Unmolding CP Soap

namad · Sep 18, 2013

How long does it take for everyone to unmold their CP soap?

I make batches (small batches, like 4 bars in one mold up to 4 molds at one time) and there are times - many times, where I am unmolding the soap a few hrs after I have made it. It's working for me, but I wanted to know if this is common

I do not take the temps of my oils/lye, which I think may have something to do with it

paillo · Sep 18, 2013

I make soap at night, then take a break from work mid-morning and unmold. Then I let it sit in just its freezer paper until late afternoon. I work a shift from 5:30a to about 2p, so late afternoon is time for cutting, beveling and stamping before the evening's soaping.

I always gel mine, have been doing all CPOP lately, so they're pretty hard in 12 hours. If not, like with shampoo bars or pine tar, I don't unmold for a couple of days - or, as someone else advised, until they're definitely hard enough not to suffer damage while unmolding.

sistrum · Sep 18, 2013

Different people do different things due to recipes and personal time restraints. I'm not sure how not taking the temps makes a difference unless you are asking WHY you are able to unmold some soaps sooner than others?

shunt2011 · Sep 18, 2013

I can unmold 12-14 hours. I like it set enough not to cause damage to the loaf while unmolding. I use mostly silicone lined wood loaf molds that hold about 5 lbs.

Second Impression · Sep 18, 2013

Temperature doesn't make much difference. Of course a gelled soap will unmold sooner than if you had put the same recipe in the freezer to prevent gel. But soaping at say 90 versus 110 degrees won't make a substantial difference in time to unmolding. It really depends a lot on your recipe and molds. My standard recipe takes a day or two to unmold and another day to cut yet my laundry bars have to be cut within 4 hours of pouring or they'll be too brittle to cut at all.

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namad · Sep 18, 2013

Ok, that makes sense - different recipes, different preferences. I just always read when I do research of people unmolding after a day or two and here I unmold after a couple of hrs in some cases, but thinking about it, the recipes that I unmold that fast are harder bars like coconut oil or they have hard oils in them mostly. I certainly don't unmold Castile soaps for a few days.

I thought maybe it had to do with not taking temps but what you guys say seems about right

Twiggy · Sep 18, 2013

Hanna my answer is always ASAP!

And seriously - I use SL, so it lets me unmold after some hours. I usually make soap in an evening, it gels around 1-2 am, and 8 h later I'm there, all ready with cutting tools, and so on. Only Castile wouldn’t let me cut to fast, so I let it sit for another 2 days uncut - but I unmolded it 24 h after I’ve made it

judymoody · Sep 18, 2013

As soon as it's completely cooled off after its gel phase. Anywhere from 8 to 24 hours.

namad · Sep 18, 2013

sistrum said:
Different people do different things due to recipes and personal time restraints. I'm not sure how not taking the temps makes a difference unless you are asking WHY you are able to unmold some soaps sooner than others?

That was sort of the question and I was wondering if it had to do with the temps but from what you all are saying, its recipe/preference which makes sense!

a bunch of minds are better than one

namad · Sep 18, 2013

Thanks you guys, your all a very helpful group and its wonderful!!

FOhoarder · Sep 18, 2013

I CPOP every batch and as soon as it goes through gel I take it out. As soon as it cools down I can unmold and cut. I usually do a water discount. It takes about 6 hours for me. I only cut that early if its a new fragrance or design because I have absolutely NO patience! I will wait until the next day if its something I've done before.

namad · Sep 18, 2013

I can't wait either when it's a new design, I am glad to see I am not alone

kazmi · Sep 18, 2013

It's definitely the recipe and I think whether you gell or don't gell. I rarely gell and the only time I can unmold my ungelled soap sooner than a day and half or two is when I have a higher percentage of butters and less OO.

namad · Sep 18, 2013

This makes sense also, as the soaps that I make in mini silicone molds usually take longer to unmold. When I try to early the soap sticks to the side and they don't gel

jenneelk · Sep 18, 2013

I tried a new way recently with heating as I'm mixing.. Kind of a curiosity thing and also way to try and work some imbeds I was doing. IMO it seemed to unmold faster. I dont take it to gel like HP but basically pour at around 140-145.
I unmold my normally softer recipe at 5 or so hours. It goes to fridge so no gel from what I can tell (it can overheat a bit and crack if no fridge and this high of heat to start with) but still gets quite firm quickly.

namad · Sep 19, 2013

The reason I had asked/started this thread yesterday was because I made a Goat's Milk/Honey/Bergamot soap (YUM) yesterday at 10am, by 2pm it was unmolded and sitting on it's side to air dry the sides

If it was not Goat's Milk soap with Honey, I probably could have cut it then and there, but with the GM and H, I don't want it to smear, which I know it will - patience (yes, its still waiting to be cut)

I use Shea Butter, Palm Oil, Coconut Oil and Olive Oil for that recipe, so it probably has to do with the hardness of the oils that it was ready so quick

And it did gel mostly all the way through, minus a bit on the end

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