M&P Unmolding & Curing Times

[CandleMama6]

Hi All,

Well, I made some olive oil M&P last night. Did Holiday Pear at my daughters request and it smells wonderful. I was pretty light on the scent since I did not want to over power it. A couple of questions though.

First: The was a royal pain the arzz to unmold. I used the plastic soap molds like you can get at JoAnns and Michaels. I let them sit a couple hours or so before unmolding and I am wondering if I let them sit too long. I am also wondering if I dust the inside of the molds with corn starch, if that would help. Any suggestions to getting these babies out would be GREATLY appreciated.

Second: They were on the sticky side when I took them out. I figure they need to cure, but do not know for how long. Any help there would be appreciated as well.

Thanks!!

[TheWickedWick]

I use the Old Fashion Mold sold by WSP for my goat milk soap and for my coconut milk soap and after sitting around 3 hrs. they come out pretty easily. I also like the silicon molds also sold by WSP and they come out like a dream. I've tried the molds you referenced and too had a hard time with them coming out. Some people suggest putting them in the freezer for a few minutes making it easier to demold but I've never tried that. I really prefer the silicon molds and the Old Fashion Mold.

As far as when you first unmold they are a bit "greasy"..yep mine are too but after sitting and curing for a couple of days it goes away and then I can wrap them.

I have not tried the olive oil soap yet but it's next on my list as well as the honey recipe. I'd just suggest investing in some really good molds if you plan on making these often. It'll save a lot of frustration IMO.

Have fun and let us know how you liked the olive oil soap.

Karen

[rebeccajo99]

I started out using those molds. The soap that I made with them could not be demolded until they sat for 6 to 7 hours and I still had to put them in the freezer for a few mins before I could pop them out. It was a pain in the butt and took a lot of time!!!

I purchased some sylicon molds from WSP (like the previous poster said) and they are great!!! I can now demold after 3 to 4 hours and it comes out like a dream.

The base/recipie that you use can make a difference on how long it takes to demold. I found that the sticker/wetter the soap is when it comes out, the longer it takes before it can be demolded from those plastic ones.

[candlemama]

I'm just starting out with M&P now, too, and so far have used my regular old muffin pans, a "Handmade" mold from Peak, a fish mold from Peak (for my three-year-old ), an oval bar mold from Peak, and a silicone loaf mold from WSP. I usually let my soaps sit overnight, so about 6-10 hours. I haven't tried demolding sooner than that. With the exception of the muffin pan, I haven't had any problems getting the soaps out. Just press on the back of the mold a couple times in different areas, and they pop out with little effort. For the muffin pan, I had to put it in the freezer for about five minutes, wrestle with it, smack it against the ground, put it back in the freezer, and finally they came out. PITA! Much prefer the nice molds from Peak and WSP!! If I had to choose, though, my favorite for ease of use and looks is the silicone loaf mold and my wavy cutter.

[Darbla]

Good grief. I hadn't made any soap of any type in awhile, so I forgot how difficult it can be getting it unmolded. I made some m&p hours ago, can't get the freezer paper liner to lift out of the molds now, there's no room in my freezer for it, so it's sitting outside right now. I'm hoping it will get so cold overnight that it will work as if in the freezer and lift out. Geeeez, I didn't remember it being this difficult when I've soaped in the past. :undecided

[Darbla]

OK, seriously, how am I to get these blocks of soap out of these wood molds? Banging them upside down on concreted didn't do it. Putting in the freezer did not help. Running a butter knife all around the edges didn't help, and using it to try to leverage the soap up is only bending the butter knife. Nothing is thin enough, and at the same time tough enough to not bend, to pry these out. The last thing I tried this morning was going ahead and cutting across to make one bar on the end, and I stuck it back in the freezer but it'll be tonight before I can try prying out that one bar.

[Darbla]

The last freezer time, then banging upside on concrete, seemed to work. That got it out of one wood mold and the other is in the freezer now. I had a third batch in a perfectly sized cardboard box but I sacrificed it. I had intended on using it again since it was perfect but it's history now.

[Sharon in KY]

Did you add water or anything to the Melt&Pour except FO? I have sprayed Pam to help with the un-molding and it has worked. Good luck.

[Candybee]

Try putting the mold in the freezer for a while then see if it will come out. If not, try holding the mold over a pan of hot water to soften the outer layer of soap so it will release. I would then look for another mold to use and not use that one anymore.

[Candybee]

Forgot to add-- its normal to be able to demold M&P soap in about 1-2 hours from most soap molds. it shouldn't take 6 hours.

As for curing-- technically you can use M&P right off the block as a soap. Its already soap so no cure time necessary. So that means you can use it as soon as you demold it.

Having said that-- you will find that soaps that have 'cured' for several days, weeks, months, have better conditioning and lathering properties. Try setting a new soap aside for 6 months-- then pull it out and wash with it compared to a freshly made bar. You will notice the cured soap is nicer.