Questions about curing rack

[Brian Suds]

After you un-mold your soap and cut it into bars (lets just say after 48h in mold), will the type of curing rack you use effect the texture? Say I used a metal grid for curing, will those grid lines appear on the soap?

 

[SoapySmurf]

I haven't had a problem with my rack leaving lines on my soap but if you are going to use a metal rack make sure it is stainless or your soap will react with it and you will not be a happy camper.

 

[Relle]

I leave mine on a cutting board and turn every 2days for about a week to harden a little, then put them on a rack with rungs, sometimes if they take longer to harden they might leave some marks.

 

[Lindy]

I have mine sitting on metal file stackers and they do fine. They are powder coated so I don't have to worry about reactions.

 

[Brian Suds]

I haven't had a problem with my rack leaving lines on my soap but if you are going to use a metal rack make sure it is stainless or your soap will react with it and you will not be a happy camper.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the lye inactive after 48 hours?

 

[Brian Suds]

I found these at Goodwill for .99 cents each. They seem to bee coated in some white plastic. Seem okay to cure on?

 

[Guest]

goodwill score

 

[Lindy]

Brian they will be just fine and it is a wonderful score... I would put some paper or something on it just to keep it from denting my soap, but those will set up nicely for you...

 

[sudbubblez]

That is a vinyl coated wire rack. Vinyl will not react with soap. Its perfect.

My soap making apron is also made of vinyl.

I find that by the time the soap is ready to be extracted from the mold and cut, its firm enough that the racks won't make any marks on the bars. They're just not heavy enough to squish themselves on the racks. If you can pick the bar up without leaving fingerprints, Its good to go on the rack. I use these and have never had indentions in soap bars. I got mine at goodwill too.

 

[WanderingWillow]

I have about 10 of those plastic racks that bakeries use to haul bread into a grocery store. It's been so long I have no idea where I came across them. BUT! They are fabulous....I line them with freezer paper and stack away. If I'm soap blitzing, I can fit 25 batches of 30 bars on these racks. Since the racks all stack, not much space is used. I actually rarely change the freezer paper - old soap cruds just brush off new bars. Also, I've never had an issue with bars getting marks on them from the racks. I cut after 18 - 24 hours and soap goes straight to the racks.

 

[sudbubblez]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the lye inactive after 48 hours?

It is because soap is salt. Salt + Metal = Bad.

 

[debbism]

I found these baskets ages ago and I love them

http://www.containerstore.com/shop?prod ... tic+basket

I used to stack them 3-4 high with cardboard between the two baskets. Then I just got a wood rack and use these on the shelves....I can pull batches as I need them. They are fab.

 

[Kansas Farm Girl]

I use the bakery bread trays too, but do not line them with butcher paper, I just set them on the plastic tray so that they get more air. My soap is cut at about 24 hrs and while I can push my finger into it, it does not easily dent and I have never had any marks on the soap, from these or any other rack I have used.