Cardboard box mold

[uplandermom]

Greeetings all.

I took a CP soapmaking class over the weekend from a woman who has a lucrative soapmaking business here in my area.

She says she uses milk cartons and cardboard boxes lined with heavy plastic as molds, rather than buying them.

Has anyone ever tried this? I'm terrified of caustic lye solution leaking all over the place......

 

[Tabitha]

I have never tried it but have heard of people doing this.

 

[Dana]

I've read about it on many of the soap making sites on the web. The plastic lining should prevent any leakage.
I was wondering though, how the plastic lining holds up to temperature. I've read that you can line the boxes with anything from saran wrap, freezer paper to plastic garbage bags.
Since I'm just starting out, and waiting to purchase molds until I'm sure this is something I want to pursue, I'll be using this method for my trial batches of soap.

Dana

 

[Mothi]

Haven't tried those things out, but did use a heat resistant plastic container for my first few batches. I later bought a 1-pound wooden mold. I lye it with cereal bags. Clean of course. I have used them maybe 5 times now and that one is still good. I tape it down. I learned the hard way that soap seeps through wax paper.

 

[soapbuddy]

You can use just about anything for a mold except anything NO aluminum or teflon. Just make sure it's oven safe if you are putting it in there.
I have lined my molds with white trash bags and the whole soap mold went into a very low oven, with no ill effects.

Irena

 

[baseballgranny]

I make my soap in the flat boxes Dasani water comes in. I just slip them in a trash bag and fit and tape my corners and it works perfectly for me. After 24 hrs. I just unmold , pull the plastic bag off and I have a beautiful slab of soap. I do have a few molds I use but I prefer the boxes. A kitty liter box works fine too.

 

[pink-north]

I make my soap in the flat boxes Dasani water comes in. I just slip them in a trash bag and fit and tape my corners and it works perfectly for me. After 24 hrs. I just unmold , pull the plastic bag off and I have a beautiful slab of soap. I do have a few molds I use but I prefer the boxes. A kitty liter box works fine too.

That's funny! I use kitty litter liners to line my wooden mold and I find it works great. I was hoping to by a silicone mold form The Upland Soap Factory, but there store has been closed for several months. Just as well. I'm having success with the litter liners and it costs less.