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Cleansing Value Calculator — Blend Cleansing Index

The cleansing value calculator summarizes how strongly your oil blend leans toward high-cleansing fatty acid character in SoapLab’s teaching scale. It helps you discuss laundry-style bars versus face bars with numbers—not to replace wash tests or dermatological advice. Move one cleansing-heavy oil at a time when experimenting so you can tell whether the index shifted because of the swap or because of a data-entry typo. Seasonal humidity and customer water hardness still belong in your notebook even when the index looks unchanged between pours.

Calculator

Weighted cleansing index (0–100)—educational comparison for how “cleansing-forward” a blend leans in SoapLab’s model. Cross-check skin feel with real tests and the soap calculator.

Oils in blend

Cleansing index

Higher often aligns with coconut-type character in the model.

Cleansing index (blend)
— /100

Results update in your browser for quick estimates. Always double-check critical batches with your own SAP tables and lab notes. For core lye math, use the soap calculator and lye calculator before you mix real lye.

Cleansing value calculator: strip, scrub, balanced bars, and label-safe language

What this cleansing calculator does

The cleansing value calculator averages per-oil cleansing scores weighted by grams. It is parallel to the conditioning value calculator but answers a different question: how cleansing-heavy is this blend on the same arbitrary 0–100 axis? Real performance still depends on superfat, water, and cure.

Why cleansing talk matters

High cleansing oils lift sebum and oils from skin—great for some contexts, harsh for dry or sensitive positioning. Seeing a numeric lean helps you justify swapping palm kernel for soft oils before you open the lye calculator.

Wholesale buyers sometimes ask whether a bar is “strong enough” for mechanics or gardeners—use the index as an internal shorthand, then translate outward into honest, non-medical language about rinse-off cleansing.

Practical examples

High coconut / PKO: Index jumps—pair with conditioning story or higher superfat if skin feel demands it. Face bar: Lower index with balanced hardness checks on the INS tool.

Common mistakes

  • Chasing max cleansing for face SKUs — marketing and skin comfort may conflict.
  • Ignoring water hardness and chelation — real-world wash feel differs by region.
  • Confusing index with pH — bar soap pH is not predicted here.
  • Assuming a lower index always feels milder — superfat and process still dominate.
  • Using stale oil lots without updating the card — off-spec oils can change performance without moving the model much.

Safety considerations

“Deep clean” marketing must stay non-medical. Alkali burns remain the primary workshop hazard—PPE always.

If you teach sensitive-skin positioning, document that the cleansing index is a formulation guide—not a patch test substitute and not a claim of hypoallergenic performance.

Advanced tip

Plot cleansing vs conditioning indices from two recipes to visualize tradeoffs before you scale with the recipe scaling calculator.

Real example: swapping a single hardline oil

Baseline (880 g oils): olive 55%, coconut 25%, shea 15%, castor 5% — enter those grams and note the cleansing index.

Variant: Replace 50 g of olive with 50 g palm kernel (adjust the two lines so total stays 880 g). Re-run the tool: the index usually jumps because palm kernel is cleansing-forward in the model.

Interpretation: If the jump is too aggressive for a body bar, pull superfat or soft oils next—see the superfat calculator after you settle on oils.

Pro tips: when the index disagrees with your hands

If the number looks mild but the bar still feels harsh, inspect superfat, cure length, and whether fragrance accelerates rub-off. If the number looks strong yet skin likes it, you may be benefiting from a high superfat cushion—log both index and superfat on the card so the story stays reproducible when you scale with the recipe scaling calculator.

How to use the cleansing value calculator

  1. Step 1: List every oil line in grams exactly as it will appear on your production card.
  2. Step 2: Read the blend cleansing index and write it next to the SKU draft.
  3. Step 3: Clone the scenario and change one oil at a time—note delta, not only final score.
  4. Step 4: Compare against the conditioning index tool if the bar must feel balanced.
  5. Step 5: Set superfat and water strategy to match the SKU (body vs utility).
  6. Step 6: Finalize lye with the soap calculator using the same gram list.
  7. Step 7: Wash-test cured bars with consistent water temperature and blinded notes if possible.

Cleansing value FAQ

How does this work?
Each oil has a teaching cleansing score; the tool computes a weight-based average across your blend.
Why does cleansing value matter?
It helps predict whether a bar may feel stripping versus mild before you invest in raw materials.
Is a higher cleansing index better?
Only for contexts that need strong cleaning—face and dry-skin bars often sit lower.
Does this replace fatty acid profiles?
No—use the fatty acid profile calculator when you need chain-level detail.
Why did my index barely move when I changed a tiny oil line?
Small gram changes on light oils shift the average less than the same change on your largest line.
Common mistakes?
Treating the index as a lab detergency test or ignoring superfat.
Safety?
Avoid medical claims; handle lye with full protection.
Related tools?
Pair with bubbly lather for foam tendency in the same blend story.

Related calculators

Explore more tools on SoapLab—core lye math, your saved related picks, and cross-category links. Jump to SoapLab home or the full calculator directory.