Is It Just Me? (Silicon Molds)

[JudyH]

Just wondering if it's just me or not but it seems that I have to leave the CP soap in the silicon molds much longer than in the wooden loaf molds that I line with freezer paper.... If I don't, I have trouble getting them out because they are still a bit mushy on the bottom.

I have resorted to freezing the molds for an hour first before attempting to remove the soap. That does help. I have to immediately put the soap on a paper towel or wax paper and leave it untouched for at least 24 hours because it gets soft again as it is thawing. After about 24 hours (with the fan blowing on it) they begin to harden up.

Could it be that the soap is not jell-ing on the bottom of the molds? Maybe I should insulate them?

Or, maybe my soap is a bit too "conditioning" and I might need to re-formulate for more hardness or less iodine absorbtion? Do you think this would help? I am using the lye calculator at WSP.

 

[glenolam]

How new are your molds?

I use the tray plastic molds from WSP - some are milky way molds - and only really had problems in the beginning. Since they were used a few times I rarely have problems getting the soap out and I don't insulate.

I pour mine and let them sit for about 24 hours, then I just flip over onto wax paper and press on the corners a little, then press in the middle and the soap slowly detaches itself.

I did have a problem getting one batch out, but it was because I miscalculated on an oil and the batch was too soft.

 

[JudyH]

They are new molds.... Wilton brand. I'm thinking that my soap is a little too soft and maybe I need to re-formulate it a bit. It looks like the "iodine absorption" is too high which would make for a softer soap.

 

[honor435]

whats your recipe? high oo? if so I would leave in mold for longer than a day.

 

[ToniD]

It might be true that you have to reformulate your soap--but I wouldn't base my formulation solely, or much at all really, on how well it comes out of the molds. Its true that some soaps will be a little stickier when unmolding, but if you happen to like a particular recipe, then I think i would consider other helps to getting it out of the mold rather than changing my base recipe.

lowering the liquid amount, mold type, length of time you leave in the mold etc

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Same here Judy. Sometimes I freeze them and sometimes I cook them (put in warm oven and gel). :wink:

 

[donniej]

A lot of soap in a bigger mold saponifies faster than bars in individual molds. It's probably the slow rate of saponification caused by the heat loss that makes it softer.

 

[soapbuddy]

I would reformulate your recipe so it's a little harder, or try adding some sodium lactate to your soap.

 

[cmd439]

I just soaped for the first time in the Wilton loaf. I had the exact same problem when trying to unmold. I turned it upside down and started to seperate the sides, I realized later that pushing the bottom would have been a better way. The bottom was smushy and started to stick to the mold. So, I put it in the freezer and when I unmolded later the bottom was no longer smooth. I was also unhappy with the sides, they bowed instead of staying straight due to the weight of the soap. Next time I will put it in the freezer before trying to unmold, I don't know how but I will need to support the sides.

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Next time I will put it in the freezer before trying to unmold, I don't know how but I will need to support the sides.

What about making a wooden soap mould to the exact measurement of your silicone mould to support it?

 

[JudyH]

I re-formulated a bit because my olive oil % was a bit high and when I ran the numbers through the lye calculator at WSP, it showed that I would have a rather "soft" soap... I made 2 more batches of soap last night and used the Wilton molds for the "extra" so I plan on trying to unmold the first one tomorrow night (48 hours after pouring) and we'll see if that works any better. Plus, I'll definitely use the freezer method again too before unmolding. I have 4 hearts poured... I'll unmold the first one 48 hours (2 days) after pouring. If that one doesn't work well, I'll wait and unmold the 2nd one 72 hours (3 days) after pouring, etc. I'll see if I can just do a little experiment and see exactly how much time I need to leave the soap in the molds with the 4 hearts that I have poured.

 

[cmd439]

What about making a wooden soap mould to the exact measurement of your silicone mould to support it?

I would love to just make wooden soap molds and use those to get the exact size bars I want, but I am not terribly handy so it would probably take me a looooong time. Maybe one of these days....

 

[JudyH]

Well, here's an update to my experiment - IT'S OVER LOL!

I put the silicon hearts mold into the freezer for about 30 minutes, took it out and the soap I poured last night came out so easy. So I unmolded all 4 of them. I put them on a paper towel because I knew they were going to sweat a little from being in the freezer. But it worked - adjusting my soap recipe for a harder soap was exactly what I needed to do. And the freezer trick...

 

[soapbuddy]

Glad to hear that it worked out for you.