Storing Soap
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I don't have a picture of "my'all" curing place, but I use shoe boxes - initially with no lid on, but then I put the lid on after 4 weeks. If you would need to have the lid on because of where they would be placed, then cutting holes in the side would let the air flow to some extent
dixiedragon
Well-Known Member
Shoe boxes are great if you have enough of them! I uses the boxes that my office's coffee comes in. They are similar in size to a shoe box. They have a perforated hatch on the side. When the soap is new, I leave the box open. After a week or two, I tape the top of the box shut, open the perforated hatch, and write a brief description of the soap on the side of the box. (Such as Lime Blossom - All Veg.) Then I can stack the boxes, but they can still breath. And I can reach into the box for a bar of soap without having to move all of the boxes.
Oenone
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That is genius! I was going to ask a similar question.. The two year old wanted to help this weekend and accidentally knocked over two pounds of soap in an attempt to blow on them so they could be "fun for bathies" faster. Maybe shoe boxes will keep them out of sight enough that she won't get so excited when she sees them.
It make bit batches and clean shoeboxes aren't easy to find where I live, so this is what I do. After cut and for initial 4 week cure time, I have my soaps out on a plastic cutting board turning every week. Then after the 4 weeks, they get stored in paper bags. Holds the scent in and let's them breathe, and doesn't take up too much space. Bc its humid here, things can get moldy, and when the bags do, I just change them out and bags go into compost. Here are my bags.
seven
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there was an old thread about this, and a member posted her curing racks, which used to be bakery racks. they look so neat, space saver, lots of shelves in 1 unit, and has it own set of wheels for easy transport.
something like this if i remember correctly...
something like this if i remember correctly...
Is the soap molding in the bags or is it just the bag that's molding?
How many bars /bag?
I need some kind of small organized shelving unit that will match the guest room decor
the bags mold. soaps don't mold. if you have flowers on the top of the soap, they mold (learned that the hard way...sooo gross).
I'm in the tropics. it's super humid all the time. i think the bags mold bc when the moisture evaporates from the soaps, it gets trapped in the paper. but there has been no harm to the soaps inside. they still get to breathe and do their thing. I've only had to switch out a few bags. in the 10 months I've been soaping....
I can fit 10 x 5oz bars in each bag, but you can get paper bags any size you need (mine are the regular lunch bag size)
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navigator9
Well-Known Member
Don't have a pic, either, but mine are stored in cardboard baseball card boxes. Perfect fit.
I don't have enough shoe boxes...
So my next trip to ikea I'm getting some of these little square boxes:
http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/60224323/
I have one of those dehumidifying eggs too, to help with the humidity.
So my next trip to ikea I'm getting some of these little square boxes:
http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/60224323/
I have one of those dehumidifying eggs too, to help with the humidity.
I cure my soaps on cookies racks and kitchen cupboard organising shelves.
It's all set up on the top of bookshelf in storage room. I make just enough soap for our personal use and they all fit fine in about two rows.
They allow soaps to have air circulating underneath them, without the need to turn them, saving me time.
It's all set up on the top of bookshelf in storage room. I make just enough soap for our personal use and they all fit fine in about two rows.
They allow soaps to have air circulating underneath them, without the need to turn them, saving me time.
I use those plastic baskets from the dollar stores. Lots of air flow, and I can stack them as long as I criss-cross them. I have an old bookcase of my children's that they fit 3 high on. They used to live on the top shelf of a closet, but alas, I needed that space for other stuff.
SudsyPM
Well-Known Member
I store my soaps on a wooden vegetable rack and then after cure I move them to plastic shoe boxes.
hmlove1218
Well-Known Member
Picture 1 is the repurposed shoe rack I use to cure my soaps. I put down cardboard to keep them from falling through the slots and because the metal had rusted in places.
Picture 2 is what I just set up to store my soaps. I had been keeping them all in a cardboard box but I noticed that they were all starting to smell like their neighbors so I separated them. I like that I can see into the container and see which soap is in it. I may need to drill some holes on the sides so that the soaps have better air flow thought.
Picture 2 is what I just set up to store my soaps. I had been keeping them all in a cardboard box but I noticed that they were all starting to smell like their neighbors so I separated them. I like that I can see into the container and see which soap is in it. I may need to drill some holes on the sides so that the soaps have better air flow thought.
I cure mine on the stackable cooling racks sold by Pampered Chef, I have a whole bunch of them because someone in my family used to work for them. This is what they look like:
http://www.pamperedchef.com/our_products/catalog/product.jsp?productId=2093&categoryCode=BK
When done curing, I store them in baseball card boxes. Like navigator9 said- they are a perfect fit (and they stack nicely, too). My 2.7 lb. batches fit perfectly inside the BCW 800-count boxes, and my 1.3 lb. sample batches fit perfectly in the BCW 400 count boxes. I buy them in bulk from Amazon.
IrishLass
http://www.pamperedchef.com/our_products/catalog/product.jsp?productId=2093&categoryCode=BK
When done curing, I store them in baseball card boxes. Like navigator9 said- they are a perfect fit (and they stack nicely, too). My 2.7 lb. batches fit perfectly inside the BCW 800-count boxes, and my 1.3 lb. sample batches fit perfectly in the BCW 400 count boxes. I buy them in bulk from Amazon.
IrishLass
dixiedragon
Well-Known Member
I actually have a baker's rack, but once you have the rack, you need some kind of tray to go IN the wrack. I got a few pieces of wood, but they are so heavy and awkward.
I like curing on top of this wine rack because the floor heater with the always on pilot light is just right by it, and when then fan is on there is even more circulation pulling over the soaps.
I was using cooling racks with legs over flat racks, but it was a bit too wobbly (hubby bumped it one night and soap got everywhere). These little stackable crates work much nicer. I believe they were originally sold as mushroom or strawberry crates, but I found about 30 of them in the dumpster at work (I think one of our researchers was using them as sea hare pens).
After soaps are done curing and labeled they go in the elegant yet understated Doc Martin boot box. It can hold 6 of my little batches, I have more crates or boxes I can press into service if needed, and hubby's soaps get their own box.
I was using cooling racks with legs over flat racks, but it was a bit too wobbly (hubby bumped it one night and soap got everywhere). These little stackable crates work much nicer. I believe they were originally sold as mushroom or strawberry crates, but I found about 30 of them in the dumpster at work (I think one of our researchers was using them as sea hare pens).
After soaps are done curing and labeled they go in the elegant yet understated Doc Martin boot box. It can hold 6 of my little batches, I have more crates or boxes I can press into service if needed, and hubby's soaps get their own box.
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