Curing in dresser drawers
- Thread starter FifthCap
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kchaystack
Supporting Member
I would worry that there would not be enough air circulation...
And I would use parchment paper or freezer paper.
And I would use parchment paper or freezer paper.
Earthen_Step
Well-Known Member
If you don't care about the dresser. You could cut out slots for a very low powered fan, or even use passive airflow if there was enough area cut out. Another Idea, you could put the bars that are nearly cured into the dresser and put the fresh cut bars out on your exposed racks.
MorpheusPA
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I do, but only after the initial cure is done. For the first month or six weeks, it sits out, then I'll move it to a drawer that's cracked open.
So far, so good.
One little thing I have is a rough-finished mini wooden bureau, a couple bucks at my local craft store. It has wide holes on the handles and the sides are just slatted wood. I keep it in my office closet (usually open) so I can close it then company comes--it's not very attractive, but features plenty of airflow. It's enough to store sixty bars or so.
So far, so good.
One little thing I have is a rough-finished mini wooden bureau, a couple bucks at my local craft store. It has wide holes on the handles and the sides are just slatted wood. I keep it in my office closet (usually open) so I can close it then company comes--it's not very attractive, but features plenty of airflow. It's enough to store sixty bars or so.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with providing plenty of air circulation when curing soap, but I wouldn't stress out about it. Soap loses about 10% to 15% of its original cut weight during the typical 4-week cure. Based on the tests I've done, about half of that water is lost in the first 10 days or so. The remaining water is lost more gradually, so lots of air circulation is not nearly as important later in the cure period as it is at the beginning.
If you can keep fresh soap for about 10 days in a well ventilated environment that would be good. I would have no problems after that time about moving the soap into a storage area that isn't air tight, but with considerably less ventilation, like your chest of drawers. That's pretty much what I do. I cut the bars and store them in shallow cardboard boxes that are lined with clean cotton toweling. The soaps are covered with another layer of toweling to keep the dust off. I give the bars a week or two to dry in an airy open place, and then my soaps finish curing in a closed cupboard. The boxes are loosely stacked in the cupboard, but I don't use a fan or keep the door open or anything. They do fine.
After 4-6 weeks, I package the soaps in shrink wrap. They continue to lose weight for months even after shrink wrapping, so it's pretty clear to me that soap is tolerant of different storage methods.
If you can keep fresh soap for about 10 days in a well ventilated environment that would be good. I would have no problems after that time about moving the soap into a storage area that isn't air tight, but with considerably less ventilation, like your chest of drawers. That's pretty much what I do. I cut the bars and store them in shallow cardboard boxes that are lined with clean cotton toweling. The soaps are covered with another layer of toweling to keep the dust off. I give the bars a week or two to dry in an airy open place, and then my soaps finish curing in a closed cupboard. The boxes are loosely stacked in the cupboard, but I don't use a fan or keep the door open or anything. They do fine.
After 4-6 weeks, I package the soaps in shrink wrap. They continue to lose weight for months even after shrink wrapping, so it's pretty clear to me that soap is tolerant of different storage methods.
