Speed Up the Curing Process

[melonie]

Hi Everyone,

I'd like to get your thoughts on an idea that I came up with. What do you think about the use of a food dehydrator to speed up the curing process for soaps? Please let me know.

Thanks,

Melonie

 

[dagmar88]

Soap is just better with a good long cure.

 

[Deda]

Melonie, I gave that a whirl several years ago with DH jerky drier.

My soaps had shrunken head syndrome. Not pretty. They all warped. Badly. And the next batch of Jerky smelled like Patchouli.

 

[Sunkawakan]

Been there, tried that, don't bother. Its a waste of soap, electricity and effort. Mine ended up shrunken in weird places, discolored, and just plain... wrong. However, I do love my drying shelves in my office - I put the soap on them & label,check them everyday and basically forget about them for a week or do (cphp) or longer. After a week or so, I cigar band them (though I've been known to do this earlier) and box them in these http://www.bcwsupplies.com/user_newsletter/products/800-Count-Storage-Box-2-Pieces-.htm which let them continue to breath and I'm done (with that part of the process anyway

 

[honor435]

just do the oven on low.

 

[melonie]

Hi All,

Thank you for sharing your stories on curing your soaps. I will scratch that idea of using the food dehydrator. I thought that would save me some time.

Thanks,

Melonie

 

[donniej]

I've been looking on Ebay for a good deal on a vacuum oven. I think the right combination of strong vacuum and gentle heat might work...

 

[tincanac]

I just did an Oven Process for the first time tonight. All the soap guru's say that it is ready to use immediately - but super best to use if you leave out to dry for 2-4 days! I reckon that's a good way to speed up the "cure". I dunno, I'm gonna see how mine turns out. It is soaping up good and I even really, really licked the soap batter to make sure that it really wasnt zapping - and it had no zap at all - but tasted like salty cornmeal porridge! If mine cures up in 2-4 days, I reckon this is the way I'm going swing in my soaping endeavours!

 

[awi]

Does it make any difference if you place your soap under a fan....? I wondered if it would speed up curing time.

 

[Maria]

I run a dehumidifier to speed up drying out HP soap and it works great. As far as curing CP soap just takes time.

 

[melonie]

Hi Everyone,

I just checked my thread and noticed that there were new postings on this topic. Out of curiosity, how long does it take to cure soaps in the oven and at what temperature? I might give it a try if this is a tried and true method. Thanks for all your help.

Melonie

 

[carebear]

just do the oven on low.

have you actually done this? cured your finished soap in the oven?

 

[jarvan]

I thought that cured soap would begin melting if placed in a warm oven. I personally favor CPOP because the soap sets up faster and takes less time to do a "usable" cure, more like a couple weeks instead of a month. That said, CPOP soap is better and better with age, just like any other lye-based soap.

 

[hem06]

Why does everyone want to speed up cure? I don't get that. If you read soap boards and make soap, you know it gets better as it ages. There is no real way to speed up time, and make it cure faster. Curing takes time.

Yes, you can use HP soap quicker--it is fully saponified. So is CP after a couple days. That is not the same as being properly cured.

 

[dagmar88]

 

[ChrissyB]

Spot on Heather.

 

[lovethyscent]

It depends on your recipe too, some of mine have cured in a few weeks. I have heard people doing 50/50 lye and water, but you have to work fast with that.

 

[Margo]

Using a Dehydrator to Cure Soap

Not a good idea to do this. Your soap will turn out misshapened.

Cold processed soap cures in its own time. I don't guess when it will be ready. I use the scientific method of testing the ph of the soap for each batch I make. It's ready when it's ready.

 

[carebear]

pH won't tell you the whole story. not even much of it.

and a big benefit of the cure is evaporation of water resulting in a harder, longer lasting, better lathering bar.

 

[carebear]

just do the oven on low.

have you actually done this? cured your finished soap in the oven?

?