Soap Molds

[Kimberly6891]

Good Morning

I did a little bit of searching and didn't find a thread that was already started about this topic, so I hope I didn't miss it, but I have to find out a little bit of information.

I have only been actually MAKING soap for the past 2-3 months. In fact, I read a TON about it over the last year or so and did a class or two at local craft stores, before actually DOING it. (Read about CP soap, M&P, HP Soap, The Different Types of Molds, etc.).

So, long story short, I had made my soaps in shoe boxes or a perfectly shaped dresser drawer that I lined and it created a great soap loaf (perfect size)....my delema is....I just recently purchased 2 Soap Molds (HDPE) that are suppose to be NO LINER molds.

I made a batch of CP soap this last Sunday morning. I was always under the impression that after about 48 hours, I would be able to remove from mold. (I have been able to do this with my home made molds), but today is Thursday (4 days later) and the soap and molds are completly still firmly in place. My husband even thought he could take apart the mold to try to get the soap out, but the little bit that the mold did give, I could see that the soap was still a bit tacky...ALMOST still wet looking.

Now, I am pretty confident in my recipe so I don't know why the soap and mold wont separate. All that I had heard previous is that after a couple days...TAAADDAA....you have soap...LMAO

If anyone could give me any pointers I would really appreciate it. Right now I'm feeling like I have done something wrong....Are these HDPE molds not really NO LINER molds?

Thank you...any pointers would help
:-?
Kimberly

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Even though the recipe is most likely 100% spot on, can you post it so that people can reference that when thinking about the issue? From what you say, it is likely to be something with the molds, but it will be something about how the recipe and the mold work together - knowing all the info can help reduce the guessing and increase the awesome.

Also, is it still rather liquid, or just gives a little under pressure and looks damp?

 

[houseofwool]

I haven't used HDPE molds myself. But when my soap is stuck, I stick it in the freezer for a bit so it shrinks and hardens up enough to remove it from the mold

 

[Kimberly6891]

The best way to describe it, is TACKY!! I slid my cutter between the mold and the soap once we managed to get a little bit of the mold pulled away from the soap and you could hear a little suction sound when it was being pulled away. My cutter came away with a really tacky, gluey like feeling. So, I wouldn't call it WET or anything.

(I have the exact recipe at home and will post)

 

[nebetmiw]

Is this a larger batch than you have made before? Most do coat a mold like this but you can freeze it to let go. That should do the trick.

 

[Kimberly6891]

Yes it is a larger batch than normal, but I double checked my quantities (even used soapcalc). I think I will freeze it up tonight to see how that works.

Thanks everyone for the feedback

 

[seven]

I remember reading a case similar like this at soap and restless blog. Conclusion, it is better to always line your mold. Is your mold the kind with screws that you can take apart? I dont think so judging from your post. The pull apart ones might be easier to unmold.

 

[shunt2011]

I had an HDPE mold. My soaps stuck all the time. What I did was put the mold in the oven on the lowest setting for about 10 minutes. It helped them slide out. I ended up selling that mold because it gave me so much trouble. It was a log mold. Now, I have a slab HDPE and what I do is spray it with PAM before putting my soap in and I seem to have better luck. However, I only make salt bars in it now. I so prefer my silicone lined molds.

 

[lsg]

I have to grease up HDPE molds with petroleum jelly. In my experience they are not no-line molds.

 

[Tienne]

I just recently purchased 2 Soap Molds (HDPE) that are suppose to be NO LINER molds.

Are they Mr DoRight molds? If so, while they are advertized as being "no liner", he does advise using a "slip". (It's still a liner IMO, just easier to put in.)

I've seen a lot of youtubes with folks using HDPE slab molds with dividers and they always seem to struggle like heck to get the soaps out. Also, be careful when trying to get the soap out. You're supposed to glide the sides off and not pull them off, or you'll risk ripping your soap. (Or getting those little welts on the soap sides from the suction.)

I have a couple of HDPE molds and while I do love them for their ease of cleanup and love that they take up so little space when disassembled, I wouldn't dare use them without a "slip". I don't need the hassle. (I use a teflon oven liner.)

To get the soap out you have that's stuck, try alternating between freezing the soap and then warming it and see if it won't come out that way. I'll cross my fingers for you!

 

[Kimberly6891]

Yes, it is Mr. Do Right and I read everything front and back and it only says to use the slip if wanting/needing the soap out within 6-12 hour (Removal). [when watching the video it doesn't use anything on the ends, so that is confusing as well).

 

[Tienne]

I have the DoRight molds too and there was a little description note that came with the molds and on that it said to use a slip. (Like they show in the youtube he links to.) The sides of the molds are not completely smooth and also the way they are built means you can't slide the sides off because the bottom piece goes into that slot along the bottom edge of the side pieces. You'd have to pull at them. For those reasons, I could see straight away that there was no way any soap was going to come out easily of those molds without using a (damned) slip.

The youtube linked to doesn't call the molds "no liner" molds, either. There they're called "Quick release slip line soap molds", even though the title on Etsy says "No liner soap molds". I guess Mr DoRight would argue that a slip is not a liner, but that's semantics IMO. You still need to buy freezer paper (or teflon oven liners or whatever) and you still need to put in the mold. Yes, the ends are free and it's easy to "slip line" and get the soap out, but it's also easy to get a soap out of any freezer paper lined mold! That's not what one thinks one is paying for. He should make it more obvious on his Etsy page that you STILL will need to "line" the mold. Slip lining is still lining! (I think the no liner sales pitch is a bit of a fib.)

I fell for the "no liner" promise too, but as I said earlier, I would never use the molds without a "slip". (As a side note, I find the cutting slot to have way too much wiggle room, too.) I do use the molds, though. They're easy to clean and no worse than so many other molds and I paid too much for them to just let them gather dust, so I've just accepted what they are and what they aren't... and so I "slip line." :sad:

I hope you can get your soap out, using first freezing the mold and then warming it, but if you can't then just cut your losses and cut along the sides of the soap as best you can and then remove them. The bottom should be able to be slid off. Trim your soap and save what you can and then either ask for a refund or accept that you going to have to use a slip in the future, because there is no way those molds can be considered "no liner". Not as any soaper would understand it, anyway. :sad:

 

[Kimberly6891]

I've heard of greasing them up with Petroleum Jelly or other oils, does that really make it not NON STICK?

 

[Kimberly6891]

End Result....

Well, I got the soap out of the molds about 5 days after I poured it. I used my soap cutter and slid it in between the mold and the soap at each side and didn't cause TOO MUCH damage. Still, this isn't soap that I would consider selling, so it will more than likely be gifted. It doesn't look bad, so gifting it would still be nice.

I have since emailed MRDORIGHT, TWICE and he has not responded. :x

I'm cutting my losses, and I do understand that 'you win some, you lose some', so I don't want to spend much time mad about it, (I really do like the size of the soap, but the cutter was bowed and the mold cutter does have a little bit too much wiggle room), but I do think its bad business for someone to advertise incorrectly AND on top of all that, to not even answer my emails.

Off to the next adventure, does anyone have any favorite mold sellers that they would like to share with me? Tried and true.....??

Thanks for all the advise....I really appreciate it:wave:

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Is it possible to leave feedback on the site where you purchased it? Just factual information so other people are aware of the potential issues

 

[shunt2011]

I have read on several sites that those molds are not the best at all. It was from several years ago when I was researching soapmaking and molds etc. I heard that he wasn't good at responding back then either. I hope you get it worked out.

 

[Kimberly6891]

HDPE Molds

I've done a few batches of soap in MrDoRights 'No Liner' Soap Molds, since my first FIASCO. I ended up cutting out the first batch and was able to actually save most of the soap, but now, I line the molds. I really like the shape of the soap (they are more oblong and not squared), but it does get frustrating knowing I paid for something that was suppose to be NO LINER and it isn't. I have a few silicone molds to and they work great.

I only have to line the sides and not the ends of the HDPE mold so it isn't hard at all. Getting them out now is a dream.

I really appreciate all the feedback. Live and learn,