Silicone rash woes

[John Affinito]

I have been making cp soap for about a year now, experimenting with different types of molds and formulas. I've nailed down my formulation, and I have a favorite type of mold, which happens to be a silicone loaf mold that I have built a box and lid for. The problem is silicone rash. I don't CPOP, and have tried shaping at anywhere from 100F to 130F. All Temps result in silicone rash. Im tempted to try lining the mold with saran wrap to see if that cures the problem, but im thinking that will only cause another problem, wrinkles in the soap surface instead of silicone rash. Are there any other ways of dealing with silicone rash besides planing? I hate being wasteful that way. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[xavalyss]

Never heard of silicone rash.

 

[Obsidian]

Yeah, the saran wrap will make wrinkles, a lot of them.
Have you tried preventing gel? Rash is caused from the soap getting overly hot in the silicone mold so you need to keep it cooler while it saponifies.

 

[Tam3098]

So, I think I have had "silicone rash" issues, but, am truly not versed enough to know exactly what my problem may be.... but have been wiping my bars with 99% IPA after cutting and have noted a huge improvement with the "white stuff" on my soaps...

If the "rash" is caused by over heating in a silicone mold, then wiping with alcohol after cutting definitely cancels out any rash.....

 

[Obsidian]

So, I think I have had "silicone rash" issues, but, am truly not versed enough to know exactly what my problem may be.... but have been wiping my bars with 99% IPA after cutting and have noted a huge improvement with the "white stuff" on my soaps...

Rash isn't the white ash you are wiping off. Rash is a large amount of small bubbles on the surface of the soap that was touching the silicone. It happens most often when cpop at too high heat.

 

[Tam3098]

Thanks Obsidian,
Idk though what my white stuff is exactly, thought it was lye ash, but it is not, do not have a problem at all when using individual molds, have noticed it especially on soaps that have cocoa or spirulina?... in them. Any thoughts? Wiping all with the alcohol has ended the problem - perhaps it is something altogether different??

 

[shunt2011]

Thanks Obsidian,
Idk though what my white stuff is exactly, thought it was lye ash, but it is not, do not have a problem at all when using individual molds, have noticed it especially on soaps that have cocoa or spirulina?... in them. Any thoughts? Wiping all with the alcohol has ended the problem - perhaps it is something altogether different??

What your describing is soda ash. More common in ungelled soap especially in individual molds.