Soapmaking 101

Lesson 7: Troubleshooting

Testing the pH

It is always good practice to test the pH of your soap before using it, but it is especially important if you have any concerns about your soap. You probably last used a pH testing strip in chemistry class in high school! These strips inexpensive and are available from a variety of soap crafting suppliers and sometimes can be found at your local pharmacy. The pH of your soap should ideally be between 5.5 and 8.5. It is suggested that you test not only the soap itself directly, but also a soap solution, made up of a couple of small pieces of your cured soap in about 2 ounces of cold water. Let it sit for several minutes, and swirl it a little to mix into the water. Then test this solution with your pH strip.

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