It's Curing... What next? How do you store your soap?

[DeeAnna]

One issue with storing soap without any wrapping is the soap loses its scent faster. Otherwise the main requirements are to store soap in a cool, dry, dark place. I'd also give some thought to storing soap in a way that reduces dust and prevents mice from snacking.

Here's an interesting read -- http://soapsmith.blogspot.com/2015/09/soapsmith-dos-experiment.html

 

[Carl]

One issue with storing soap without any wrapping is the soap loses its scent faster. Otherwise the main requirements are to store soap in a cool, dry, dark place. I'd also give some thought to storing soap in a way that reduces dust and prevents mice from snacking.

Here's an interesting read -- http://soapsmith.blogspot.com/2015/09/soapsmith-dos-experiment.html

Interesting @DeeAnna
Mice will eat soap?
I was thinking the saponified oils must taste different than the pre-saponified oils (not that I've ever tried it). Therefore I was thinking not to worry about rodents.

 

[DeeAnna]

Oh, yes -- definitely. Here's one of my bars as proof --

 

[Hawksquill]

I store them in ugly old shoe boxes with holes punched with a knife. My scents are essential oils so I also include cotton balls soaked in the particular EO. And I throw in a couple of those silica gel packets.

Using EO-soaked cotton balls is a fantastic idea, I'll have to try that!

I currently also cure and store my soaps on the same rack, although I wrap the ones that have had a full cure in cheap sandwich bags - the kind with a loose flap rather than zip seal. My rack is currently full, so I'll be moving some of the already cured ones into cardboard boxes and trying that cotton ball trick to hopefully hold the scent.

If you're in the market for an affordable rack, I found a four-tiered wire rack at Bed Bath and Beyond for pretty cheap, plus I used one of their 20% off coupons. I think it was advertised as a shoe rack, you can find a photo I posted elsewhere on the forum if you're curious. I keep mine in a large closet but it's pretty unobtrusive and wouldn't look too messy out in the open,I think. I just put a layer of parchment paper between my soaps and the metal to avoid DOS.

 

[SoapSisters]

Lots of good advice here! Thanks! And sorry for this "newbie" question . . . Does soap stop curing after it is wrapped or stored in a box/closed container? I'm assuming it does, because it needs air for the gradual water loss. But I've also heard others speak of soap that gets smaller after being wrapped in a cigar band. So I'm not sure . . .

Also, do soaps with longer cures (like OO soaps) need to be left out for the full 6 months or so it takes for them to cure?

 

[DeeAnna]

No, soap doesn't stop curing when it's wrapped or put into a container. Curing is not just about water loss, although water loss is a part of the curing process.

When I make a soap that I intend to cure for a longer time, I treat it exactly like any other soap. The only difference is the length of storage before use. I'll leave the bars naked for the first 4-6 weeks -- that's when water loss is the highest. Then I'll package the soap in shrink wrap and store the bars in boxes in a dark, cool cupboard.

 

[SoapSisters]

No, soap doesn't stop curing when it's wrapped or put into a container. Curing is not just about water loss, although water loss is a part of the curing process.

When I make a soap that I intend to cure for a longer time, I treat it exactly like any other soap. The only difference is the length of storage before use. I'll leave the bars naked for the first 4-6 weeks -- that's when water loss is the highest. Then I'll package the soap in shrink wrap and store the bars in boxes in a dark, cool cupboard.

Thanks for this!! I appreciate it!

 

[melinda48]

Good question, and after seeing the answers I wonder if I SHOULD be packing mine up into closed boxes? I currently cure and store in the same place. I use the lids of photocopy paper boxes lined with baking paper to cure my soaps, and space the soaps out about an inch apart. Once cured I stack 'em up real close to each other so they take up less space, and I put about three batches of similar-scented soaps together into one box lid, and there it remains uncovered.

What happens if they are left uncovered for too long? I have some that have been there for 6 months and they seem fine to me.

I use strawberry flats from the grocery store. I cure my soaps on racks, wrap them and put them in the strawberry flats. They are slightly taller than my bars and, best of all, the stack and are free! Veggies are stocked twice a week at my grocery so if and when I need boxes, I just go down and get the, from him.