How to store soap loaves

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samirish

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Hi all
I have some soap loaves that have been curing now for 8 weeks. I would like to store them as-is, without cutting them into bars. Can I wrap them in saran wrap or press and seal ...or would the plastic wrap suck the scent out of the soap?

Thanks
 
I third the above. I wouldn't store full loaves. They may remain soft in the center and once wrapped may start to grow something as there is probably quite a bit of liquid that hasn't evaporated since it's not cut or it will get extremely hard and make it difficult to cut.
 
This is interesting because though I always cit my loaves, I see on line soap makers selling whole loaves! Why would anyone buy an uncut loaf that is cured and probably going to br problematic when it comes to cutting?
 
I fourth the above. I always cut mine after unmolding and then cure the bars.

On a couple of occasions I've left some of my loaves un-cut for a few days past unmolding due to time constraints, and they were very hard to cut with my large, very sharp carving knife. I'm sure if I had used a cutter with wires to cut them that the wires would have snapped, no doubt about it. And that was just a few days after unmolding. It would have been very ugly indeed if I had waited until after they were cured.

I've seen sellers online who sell logs of soap, but I don't know how they do it. I wonder if they use a really soft recipe or something.

For what its worth, I store all my cured bars of soap in an unwrapped state in baseball-card storage boxes, which works wonderfully. I only wrap/package them when needed.

IrishLass :)
 
I think all the whole loafs I've seen for sale are rebatch or MP. Still... It doesn't seem like a good idea...
 
If you think of how it is cutting a loaf when it is ready and then try to imagine (or even actually try it) cutting a bar of soap that has been curing for 4 weeks - one will cut easily, the other will be so hard that it will shatter rather than slice.

Like slicing ice rather than cheese.

What makes soaps brittle is the structure of the soap itself once it dries out
 
I have had a few occasions when I couldn't cut my soap as soon as I needed to, and I ended up with crumbly edges.
 
How long do you want to store your logs? When I am doing a project where I do more than one pour, I will wrap the log in Saran wrap to keep it moist until I do the second pour.
 
I have heard a lot of people saying don't do it - but I've yet to hear one say don't do it, I did and this is what happened.

I also saw a lot of loaves cured and sold by the cut ( weighed) in New England. I would say if you want a good experiment - go for it. I imagine the older it gets the harder it will be to cut - you certainly will not use a wire cutter. The ones I saw were cut with the ole pastry cutter.

Other than it being hard to cut I can't think of a good reason not to try. I think you already know not to expose your soap to heat or cold or moisture once it is wrapped.

(I did cut a piece in the store- it was hard to start the cut but did go through. The center was softer but still cured. Think of what it is like to bevel your soap once cured)

If you do try it I would be interested in knowing how it turns out.
 
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