{"id":53,"date":"2026-03-16T18:52:50","date_gmt":"2026-03-16T17:52:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.7virides.com\/cs\/problemy\/mekke-mydlo\/"},"modified":"2026-03-25T11:19:47","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T10:19:47","slug":"mekke-mydlo","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.7virides.com\/en\/mydlo\/problemy\/mekke-mydlo\/","title":{"rendered":"Soft or sticky soap: causes and how to solve the problem"},"content":{"rendered":"
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TL;DR:<\/strong> Soft soap = too much unsaturated oils, too much water, low NaOH, or summer temperatures. Solution: increase coconut oil, decrease water, add sodium lactate. Normal CP soap can be cut after 48 hrs, Castile soap needs 3-5 days.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Freshly removed soap is always softer than the finished piece after maturation - this is normal. The problem arises when the soap is noticeably soft or sticky even after 24-48 hours in the mold, difficult to cut, or after 4 weeks of aging still does not seem like a finished solid piece.<\/p>\n

The causes are several and differ in their solutions.<\/p>\n

Normal vs. problematic softness<\/h2>\n

Normal:<\/strong> Fresh CP soap (0-48 h) is softer than plasticine. It may deform slightly when removed from the mould. Can be cut after 24-48 h.<\/p>\n

Borderline:<\/strong> The soap can be cut after 48 hours but is still sticky or stretchy like a rubber band. After 4 weeks of curing, it will firm up.<\/p>\n

Problematic:<\/strong> The soap cannot be cut even after 48-72 h (it deforms). After 2 weeks it is still soft or sticky. After 4 weeks, it does not harden to normal stiff soap.<\/p>\n

Cause 1: Too many unsaturated oils<\/h2>\n

Fatty acids are divided into saturated (solid at room temperature - palmitic, stearic, lauric) and unsaturated (liquid - oleic, linoleic, linolenic).<\/p>\n

Soaps made from oils high in saturated fatty acids set quickly and are hard. Soaps with a predominance of unsaturated fats are softer.<\/p>\n

Problematic oils for hardness:<\/strong> Olive, sunflower, rapeseed, linseed, hemp, almond - high content of oleic or linoleic acid \u2192 soft soap.<\/p>\n

Oils contributing to hardness:<\/strong> Coconut, palm kernel (lauric acid), palm (palmitic acid), tallow\/lard (stearic + palmitic), wax.<\/p>\n

Solutions:<\/strong> Check the SoapCalc \"hardness“ score for your recipe. Recommended score: 29-54. If it's below 29, increase the coconut oil or add a bit of stearic acid.<\/p>\n

Castile soap<\/strong> (100% olive oil) is extreme - it solidifies very slowly. Standard Castilian soap cannot be cut within 72-96 hrs and only fully solidifies after 6-12 months of aging. This is its nature, not a defect.<\/p>\n

Cause 2: Excessive water<\/h2>\n

More water = longer evaporation = slower solidification = longer stay in shape.<\/p>\n

Standard amount of water:<\/strong> 33-38% of the total weight of oils.<\/p>\n

If you use 40% or more, the soap will stay soft longer.<\/p>\n

Solutions:<\/strong><\/p>\n