Rebatch soap balls are a fun way to use up the scraps from your previous batches of cold process or hot process soap – or to “re-roll” a batch from scratch that you’re not happy with. It’s also a “lye free” way to craft soap (from existing handmade soap or purchased soap) with kids.
Check out this cute video from Nova Teacher Debbie Chialtas founder of Soapylove on how to make your own rebatch soap balls (see instructions directly below):
- Wash your hands to create a clean, bacteria free starting point.
- Collect your odds & ends of cold process or hot process soap and use a cheese grater to grate it all using the smallest hole.
- Dump all your soap shavings into a mixing bowl.
- Add a teaspoon of distilled water to the shavings and start squishing it up with your hands.
- Once the shavings start coming together kneed them into a ball (like molding clay). If it’s too crumbly, coat it with a little more water to keep it sticking together. Try to use as little water as possible & dry thoroughly to avoid potential mold growth.
- Once the texture is even, break it into palm-size pieces and roll them into spheres.
- Set it aside in a dust-free space to dry. When the rebatch soap balls are dry to the touch, you can put them in your soap dish!
Have you made rebatch soap balls before? Do you have any additional tips? Leave us a comment below!
If you want to learn how to make your own soap from scratch, check out the Cold Process Soapmaking 101 Video eClass by Ruth and learn to do the complete process safely & easily.
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FAQs
Rebatch soap doesn't have a long cure time
This can take anywhere from days to a few weeks. You can check on the curing process by gently pressing a finger into a soap bar and seeing if it squishes slightly. If it does, it needs to dry longer.
How to rebatch crumbly soap? ›
Method
- Cut your soap. Cut or grate your cold process soap. If it is freshly made or lye heavy then make sure you wear gloves. Add your grated soap to the slow cooker. ...
- Melt your soap. Melt your grated soap with your slow cooker on low, come back to it every 30 minutes or so and stir it. Add more liquid if required.
Dump all your soap shavings into a mixing bowl. Add a teaspoon of distilled water to the shavings and start squishing it up with your hands. Once the shavings start coming together kneed them into a ball (like molding clay). If it's too crumbly, coat it with a little more water to keep it sticking together.
Why is my rebatch soap not hardening? ›
If your soap contains a high amount of liquid oils that do not turn hard (such as rice bran, sweet almond, jojoba oil…etc.) then your soap will stay pretty soft. As it cures, it will harden a bit, but make sure you have coconut oil, butters, castor oil or olive oil to balance it out.
What temperature do you rebatch soap at? ›
The crock pot should be turned to the lowest setting and the oven should be turned to 145F or 150F (if you know your oven tends to act hotter than it should according to baking recipes use the lower temp and visa versa). Give the soap a good stir and then cover the pot and allow it to heat up.
What is borax in soap making? ›
Borax is a natural salt, an essential trace element needed in human physiology. We use it in our castile soap towards the end of the process as a buffer solution, neutralising any remaining lye that has not saponified.
How do you make soap dynamite? ›
A mixture of hydrogen and oxygen is placed inside a syringe. The mixture is bubbled into soap solution and a lighted splint is applied. There is a loud bang.
How do you make detergent balls? ›
- Prepare Ingredients. Grate soap in a food processor using the grating attachment or use a hand grater.
- Mix It Up. Combine grated soap, washing soda and Epsom salt in a large bowl. ...
- Create Packed Pods. Tightly pack the mixture into an ice cube tray using your fingers. ...
- Remove, Store + Use!
Handcrafted soaps made from scratch require three things to become soap: oil, water and lye. It is the chemical reaction between these ingredients that turns them into soap. Most soap also has other ingredients added to provide benefits to the soap, or to color or scent it.
Can soap be made without lye? ›
But there is a way to make soap without lye: it's called the melt and pour soap method. The melt and pour soap making method is perfect for beginning soap makers. There is no need to handle lye.
So, the simple answer is, for a very basic soap you need oils, water and sodium hydroxide. You can add essential or fragrance oils for scent and other ingredients for colours if you fancy being creative but these are all optional.
How long does it take for soap to cure? ›
Soap curing time is one of the most frequently asked questions, and hotly debated topics among soap makers. The typical answer has always been 4 to 6 weeks.
How long does it take for soap base to cure? ›
Ideally, 4-6 hours will be enough for the soap in the molds to harden enough to be removed. If not, the molds can be placed in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to facilitate the hardening process, though this should be avoided if possible. Once unmolded, the soap bars will be ready to use.
How long does it take for soap to cure mold? ›
The average waiting time before you can unmold your cold process soap is 17-24 hours. If your soap is 100% olive oil soap (Castile soap) then it will need several days to a week or longer. For salt bar soap, you must check it often and it should stay in your mold for 3-14 hours.
What is the rebatch process of soap? ›
Rebatching soap, remilling soap, or remelting soap, is the process of taking previously made cold process soap, grating it, melting it down, adding other ingredients if desired, and then recasting it into molds.
