Confused about hardening and storing

[PeaceB2U]

I've been reading several books and information sites about soapmaking and I keep seeing conflicting advice on what to do with the soap after you have released it from its mold. Some places say you should wrap your soap in plastic as soon as you take it from its mold; others say let it air dry for a week.

I'm making some M&P soap as well as handmilled soap for Christmas presents. The clear glycerin M&P soap is already sweating and developing a white film as it sits on my kitchen table. So now I'm wondering if I should have wrapped it in plastic to store until Christmas.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[SimplyE]

Hi. I am not an expert and still new at soaping, but from what I have read with M&P, you are supposed to wrap it in plastic because apparently, it draws any moisture out of the air and sweats, as you describe.

With CP soaps, you need to let them air dry/cure, usually for at least a month, or the longer the better. This makes for a harder bar and more gentle with all of its yummy goodness.

HTH

 

[Tabitha]

Ditto what E said. M&P needs to be wrapped very soon for a couple of reasons. A) It draws moistute from the air & B) It shrivels. Humidity has a lot to do w/ that though. I have soaps I made a coupole months back that are sitting in my shop unwrapped. I slice it as the customer buys a bar & only 1 of the 6 loaves is sweating. Go figure. I have been making & selling M&P for about 8 years & have owned mys shop for 2 1/2, it's kind of hit or miss. I do suggest wrapping as soon as the bars 24 hours after unmolding for best preservation. You could drop them down into cello bags & tie them shut if you don't want to fiddle w/ saran wrap.

 

[chlobue]

I let MP bars sit in front of a dehumidifier for a couple of days. This dries them out a bit. Then I wrap them securely in Ssam's Club wrap and let them sit for a month or so. They get as hard as any Cp soap and last a long, long time.

Chl