How long is long enough for curing?

[SoapSap]

I would like to know from those with experience how they determine how long to leave their soaps out on curing racks before it is safe to box them for storage.

Currently I cure my soap on covered trays or racks in my spare bedroom in the open air and turn them at least once a week. Is there a standard amount of time to leave them in the open air? Is there some evaluation I should be doing besides the zap test ?

Following the 6-8 weeks I box them in a paper lined, and lidded box that have air holes to hopefully keep them fresh.

Is there more I should be doing, and what I am doing is it right?

 

[dixiedragon]

What you are doing sounds great to me! I don't do the turning myself - I am too lazy.

 

[wetshavingproducts]

When they stop losing weight.

 

[coffeetime]

Yup, I track weights too. Possibly overkill, but it has stopped me from rushing a batch to wrapping that I thought was ready according to the date.

 

[LunaSkye]

I generally give my CP bars 8-12 weeks to cure and my HP bars 4-8 weeks. I also borrowed a trick from DeeAnna: clapping 2 bars together. The soap bars that are at the end of their curing process have a slight bounce when clapped together whereas the bars have more of a thud when they require more cure time. So far it's a good trick for when I test my soap balls.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I agree it sounds like you are doing it all fine.

Further, those with experience have experience of their own soaps and curing situation - it can vary from person to person, house to house and so on, which means exact perfect information for your soaps would be tricky to give, but the ideas remain the same.