Plastic wrap ruined the top of my soap :-(

[KiwiMoose]

Dear Agony Aunt,

I have this new 'loaf' mould. I spritzed and covered my freshly swirled soap with plastic wrap. The wrap 'sat' on a portion of the loaf and blurred all my lovely swirl! Is it imperative to cover with wrap? Or shall I just put the lid on the mold and then cover with the towel? I'm guessing that later on when i do fancy 'heaped' tops to my loaves that there will be no plastic wrap as it would ruin it.

- Annoyed from New Zealand

 

[shunt2011]

No, you don’t have to cover it with wrap. You can put an empty box over the Tom and maybe a towel or two over the box. You just want to insulate it. Some put their mold inside a styrene cooler. I’ve never covered with plastic wrap.

 

[Obsidian]

I never cover with plastic either.

 

[melinda48]

Dear Agony Aunt,

I have this new 'loaf' mould. I spritzed and covered my freshly swirled soap with plastic wrap. The wrap 'sat' on a portion of the loaf and blurred all my lovely swirl! Is it imperative to cover with wrap? Or shall I just put the lid on the mold and then cover with the towel? I'm guessing that later on when i do fancy 'heaped' tops to my loaves that there will be no plastic wrap as it would ruin it.

- Annoyed from New Zealand

I made soap mold cozies. Just pop them over the mold (they can fold underneath as well). They work great!

 

[Hendejm]

I used to get soda ash on my soaps every time. Someone on SMF said misting the tops with Isopropal Alcohol right after pour and then again 5 minutes later would mostly prevent ashing. I tried it and it worked! I haven’t had ash since.

The second spritz seems to also give it a bit of a shine as well...added bonus!

 

[deb8907]

I usually use silicone loaf pans when making my soap. I then put an empty one on top of the newly made soap so there is room to heap and design on top the soap without disturbing it.

 

[cmzaha]

I put my soap molds in shallow plastic totes, put the lid on an insulate. You do not want tall totes, mine are about the height of an under bed tote or less. I normally have to use a heat pad under the tote and a heat blanket on top. My totes will hold 2 molds so if I make multiple batches I layer my totes. I use heat because I have a very hard time getting my soap to gel but I do have to keep an eye on the for overheating. I do know how most of my fragrances act, but really watch it close with new fragrances especially florals and coconuts.

 

[Misschief]

I have never used plastic wrap to insulate my soaps. A friend made me two soap "molds". There's only one, no... two... small issues. First, apparently he can't read a blueprint to save his life (he works in maintenance and building things is part of his job) and used the outside measurement as the inside measurement of the intended mold so it's WAY too big to use for soap making. And, second, he made it out of 1" thick MDF. These suckers are heavy! I now use these (he made 2) as insulating boxes by laying down a folded towel on which I place my soap-filled mold, cover with one of the boxes and cover that with another towel. The boxes work great for that, sometimes too well. I have to watch for over-heating, depending on the soap.

They also do double duty as risers (under a table cloth) for my soap display on market days.

 

[SaltedFig]

"Is it imperative to cover with wrap?"

Not really

Someone (I am so sorry, but I don't remember exactly who), used a cardboard "frame" (a bit of recycled cardboard, and a few bends) to go over the top of their soap, before they cling-wrapped it.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Thank you, dear Agony Aunts (and Uncles) you have been most helpful.

 

[Relle]

I use 1/4 inch Styrofoam as a lid, it came as a big sheet at the back of the frig and I cut it to size, it just sits on the top.

 

[Aquamarine56]

I used to get soda ash on my soaps every time. Someone on SMF said misting the tops with Isopropal Alcohol right after pour and then again 5 minutes later would mostly prevent ashing. I tried it and it worked! I haven’t had ash since.

The second spritz seems to also give it a bit of a shine as well...added bonus!

Ditto.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Do you reckon I need to spritz again after cutting or unmolding bars? The only bar I ever got soda ash on it didn't develop until about 1-2 weeks into the cure.

 

[karon L adams]

I', wondering why you sprintzed? that is what ruined your swirl. the plastic wrap may have caused a problem if it was moved around. but not of itself. either way, use the plastic coated butcher paper on top. you'll get the same protection from soda ash and it will be flat. the paper's stiffness will keep it from moving around.

 

[shunt2011]

I', wondering why you sprintzed? that is what ruined your swirl. the plastic wrap may have caused a problem if it was moved around. but not of itself. either way, use the plastic coated butcher paper on top. you'll get the same protection from soda ash and it will be flat. the paper's stiffness will keep it from moving around.

Why would it ruin it. I spray all my soaps with alcohol and never have a problem. Putting Saran or baking paper would ruin the top swirl by sitting on top of it.

 

[cmzaha]

Spritzing with alcohol will not ruin the top, but anything touching the soap will ruin the top swirl as Shunt mentioned above. My molds are filled to the top so I can set nothing but another matching mold on top, but find it much easier to just put them in a shallow crate and put the lid on

 

[karon L adams]

hmm, OK, sooms like it would thin the soap and make them smear, but if it works for you. if you aren't looking for the tip to be swirled in shape, it's as simple to just trim the very top shaving off and reveal the swirl again.

may I ask, why do you spritz with alcohol?

 

[shunt2011]

hmm, OK, sooms like it would thin the soap and make them smear, but if it works for you. if you aren't looking for the tip to be swirled in shape, it's as simple to just trim the very top shaving off and reveal the swirl again.

may I ask, why do you spritz with alcohol?

It doesn’t thin or smear the soap. Spraying with alcohol helps prevent ash forming on the top. That along with keeping it covered until fully saponified and cooled helps.

 

[karon L adams]

hmm. interesting. Ok, well, if you like it, go for it. I just put plastic on top. 400 pounds at a time, that would be WAY too much spritzing for my fingers.