Soap curing

[Kim1242]

Hi, I'm just about to get an area shelved out where I can cure all my soaps. the guy doing it has asked what the best conditions are of curing the soap as he can then design it around those requirements.

I would welcome some advice on the best curing conditions

 

[toxikon]

You'll want somewhere with good airflow and not in direct sunlight. Soap shouldn't be cured directly on anything metal, unless you know for certain it's stainless steel. If you're planning on wooden shelves, you may want to line them with parchment paper, dishclothes, cutting boards or plastic storage trays. Otherwise, it's up to you!

I'm quite partial to individual trays (like this: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/18/0d/18/180d187942b415c98117a305e36090bf--soap-display-room-setup.jpg) so I can keep batches separated, but that's not necessary whatsoever.

I like draping a sheet of sheer fabric over my soaps so they don't get any dust or pet hair on them.

 

[earlene]

Good ventilation to all surfaces of the soap. So, the bottom surface not being totally flat is good, or place something on a flat surface that allows the bottom of the soap to get some air circulation, too. Otherwise you need to turn the soap occasionally to allow air to reach that bottom surface.

No metal touching the soap where it is cured. So the shelves and any exposed areas inside the shelving should not be made of metal.

Spacing not to waste a lot of space would be good (not essential). Hope you get what I mean. A reasonable clearance around the shelves so your bars of soap can 'breath' but not so far apart that you have wasted unusable space. This sort of depends on how you cut your soap bars (height & length) and how you plan to stand them on the shelves (tall, flat, on their sides).


Edit: what toxikon said. I like those trays, too. I pick them up whenever I find any at thrift stores. They can even be stacked one on top of the other when desired and you still have airflow.

 

[Kim1242]

thanks both. That's really helpful. pec has been given to the handyman

 

[Susie]

I would not cover with a sheet. Maybe cheesecloth, but not a sheet. The weave is too tight.

 

[toxikon]

I would not cover with a sheet. Maybe cheesecloth, but not a sheet. The weave is too tight.

By sheer I meant like a fine mesh. I forget the name of the actual fabric. But it's very light and breathable!

 

[earlene]

Sheer fabric such as organza, voile, muslin, diminity, etc. Toxikon, do you mean muslin? That can be quite lightweight and breathable and it's made of cotton, which I would choose over any other fabric for soap. Just not heavy muslin.

A sheet of paper, a sheet of fabric, a sheet of .... muslin. (of the lightweight sheer variety) I get what you mean, I think.

 

[toxikon]

Sheer fabric such as organza, voile, muslin, diminity, etc. Toxikon, do you mean muslin? That can be quite lightweight and breathable and it's made of cotton, which I would choose over any other fabric for soap. Just not heavy muslin.

A sheet of paper, a sheet of fabric, a sheet of .... muslin. (of the lightweight sheer variety) I get what you mean, I think.

The word I was looking for was tulle! Like this stuff:

 

[soaring1]

I cut to size small plastic egg crate made for light louvers to set my soap on in the bakers rack instead of pans. If it is a solid bottom set the egg crate on small pvc couplings to raise it up for good air circulation. I can pull the plastic out, wash them up to get any dried soap residue off. Works very well. Like Toxikon, I have a light breathable tulle draped over and around. It is in a big walk in closet, so I have a small fan going for continuous air circulation

 

[earlene]

Fabulous idea, the light louvers insert for your curing racks. Very nice, soaring1

 

[Soapmaker123]

The light louvers look good for air circulation.

I cut shelves from masonite peg board. Not expensive. The holes help a bit. Surprisingly durable, each tray (as I call one) will last for years of regular use. A tray might bend a bit . . . just flip it over next time with the bend on the top.

 

[Soapmaker123]

Regarding trays and standard-sized bakery racks:

Soap bars are more-dense than both cup cakes and muffins.

A standard bakery rack accepts trays measuring 28 inches by 18 inches.

If this tray is loaded up with soap bars, it will weigh 27 pounds -- which is too heavy for most soap-workers to handle, that is, lift up, lower down and slide to and from a rack slot and onto a working table. Two workers will typically be needed to do this operation, and a rolling cart will be needed to transport a stack of several of these trays. Troublesome.

Now I build my own custom racks, to soap-ideal dimensions !!

(Also, commercial aluminum rolling bakery racks (new ones) are EXPENSIVE, like, $800+ per unit shipped from Atlanta expensive.)

Mine are way-cheaper !

 

[Susie]

The word I was looking for was tulle! Like this stuff:

Tulle is what that is, and great idea!

 

[Aditya369]

what temperature should we maintain at curing

 

[toxikon]

what temperature should we maintain at curing

Room temp is fine.

 

[earlene]

If your curing room is upstairs in location that gets pretty hot in the summer months, and your AC doesn't reach your upstairs rooms very well (like my house), room temp may not be ideal. In that situation, you might want to do something to decrease the temperature in that room if you can, or relocate your curing to a room with a more constant comfortable temperature. I mention this because my house is like that and I cure my soap upstairs, where it does get uncomfortably hot in the peak of our summer heat.

 

[Susie]

I cured soap in 100+ F temperatures all summers for two consecutive years. The soaps were fine.

I can't speak to low temperatures, so someone else will have to chip in that info.

 

[soaring1]

Soapmaker 123,
I take my soaps into my bakers drying rack with the egg crate shelving on a plastic serving tray and arrange my soaps, so I don't mess with the egg crate shelves and only carry what I can manage. I love it as I don't have to turn the soaps and the ease of taking the egg crate out to clean when necessary makes it very easy.