how long before I should attempt to unmold?

[Guspuppy]

Last night I did an experimental shampoo bar recipe which was all soft oils except for 6% coconut. (recipe hardness is 19 and INS of 110) I CPOP'd it to get a full gel overnight and it looks great, except one side has ungelled swirls. I put it in a plastic container (like what lunch meat comes in) which may be hard to unmold but this morning I inadvertently bent the mold a bit and cracked the soap in the middle so i know it is still way too soft to try and unmold. It's a soft crack, if you know what I mean. Anyway I'm wondering how long should I wait before trying to unmold the soap to cut? I only did a 1 lb batch to test so it will only make 2 large bars or 4 very small ones. I'll probably have to freeze it to get out of the container but I don't want to take it out before it's hard enough to maintain its shape to cure.

 

[lsg]

I would probably leave the soap in the mold for about a week, if it was made with mostly soft oils.

 

[KristaY]

I was thinking the same as lsg, about a week. A recipe with mostly soft oils is going to make the soap take it's sweet ol time hardening up so let it do it's thing. The freezer is probably going to be a good idea too. With a 1 lb batch it probably only needs about an hour to firm up the sides so you can pop it out.

 

[hlecter]

I would probably leave the soap in the mold for about a week, if it was made with mostly soft oils.

Isnt it a very long time for unmolding even for a soft oil soap???

 

[snappyllama]

Ditto to Lsg & Kristay.

I've gone that long.. the soap will tell you though. The freezer is a good idea too.

 

[KristaY]

Isnt it a very long time for unmolding even for a soft oil soap???

It really isn't but the mold will make a difference too. Guspuppy used a plastic container so there won't be any air flow to the sides and bottom of the soap. It would be the same using a silicone mold. But if you use a lined wood mold you could pull the soap out and peel off the liner so air will get to all sides. Water evaporation will be faster, hardening the soap faster so cutting sooner. But it'll still be a few days before it's firm enough to cut because of the high soft oil content. When I make bastille at 90% soft oils (in a lined wood mold) using 1.8:1 water:lye ratio, I can usually cut in 36-48 hours.

 

[Guspuppy]

Thanks everyone!

 

[hlecter]

It really isn't but the mold will make a difference too. Guspuppy used a plastic container so there won't be any air flow to the sides and bottom of the soap. It would be the same using a silicone mold. But if you use a lined wood mold you could pull the soap out and peel off the liner so air will get to all sides. Water evaporation will be faster, hardening the soap faster so cutting sooner. But it'll still be a few days before it's firm enough to cut because of the high soft oil content. When I make bastille at 90% soft oils (in a lined wood mold) using 1.8:1 water:lye ratio, I can usually cut in 36-48 hours.

Interesting informations. Thank you!!

 

[Guspuppy]

I poured this on 4/2 and it is still easily dented with a light fingertip. Should I leave longer or try freezing? I really want it unmolded so that air can start to get to more than just the surface! What if I freeze it good and break away the plastic mold? Or is it likely to stick?? I am surely kicking myself for not using a liner, even just press n' seal, now!!

 

[KristaY]

Sticking it in the freezer won't hurt so it's worth a try. I'd leave it in there overnight then when you take it out, set the bottom portion in hot water for 20-30 seconds. Then push on the bottom while holding the sides to see if it'll pop out like an ice cube. I'd give it a shot!

 

[Guspuppy]

Thanks! I was thinking overnight but wasn't sure if that would hurt the curing soap or not.

 

[Guspuppy]

My next question is, will this soap ever harden at all?! As a refresher it is all soft oils except 6% coconut. I didn't know about soap calc and lye concentration then but I did make the water 35% of oils, which still only had the lye concentration at 26.9%. So lots of water in there. I poured the soap on 4/2. It refused to harden enough to unmold, so I froze it overnight and unmolded/cut it on 4/8. Today I checked and it is still so soft the slightest pressure will dimple it. I cut a sliver off one bar to try and inside is even softer yet. I know I'm not even 4 weeks out yet and "patience, young grasshopper", but will it eventually harden, or will I just have to accept that it washes away in the shower after a few uses? The five-second lather test was sure lovely, I want to use it!

 

[KristaY]

I have a bastile bar from a batch I made about 2 years ago and it's very hard BUT it took a long time to get there. I'm pretty sure my recipe was 95% soft oils and 5% shea butter. It stopped denting with finger pressure at about 3-4 months and I didn't start using it until 6 months. Castile and bastile mosey along at their own slow pace when it comes to hardening so you still have a way to go!

 

[Guspuppy]

OK, *whew* Thank you KristaY! I guess further patience is in order.... soooo hard to wait when one is a new soapmaker. heehee.

 

[KristaY]

OK, *whew* Thank you KristaY! I guess further patience is in order.... soooo hard to wait when one is a new soapmaker. heehee.

SOOOO true Guspuppy! That's why I usually recommend to new soapmakers to make a castile or bastile if they want but also make a recipe with a more balanced hard/soft oil ratio that cures faster. That 6-12 month wait is impossible!