Curing and storing pine tar soap?

[nsmar4211]

Ok, PHEW. This stuff stinks.

I can't put it near the other soaps where everything else is curing because, well, scent transfer. I'm making new stuff in the garage and don't want it smelling like pine tar so I'm trying to figure out what to do with it.

Any suggestions? I have to keep it around until Christmas.... I do have a back porch, but it gets extremely hot (it's 95 right now) so I was thinking hot plus soap in a box of some sort would be icky sticky soap? And pine tar is soft to start with.
Was thinking, ok, put it in the house but in a sealed plastic shoebox...but then how will it finish curing? It's only two weeks old. I have a small attic but again there's the heat issue. I have an open floor plan house so no room to hide it in.

Or, maybe a cardboard box taped shut would still allow enough air in to finish the cure but cut down on the odor? If the odor was significantly reduced it could stay in the garage....

Help

 

[Obsidian]

What about hiding it away in a closet? The scent will fade some as it cures but I would suggest making sure it can get plenty of circulation.
Curious, how much did you use? I hate the smell of straight pine tar but I don't notice it much in the soap. Neem is a different story though, that stuff is evil

 

[cmzaha]

LOL, I make a pine tar soap with neem and happen to love the smell when it cures out. Pine tar soap will cure out with a mild smokey scent, at least my 20% pine tar soap does

 

[commoncenz]

got a fan? If so, put it in the attic with the fan on it until the scent settles down.

And Carolyn is right. Unscented pine tar soap (no FO/EO) will cure out to a nice smokey scent. I make one like that and one scented with a lemon grass/tea tree blend.

 

[nsmar4211]

Obsidian, 20%. It's mellowing but WHEW it's still strong and I don't want my fruity soaps smelling like fruity horse's hooves .

Closet? What are those? LOL. One has my clothes (that's a no) and the other is packed full of musical equipment stands and bags and and and....

cmzaha, how long did it take yours to go from WHEW to "hrm which soap is this... *sniff* ohhhhh"?

 

[Obsidian]

Carolyn, I made a 35% neem bar once. It was the absolutely worse smelling thing ever made, I tucked them away for few months and when I did eventually take them out, they smelled like black tea. I would love to find a FO that smelled that strongly of tea.

I can smell my pine tar soaps for a good 2 months but I've not noticed the scent transferring to others on the curing rack. My last batch was scented with lemongrass, its really nice.

 

[nsmar4211]

I got brave and boxed them up like all the others....and I don't seem to be getting any scent transfer. Had a friend walk by the boxes and they didn't notice anything... whew!

Two more weeks and I can test it

 

[commoncenz]

This thread made me think it was time to make another batch of pine tar soap. Just got done with one scented with ylang ylang and lemon grass. Smells kinda "mediciney" but my kids use them as a facial soap anyway. So no big deal.

 

[nsmar4211]

Hrm, I didn't scent these because a) at 20% PT I figured nothing would show up over the pine tar and b) giving them to sensitive skinned friends, so didn't want any fragrances.....

What percent of pine tar do you use commoncenz?

 

[commoncenz]

I use 10% pine tar and essential oil blends when I want to add a fragrance. Usually that consists of some type of blend containing Lemon Grass or Bergamot and either Tea Tree or Ylang Ylang. Sometimes it's just straight Lemon Grass.

 

[nsmar4211]

Ok, thank you for the information! Might try that on a batch if I like the pine tar for me....

 

[DeeAnna]

I normally don't scent my pine tar soap with anything more than the pine tar -- that's how my sweet hubby likes it, plain 'n simple. If someone want to use PT soap for health reasons, I also think less is more, since allergies to fragrance are common.

On the other hand, I saw a PT soap tonight that is scented with cedarwood and lime EOs. That sounds intriguing.

 

[nsmar4211]

Well, the pine tar can now live with the other soaps. Much much better scent wise! I tried my little scrap piece and ooooo nice feeling when sudsing. My hands are now squeaky clean and do not smell like pine tar. I think I'm going to have to do another batch just for me! This is def. a long cure soap...

Now, the bigger problem...it tied up my silicone mold wayyyy too long. I have to find a mold I don't mind being out of commision forever...Or maybe I can double line a mold and find/make a similar sized box to transfer it into. Then just pull out the soft mush log and put into the second box and let it do what it wants. Hrm..

 

[cmzaha]

Now, the bigger problem...it tied up my silicone mold wayyyy too long. I have to find a mold I don't mind being out of commision forever...Or maybe I can double line a mold and find/make a similar sized box to transfer it into. Then just pull out the soft mush log and put into the second box and let it do what it wants. Hrm..

Why? I cut my pine tar within a few hrs as I do with any hp soaps

 

[nsmar4211]

Soft and sticky. Sticky plus silicone =not coming out!

 

[DeeAnna]

Like Carolyn, I cut my PT soaps on pretty much the same schedule as my regular soaps -- they harden up pretty well for me. I don't use silicone molds however so I don't know if the silicone is an issue or not. I do pay attention to making a hard, long lasting recipe with a high % of stearic and palmitic. A high lard-tallow-palm recipe fits the bill nicely. I also use 33% lye solution concentration. PT usually traces fast no matter what I do, so I figure a little less water isn't going to make much difference on trace, but it will help with better hardness at unmolding.

 

[RogueRose]

Be careful of storing towels or clothing near it as well. It transfers the smell even after a few hours and lingers on the clothing for at least a few hours as well.,

 

[nsmar4211]

I did not add salt to the first batch of pine tar, but I just made another batch and added salt and it is definitely harder. I also used much shallower silicon molds and it looks like I'll be able to unmold in a few days instead of a week .

 

[nsmar4211]

Just an update, I'm on the third batch of pine tar. The key with my recipe is adding salt and a slight water discount if you want your silicone molds back before Christmas . And the freezer is your friend if you're really impatient. From what I've been reading, a lot of people do 10% , I am doing 20% and that may be part of it. The second and third batches weren't as overpowering with the scent, but I also paid attention to the temperatures and soaped at about 120 instead of what was probably closer to 140 so they didn't heat as much. And do NOT mix to trace or you will be making soap balls before you can pour the batter out of the bucket (batch #2...)

I'm finding I like the pine tar soap, espically for minor "what weed did I pull!?!?" arm irritations! I'm still chicken to try a loaf mold of it vs the individual molds. Maybe after I get all the gift soaps made....