Cheesy soaps!

NotTheStig

NotTheStig

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I might have found this mildly amusing if it hadn't happened to me.

A long while back I noticed that a Proraso shaving soap (old formula) I had used and left in its plastic container had a strong and distinct cheesy smell. After giving it a good rinse (bowl and soap) and leaving the lid off for a good while I put the lid back on and checked it a few days later and it was fine.
Just had a similar thing happen with my Kent (Mitchell's Wool Fat), although the smell isn't as strong. This has been in a Kent wooden bowl and was first used in there a few days ago. I have left the lid off to aerate for a while and may also give it a wash. Anyone know what causes this?
As I believe to be good practice I leave the lids off soaps for ten minutes or more after they've been used. It could be I forgot in these cases or is something else causing it?
 
Greetings

I have no personal experience of this but have read that soaps containing animal fats ie lanolin/tallow can under certain storage conditions go rancid in the same way as a block of butter or lard etc.

This explanation seems to make sense.

Regards
Dick.
 
Thanks. That makes sense for the Kent (MWF) but what about Proraso? I thought that didn't have any animal (by)products in? I have the ingredients for my Proraso:
Water, Stearic Acid, Cocos nucifera (Coconut Oil), Potassium Hydroxide, Sodium Hydroxide, Glycerin, Sorium Lauryl Sulfate, Eucalyptus globulus (Eucalyptus Globulus Leaf Oil), Propylene Glycol, Menthol, Parfum (Fragrance), Amyl Cinnamal, Eugenol, Geraniol, Methylparaben, Ethylpagaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben, Eucalyptol, Boric Acid, Camphor, PEG-150 Distearate, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Sodium Borate, BHT
I suppose it wouldn't have to be animal-based to go rancid, but it does have that rancid butter/strong cheese smell about it.

Anyway, at the moment the Proraso is fine and it's the Kent aht is the problem. I have soaked the Kent bowl and soap in water and left the lid off to air. There wasn't much smell left after my airing for the last half hour so I'm hoping it is salvageable.
 
There was little remaining, so just dumped it. Saw some bad things happen to creams as well.
K definitely had a point with his shaving crap fridge..
 
Hmm. I would never get that past the missus. We used to have one of those little beer fridges (which are cold enough only to keep milk in for two days, as I discovered as a student).
I have some soaps from the 50s, 60s and 70s. Maybe they get a little wet and that turns them. It's only happened with those two I've used and left at the edge of the sink I shave at.
 
Greetings

This experience may or may not help:- A couple of years ago I had in my kitchen cupboard some vegetable suet; it transpired that it was over a year out of date!

I made with this suet some 'funky dumplings' consisting of the said suet, flour and chopped bacon and mixed herbs. I had not noticed the date.

I 'nuked' these dumplings in the microwave and when I did so the stench that came from them was nauseous, I can best describe it as a cross between burning rubber and well matured Spanish Goats Cheese!

Clearly the fat had turned rancid. I have just looked at my recent packet and it states on it 60% Vegetable Oil and 40% Wheat Flour so obviously veggie fat can turn rancid as well albeit I suspect that animal fat would go off easier. We need somebody on the forum with a background in chemistry or biology to point us in the right direction.

Regards
Dick.
 
Mmm. Just as I was eating my dinner, too. My wife moans if I eat tinned tomatoes that are a month past their sell by date. My dad always says "It's 'best before' not 'poisonous afterwards' ". I do remember him going through his wife(not my mum)'s old medicine cabinet and being a bit less lackadaisical about that principle though!
 
Heat, sunlight and humidity are your enemies here, also to a lesser extent be careful of carrier oils used when EO are used to perfume. Some liquid oils that have a short shelf life or that may not have been stored in a cool dry place can result in unwanted reactions between soap and oil constituents causing it to become rancid.

I usually let the soap/cream breathe after use (with creams I scoop rather than swirl but that's just OCD) and after place in a thick box away from heat with a few packs of silica gel thrown into the box
 
Perhaps one of your mates decided your obsession with this traditional shaving malarcky was too much and he cheesed your soap :icon_razz::icon_razz:

I does sound like it went rancid or stagnant but with soap that in itself is unusual due to it's cleansing attributes. Maybe it was sitting in the sun or somewhere too hot.... I am going with the seminal donation from a mate cause it is just the think some of my mates might do when pissed :icon_rolleyes:
 
Well I have washed and dried it and it's fine now. Very odd. It's essentially a top layer of it. My wife said it's nob cheese as I love the soaps so much i probably shag them.
Charming.
 
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