soap curling....

[GMS]

I've been making soap for a few years now with no issues.... recently started making soap and pouring it into a different mold and when I take it out of the mold it curls up at the corners. Why would it do this?

 

[JustBeachy]

Can you post a pic? It would make it a lot easier to give you some idea's.

 

[IrishLass]

Welcome GMS!

Ditto what JustBeachy said. A picture is worth a thousand words.

What different kind of mold are you using now? Slab or log? And by "curling at the corners", do you mean that the edges come up higher than the middle part, which kind of looks sunken in comparison?


IrishLass

 

[lenarenee]

Does the curling happen immediately ( maybe the unmolding stretches the corners out) or over time?

 

[GMS]

The pic with the 2 molds - the mold with the 4 big bars is my original mold and the tray with all the little bars is the new mold.



The soap starts to curl a couple days after unmolding.
The pic with the 2 molds - the mold with the 4 big bars is my original mold and the tray with all the little bars is the new mold.

 

[TVivian]

It must be the way the water is evaporating... Looks like the center is pulling the sides up. Maybe try cutting the individual bars as soon as they're unmolded? That's what I'd do.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

It must be the way the water is evaporating... Looks like the center is pulling the sides up. Maybe try cutting the individual bars as soon as they're unmolded? That's what I'd do.

I think this is the issue. Cut them as soon as possible - if they can be unmoulded and look that good then I think they could be cut not long afterwards.

 

[Susie]

I'm with Tvivian and TEG. Cut as soon as you can unmold. Also, how much water are you using?

 

[GMS]

Thank you for the suggestions - will cut the soap asap. I hope the little bars don't curl after they are cut.
It's goat milk soap - about 36% goat milk in each batch.

 

[shunt2011]

I'm thinking they are a bit thinner and if using high water content they are evaporating more quickly. As others stated unmold and cut as soon as you can. I don't have much luck with plastic slab molds and quit using them.

 

[IrishLass]

Yep- I agree with the others- I'd cut those into bars as soon as they are unmolded. The surface area from all the bars being conjoined together is just too large. Cutting it down to size should solve your problem.


IrishLass

 

[Jstar]

Agree with everyone else..if they are popping out clean and easy, then cut them asap

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Okay, now all the good advice has been given, I can tell you about the Canadians who slide bars of soap down an ice rink, brushing in front of it to get it to a target........

 

[PinkCupcake]

Thin bars like that may tend to curl a little as water evaporates. Keep a close eye on them as they cure, and turn them every few days. That should help keep them flatter.