As I posted yesterday I did my first ever cp batch. I put it in a fairly rigid plastic container bought from pound land.unfortunately I have had to be away from home unexpectedly. Will the soap be ok in the container til Wednesday before I can unmould it? And when I cut it is it best in heated or unheated rooM. It's freezing here in uk at the moment and I have a garage which is unheated and very cold.or I have unheated conservatory?
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- Thread starter Jemima
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Obsidian
Well-Known Member
If it needs to be cut, waiting that long could be bad. Its likely to be way too hard and could crumble or shatter.
You want your soap room temp when cut, the colder it is the more likely it is break.
Since your soap will be a few days before you can cut it, warming it in the oven till it gets slightly soft should help it cut easy.
@DeeAnna I believe talks about warming soap to cut, maybe she can give you some advice on the process.
You want your soap room temp when cut, the colder it is the more likely it is break.
Since your soap will be a few days before you can cut it, warming it in the oven till it gets slightly soft should help it cut easy.
@DeeAnna I believe talks about warming soap to cut, maybe she can give you some advice on the process.
Welcome, Jemima. I agree with Obsidian.....waiting that long to cut could be bad. Although soap is fine staying in a mold for a week, it may or may not be an absolute bear to cut when you unmold....... depending on your formula and whether or not it went through the gel-stage. For example, I made a batch of 100% olive oil soap once with a 28% lye concentration that did not go through the gel-stage and which was not un-molded and cut until a week had gone by, but it was still soft enough to cut through easily without issues. However, if I waited a week to unmold and cut my regular tallow/lard formula that uses a 33% lye concentration and which goes through the gel-stage, although it would be easy for me to unmold it, I'd probably need a chainsaw to cut through it and it wouldn't be pretty. lol
In regards to cutting your soap in a heated room vs an unheated room with temps down in the freezing zone..... definitely go with the heated room.
IrishLass
In regards to cutting your soap in a heated room vs an unheated room with temps down in the freezing zone..... definitely go with the heated room.
IrishLass
Based on my experience, the soap will be fine. But I suggest letting it come up to room temperature before cutting it.
I have been in that situation before and it really depends on the recipe (specific oils used as well as if high or low water amount in the lye solution) on how hard the soap is by the time you come back, as to how hard it will be to cut.
For example a 100% Coconut Oil soap with be very hard very fast, whereas an all soft oils recipe may take a week to set up enough to cut anyway.
Getting it out of the mold while cold is easier than if you warm the soap first. But before attempting to cut it, do as the others are suggesting and let it come to room temperature first, which can take a couple of days depending on how big the loaf or block of soap is and how cold it is to start.
For example a 100% Coconut Oil soap with be very hard very fast, whereas an all soft oils recipe may take a week to set up enough to cut anyway.
Getting it out of the mold while cold is easier than if you warm the soap first. But before attempting to cut it, do as the others are suggesting and let it come to room temperature first, which can take a couple of days depending on how big the loaf or block of soap is and how cold it is to start.
