Better to step back and figure out what kind of soap you're dealing with. If it's a hard milled soap, you just screwed the pooch; it won't come back. You just have to take it on the chin as a learning experience.

 

[Evbo]

Is it a glycerine or tallow based soap? I guess I assumed it was glycerine.

Palmolive is tallow-based so no, it won't melt. The cheese-grater solution is the ticket.

Check out this sticky for all your dining, dancing, and transmuting-milled-soaps-into-another-form needs.

Good luck!

Evan

 

[ScotchDave]

Don't worry gents, I would never commit such a heinous crime as melting an expensive soap!

Fortunately the Palmolive is unmilled and only cost £0.73, however it is tallow based. I'm going to go take a look at the new shave stick and see how it lathers.

 

[ScotchDave]

I must have gotten away with it, I just lathered up with the stick and it worked fine. I'm definitely taking these travelling!

I'm off to do this with an erasmic stick now. Wish me luck!

 

[mparker762]

I added some water, but all that happened was that it evaporated!

Add some more. When the soap melts it won't get runny like glycerine soap will, but it should get thin enough to pour.