Curing question

[Jen74]

I am getting ready to make a batch of soap and this time will be adding ROE to my soap to see if this will help prevent rancidity. Here is the thing, I usually place my soap out and let a fan run while it cures over 4 to 6 weeks. Here is the issue, we have our house up for sale and people are coming through certain days to view it. During this time, I will have pack the soaps in a box and hide them just for the showings which is like an hour or two. I can then put them back out to continue curing after that. Will this effect the curing process or cause rancidity?

 

[TheGecko]

I'm in my third year of soap making and I have never had a soap go rancid and I don't add anything to my base oils/butters other than Sodium Lactate and Kaolin Clay. It should be noted that I live in the Pacific Northwest and it can get fairly damp during the Fall/Winter and I cure and store my soap in my mostly, uninsulated garage.

Rancidity is often caused by using old oils/butter, or using tap water, well water or even purified water that contain heavy metals from old pipes or naturally occurring metals, an unnecessarily high super fat, using bare metal racks, high humidity, using ingredients that can go rotten in soap to name a few.

With that said, boxing up your soaps for an hour or so shouldn't cause any problem.

 

[Jen74]

I'm in my third year of soap making and I have never had a soap go rancid and I don't add anything to my base oils/butters other than Sodium Lactate and Kaolin Clay. It should be noted that I live in the Pacific Northwest and it can get fairly damp during the Fall/Winter and I cure and store my soap in my mostly, uninsulated garage.

Rancidity is often caused by using old oils/butter, or using tap water, well water or even purified water that contain heavy metals from old pipes or naturally occurring metals, an unnecessarily high super fat, using bare metal racks, high humidity, using ingredients that can go rotten in soap to name a few.

With that said, boxing up your soaps for an hour or so shouldn't cause any problem.

I believe my soaps go rancid because of humidity. The problem seems only in the summer when it's more humid. I keep my AC on and run a fan, but it's maybe just not enough. I have very few ingredients in my soap so it's not that. I use distilled water and oils are good. No cross contamination either. I live in Chicago so summers are hot and humid.

 

[TheGecko]

I live in Chicago so summers are hot and humid.

And you freeze your butt off during the winter (my first winter there it got down to MINUS 82F with the wind chill). Mind you, I grew up in Missouri and even spent a year in northern North Dakota, but that is a cold I will never forget.

You might want to invest in a dehumidifier to pull moisture from the air instead of just moving it around the room with a fan.

 

[cmzaha]

I live in So Cal where every year we seem to have higher humidity, plus I have hard water, so I add EDTA and Sodium Gluconate to every batch. When I recently moved I packed up soaps that were made up to a year before Covid and none showed any symptoms of DOS. I will note I superfat at the rate of 1-2% depending on my recipe only high superfatting salt bars which never have rancid at my 100% salt usage.

The only problem I have with dehumidifiers is the heat they output into the house. I have in the past mounted low heat bar, gold rods, or the small round ones found in marine stores, sorry I do not remember what the round ones were called, such as ones that are used in boats under my racks. They output some heat but not as much as a large dehumidifier.

 

[earlene]

Here is the issue, we have our house up for sale and people are coming through certain days to view it. During this time, I will have pack the soaps in a box and hide them just for the showings which is like an hour or two. I can then put them back out to continue curing after that. Will this effect the curing process or cause rancidity?

A couple of hours in a box and then straight back out into circulating air should not be a problem. I would suggest a wipe down prior to & after boxing if they are sweating from the humidity. If they are, then I'd suggest a dessicant tub (like DampRid or other brand) to be present in the box & the room with the high humidity.

Good luck with your house sale and your move to your new location. I'd actually be more concerned about what you are going to be soing with your soaps during the moving process.

 

[CpnDouchette]

Confession... all my soaps cure in cardboard boxes because they have to cure in my kitchen and I dont want them getting dirty from cooking grease etc.

They may take a little longer but they're still well cured and good to use.

Its not usually very hot or humid here in the UK though.

(I feel like I may have just admitted to a cardinal soaping sin....)

 

[Jen74]

I live in So Cal where every year we seem to have higher humidity, plus I have hard water, so I add EDTA and Sodium Gluconate to every batch. When I recently moved I packed up soaps that were made up to a year before Covid and none showed any symptoms of DOS. I will note I superfat at the rate of 1-2% depending on my recipe only high superfatting salt bars which never have rancid at my 100% salt usage.

The only problem I have with dehumidifiers is the heat they output into the house. I have in the past mounted low heat bar, gold rods, or the small round ones found in marine stores, sorry I do not remember what the round ones were called, such as ones that are used in boats under my racks. They output some heat but not as much as a large dehumidifier.

Where do you purchase your sodium Gluconate? I think maybe that is what I need, to add a salt. I added some ROE, but maybe adding a salt would help preserve my soaps and help prevent rancidity. I am not sure where to purchase it. I am guessing I would get a food grade sodium gluconate?