Long term curing

[countrygirl1]

Hi,

Should soaps be stored in airtight containers or breathable boxes to continue the curing process, after say 6 weeks.

Should they stay on the drying racks for longer as the weather is extremely humid at present?

Please help

Cheers :?

 

[carebear]

tough questions.

I don't ever like to store in airtight - but then again I control humidity so I am not sure what you should do.

mine stay on the rack for at least 6 weeks and then they go into cardboard boxes.

 

[xyxoxy]

I leave mine on the curing rack for at least six weeks... sometimes longer. Humidity is not a problem for me... even in Summer my garage is plenty dry.

I eventually shrink wrap in 100g Polyolefin which still allows the soap to breathe a bit.

 

[honor435]

after cure i put them in individual boxes that have a cut out in the front, or i just leave on the rack.

 

[gekko62]

The humidity in Brizzi at the moment is a beeyatch. Ive had well cured soap sitting in cardboard boxes downstairs,checked em yesterday & they're wet.Beads of moisture,slippery,the lot.So Ive no idea what to advise CG,Im opting for a dehumidifier in a small enclosed space,like a cupboard,but till then Ive put the small boxes in a larger one & put that in a wrdrobe.... :?

 

[craftykelly]

I am having the same problem atm too :cry: Its humid and raining for days now and my soaps for the first time ever are sweating :shock:

I looked at getting a dehumidifier but the price is really not an option for me atm. I am not sure what else to do, I have been keeping the fan on constantly during the day and opening the door - in the garage - my salt bars are the worse, they look like they have been hosed down. I am thinking I might have to put everything in boxes, most of my stock is still packed in the boxes from the markets last week but the stuff that is not packed is all wet.

I have way to much stock to store anywhere else in the house so hopefully the weather improves ASAP.

 

[countrygirl1]

Hi Brissie girls,

Does the summer humidity cause you regular problems? Or is the humidity particularly bad at present? Do you make most of your soaps in the drier seasons?

Cheers

 

[tamarajane]

I don't know if it's available down under, but here we have stuff called Damp-Rid. It's in a small plastic bucket. You take off the lid and put it in humid areas and it absorbs moisture. I used it before I started making soap, but it seemed to work. Now I have a dehumidifier, but sometimes it doesn't really take all the moisture out. I've had trouble with my salt bars too.

 

[craftykelly]

I haven't had this problem ever before so dunno what is going on :? :cry: :evil:

Yep, we have that damp rid stuff. Don't know how effective it would be in a garage though? Maybe I will have to buy a dozen containers of it

 

[tamarajane]

I used to live in a cider block house and the water would literally run down the walls! :shock: (don't live THERE anymore!) I had those damp rid things everywhere. That's when I bought my dehumidifier. I haven't used it for years, but pulled it out when my soap started sweating. I needed 5 gallon buckets of the stuff in that house!

 

[MidwestSoaper]

I have always heard/read that CP soap should never be sealed off from air. Once the ph is in the 7 range they can be wrapped by a cigar band which you can make yourself, or placed in a box with a cutout. For long term storage, they can be placed in a box that allows for air flow.

 

[gekko62]

Hi Brissie girls,

Does the summer humidity cause you regular problems? Or is the humidity particularly bad at present? Do you make most of your soaps in the drier seasons?

Cheers

This is my first summer so I dunno what to expect either.The humidity is high,but the constant rain is the main problem I think.Still,we need it don't we? Brisbane summers used to be like this every year,not so much these days...
The damp rid works OK in small spaces but they need changing constantly in weather like this.

 

[whisks]

go with a dehumidifier rather than damp rid or closet camels. the damp rid/closet camel will be too expensive in the long run. the dehumidifier can be used for more than just keeping your soap dry - it can keep the rest of the house dry too.

 

[Deda]

I have always heard/read that CP soap should never be sealed off from air. Once the ph is in the 7 range they can be wrapped by a cigar band which you can make yourself, or placed in a box with a cutout. For long term storage, they can be placed in a box that allows for air flow.

CP soap would never be pH 7, or even close to that low.

 

[whisks]

i've been storing my soaps in shallow cardboard boxes, but decided to do the experimental thing and wrap some in cellophane to see what happens. the cellophane isn't airtight by any means and i have made sure the soap is well and truly dry and cured. i have a selection of soaps in the car to experience extremes in temperature as well as the house. so far, nothing exciting has happened, which is good.

 

[MidwestSoaper]

Deda wrote

CP soap would never be pH 7, or even close to that low.

I tested a batch of castile soap that had cured and it tested at ph7. Just to be sure, I tested it again today (a different bar) and it also tested at ph7.[/quote]

 

[MidwestSoaper]

Ok, I was really concerned that all my soap was testing ph as 7 and so I checked with another forum. It seems that some other soapers had problems testing with the strips and switched to pheno... I just ordered some and as soon as I get it, I'll be retesting it. Thanks Deda.