Making soap can be a fun and rewarding hobby. Many people enjoy the process of creating their own soap, experimenting with different ingredients, and watching the soap come to life. One of the most common questions people ask when they are first starting out is, “Can you melt soap in a wax burner?”
The answer is generally no if you’ve ever wondered whether you can melt the soap in a wax burner. Depending on the type of soap, heating it can cause the soap to turn black, smell awful, or create harmful chemical reactions. Homemade lye soaps can usually be safely heated and used as wax melts, but you should avoid store-bought commercial soaps.
Why You Shouldn’t Melt Soap in a Wax Burner
Soap is made of heated fats and oils and combined with alkali to produce soap. The alkali breaks down the fats and oils into their component parts: glycerin and fatty acids. Glycerin is a byproduct of soapmaking that helps to moisturize your skin, while fatty acids give soap its cleansing properties.
When you melt soap in a wax burner, the glycerin and fatty acids are separated from each other. This can cause the soap to turn black, smell bad, or become crumbly. In some cases, it can also create harmful chemicals that can be released into the air when you burn the soap. If you do decide to melt soap in a wax burner, be sure to use homemade lye soap rather than store-bought commercial soap. Lye soaps are less likely to react badly when heated.
Why Would You Want to Remelt Soap Bars?
There are a few reasons why you might want to remelt soap bars. First, it’s a great way to save money. If you find that you have a lot of leftover soap scraps, you can simply remelt them down and use them again rather than throwing them away. Second, remelting soap bars allows you to customize your soap. You can add your own unique scent or color combination to create a one-of-a-kind product. Finally, remelting soap bars is a great way to reduce waste. By recycling your soap scraps, you can help reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills.
Is it safe to remelt soap?
Yes, you can safely remelt soap. If you forgot to include your additives, didn’t get your ingredients correct, got a false trace, or if you desire to mix soap batches for a certain appearance or fragrance, you could rebatch soap. Though it’s not recommended after the soap has hardened, rebatching soap is possible.
How to Remelt Soap Bars
Now that we’ve discussed some of the reasons why you might want to remelt soap bars let’s go over the process.
How to Melt Soap
There are two main ways to melt soap: using a microwave or using a double boiler. We’ll walk you through both methods so that you can choose the one that’s right for you.
Microwave Method
The first method is melting the soap in the microwave. This method is fast and easy, but getting the soap melted evenly can be tricky.
To melt soap in the microwave, simply place your soap in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it on high for 30 seconds. Then, stir the soap and heat it for an additional 30 seconds. Repeat this process until the soap is completely melted. Once the soap is melted, add your desired fragrance and colorant, and pour it into your mold.
Double Boiler Method
The second method for melting soap is using a double boiler. This method takes a bit longer than the microwave method, but it’s perfect for those who want to avoid any potential hazards associated with microwaves. To melt soap using a double boiler, fill the bottom of a double boiler with water and bring it to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to medium-low and place your soap on top of the double boiler. Allow the soap to melt completely, stirring occasionally. Once the soap is melted, add your desired fragrance and colorant, and pour it into your mold.
What is a double boiler?
A double boiler is two pots that fit snugly on top of each other. The bottom pot contains water that is heated on the stovetop. The upper pot contains the soap base that melts from the heat of the water below.
Why use a double boiler?
Soaping at high temperatures can cause your soap to overheat and scorch. This not only affects the quality of your soap but it can also be dangerous. A double boiler allows you to melt your soap slowly and safely without worrying about it overheating.
How do I use a double boiler?
Fill the bottom pot of your double boiler with enough water to come up at least an inch or two up the sides of the upper pot. Place both pots on the stove over low heat. Cut your soap base into small cubes and add it to the upper pot. Stir frequently until the soap has melted completely. Once melted, remove from heat and add any fragrances, colorants, or other ingredients as desired. Pour into molds and allow to cool completely before removing from molds and cutting into bars.
In Conclusion:
So there you have it! While you can technically melt soap in a wax burner, it’s generally not a good idea. If you do decide to go ahead with it, be sure to use homemade lye soap rather than store-bought commercial soap. And as always, exercise caution when using any type of burner!
