Soap and metal

[hlee]

It is ok to store cured soap on metal shelves if you use a barrier between soap and metal? I have heard about oxidation when soap touches metal but would it be ok with cardboard or craft paper on top of the shelves?

 

[KristaY]

I cure my soaps on metal Dollar Store baking sheets that I line with parchment paper or freezer paper. I haven't had any trouble with it. As long as you've got a barrier, you should be fine. :-D

 

[MorpheusPA]

Sure, you're fine with any barrier (that isn't itself metal). I dry some of my soap on painted metal wire shelves. I put cardboard on that to avoid wire marks.

 

[shunt2011]

Not a problem. I line my metal shelving units with plastic needle point plastic sheets The holes allow air circulation. Works like a gem.

 

[pamielynn]

I line my shelves with blank newspaper. ULINE sells it in bulk. No mess, no fuss. When the paper gets full of crumbs, just pick it up and dump them out. Have never had DOS with this method.

 

[Cactuslily]

Has anyone used the baking sheets from ate do that are mesh on the bottom? They are aluminum, but if you cover with needlepoint plastic like shunt2011, it may give good air flow. I'm running out of space. Have an old rolling craft rack, but it's tiny. Need to get a bakers rack of sorts for stacking.
Suggestions?

 

[Cactuslily]

Ateco..sorry, auto correct/typo

 

[MorpheusPA]

Has anyone used the baking sheets from ate do that are mesh on the bottom? They are aluminum, but if you cover with needlepoint plastic like shunt2011, it may give good air flow. I'm running out of space. Have an old rolling craft rack, but it's tiny. Need to get a bakers rack of sorts for stacking.
Suggestions?

I've used the chanelled 1020 seedling flats you can get for a few bucks online. Er...linky...er...something like these: http://www.novoselenterprises.com/products/single.asp?ID=531305

Those can be placed on any metal to protect the soap, but they're not very sturdy. Don't count on moving the soap by moving the tray, it'll fold.

One set of metal racks I got at my local discount store, 300 lbs per shelf, six shelves. They were about $90 and can take 2 seedling flats edge to edge--or just use cardboard and cover the entire surface area!

I was gifted with a $10 or so wooden mini-bureau from Michael's (I think) that has slatted wood sides open for air, and wooden drawers, also slatted, open on sides, bottom, and at the drawer pull. I lined with garbage bags to keep the soap off the (rough) wood, and also cure about 20 on top of it. They're stackable.

 

[DeeAnna]

"...blank newspaper. ULINE sells it in bulk...."

If you have a local printing business -- meaning the folks who print the local newspapers and shopping flyers -- check with them for newsprint rolls. You can sometimes get the odds and ends of their newsprint rolls for next to nothing. We use this paper in my little business for wrapping product and filling voids in our shipping boxes. It's a great way to reuse resources that might otherwise go to waste and the price is nice! The rolls start out huge like the first picture. I get them when they look more like the second pic.