Soap Tray Lining

[Bigun]

I have been lining my soap trays with saran wrap, and my word is it an annoying process. Any tips to bypass/make this step easier?

As to why I do it, when I made pure lard soap it always leaked a clear substance (I assumed it was either fragrance or glycerin). Wrapping the trays contained the liquid.

 

[BattleGnome]

Press and seal?

I use paper plates to cure my soap. I don't often make more than a 2# batch and two paper plates more than contain my soaps.

 

[shunt2011]

I would line them with freezer paper, shiny side up. I use plastic needlepoint sheets to line my metal shelves. Lets air circulate and keeps them off the racks.

 

[Susie]

What are you calling soap trays? Is it what the soap goes from liquid to solid in, or for curing? And are you wrapping the inside of them, or the outside?

 

[Dahila]

parchment paper here, I use freezer paper to line my molds

 

[Bigun]

What are you calling soap trays? Is it what the soap goes from liquid to solid in, or for curing? And are you wrapping the inside of them, or the outside?

Molds, sorry, molds. The 24 hour "solidifying" period.

 

[FNG]

I highly recommend using silicone molds or heat resistant mylar for larger wooden molds. The mylar in particular is so much less of a pain to use and is reusable. It's just a touch tricky to score the sheets to fit your molds.

I made my own wooden molds and the way I've set up my mylar is I have the two wooden ends set with a piece of mylar that covers the end and overlaps each of the 3 planes of wood about 1/4". The long pieces fit over that and result in a serviceable seal. I've never had any leaks to worry about.

 

[shunt2011]

Oh, I recommend freezer paper or quilters mylar. They both work great if you don't have silicone molds. I just ordered the silicone molds and my husband made wood molds for them to fit into. I hated lining them.

 

[Bigun]

So would something like this work better?

 

[cmzaha]

I would line them with freezer paper, shiny side up. I use plastic needlepoint sheets to line my metal shelves. Lets air circulate and keeps them off the racks.

Have you found a good price on packs of the plastic needlepoint sheets. I only find single sheets at JoAnns and Michaels

 

[kchaystack]

So would something like this work better?

I have 2 of those. If you can build your own wooden boxes to support them they are fine. But they have to have some kind of support. They are too flimsy to not have some kind of shell.

 

[shunt2011]

Have you found a good price on packs of the plastic needlepoint sheets. I only find single sheets at JoAnns and Michaels

I was lucky and my mom had a large stash of them. She didn't need them anymore so I used those. Probably from Michael's or Hobby Lobby.

I had enough to line 8 shelves.

 

[navigator9]

So would something like this work better?

Yes! Silicone molds are the easiest to use. But you will need a box to support the sides, because they will bow outward when you fill it. It's really not difficult to make a wooden box, even if you have no woodworking experience, like me.

P.S. Didn't see kc's post above, with the same info, but I also wanted to add that there are stand alone silicone molds that don't need boxes. Some people like them, but they are stiffer than the other kind, and I find them more difficult to unmold the soap afterward.

 

[lenarenee]

So would something like this work better?

I have many of those, with the wood molds and love them. One of the biggest positives is that when the soap is hard enough I can turn the whole upside down and pull it off (it turns inside out while doing so). It saves the corners and edges. Its then easy to plop the silicone liner right side in. No tears, no holes - they're tough.

 

[Susie]

Or this, it has reinforcements on the sides that helps prevent bowing.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0083ID7CE/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Walmart has 3 packs of the needlepoint canvas. Amazon has 12 packs.

 

[Bigun]

Or this, it has reinforcements on the sides that helps prevent bowing.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0083ID7CE/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Walmart has 3 packs of the needlepoint canvas. Amazon has 12 packs.

I'd like to use something that won't require me to build something else. Think these may work?

 

[lenarenee]

I'd like to use something that won't require me to build something else. Think these may work?

They'll work very well.

 

[Viore]

I use those silicone molds from Amazon and they are great! I don't have to use another box with them, and after a hundred uses they don't show any signs of bowing.

 

[BattleGnome]

Have you found a good price on packs of the plastic needlepoint sheets. I only find single sheets at JoAnns and Michaels

Walmart has packs of either 3 or 5 (can't remember which).

 

[cmzaha]

I was lucky and my mom had a large stash of them. She didn't need them anymore so I used those. Probably from Michael's or Hobby Lobby.

I had enough to line 8 shelves.

Nice. Think I got ride of mine many years ago when it was popular to use. I never seem to get to Hobby Lobby because the stupid store is closed on Sundays. What craft store closes on Sunday.....