Storage problems.

[McBaffie]

Hi all. I have a few batches curing in a cupboard. They have been there for a couple of months and would normally be ready. When I have gone to wrap them I found a few of them are wet/oily. It's bars from a few different batches, and from recipes that have been a success before so I don't think it is the recipe. It may be worth mentioning that where I live in central Scotland it has been very damp and humid for quite a while (am struggling to get the washing dry too). Could that be the cause?
Does any body have any suggestions as to what might be causing this, and what I could do to fix/prevent it.
Thanks in advance.

 

[shunt2011]

Humidity can certainly play a big part in the curing process. Especially if inside a closed cabinet. They really need good circulation while curing. Remember, glycerin attracts moisture so the more humid/sticky it is the more issues you could have. I would put them somewhere with a fan blowing on them and see if this helps. You could also put something from your grocer that attracts moisture and see if that would help. Here it's called Damp Rid.

 

[McBaffie]

Thanks for the quick response. I intuitively feel that it is because of the high humidity. Was just wondering if there were any known problems involving the soap becoming wet? I have a fan and a dehumidifier on them, let's hope it helps. Am going to stack them up in the living room until the weather breaks. My wife isn't going to be happy when she gets in and sees this lot.

 

[paillo]

Years ago I found that in high humidity, damp weather some of my soaps were a little wet and precipitating oil. Yup, I was storing them in a closed cupboard too. Since then I've stored mine on bakers' racks lined with parchment paper in a room with plenty of ventilation, and have had no problems. Wrapped glycerin soaps I store in bins partially filled with plain old rice, works very nicely.

 

[Susie]

I live in a high humidity environment, also. I do not use a dehumidifier or fan. I just have them on top of a chest of drawers in the spare bedroom. If you have some open shelves somewhere, or the tops of the upper cabinets in the kitchen, even a shelf in an open closet, they will be fine there. They just need to not be closed up somewhere.

 

[Dharlee]

So if people are selling soap, should they actually not package it until it sells? I just don't get how this is done.

 

[IrishLass]

I don't sell, but I do gift my soaps, and I don't wrap them until right before I gift them.


IrishLass

 

[dixiedragon]

I also don't sell. I tend to let my soaps age for several months before I wrap. I have them in a room with a dehumidifier.

 

[shunt2011]

I do sell and don't usually have a problem with sweating too much. Only on really really humid days I might get a little bit. I don't generally wrap until they are 6 weeks old.

 

[TBandCW]

I'd wipe them off and put them somewhere they get full circulation. They should be fine. I live in a very dry climate and let my soaps cure a full 2 months.

 

[Deedles]

I'm having the same problem. I went to turn the last batch yesterday and found them all very oily and slick. Several hours were spent trying to figure out if there was something wrong with the recipe, although it's the same GM recipe I've always used with no problems. Then I discovered that past batches that are stored in a tub were the same way. So I knew it was just the liquid air we're having right now. Here on the Gulf Coast of Texas, especially with all our rain, it's more humid than normal. I set a fan to blow on the drying shelves and separated all the previous batches and they are all drying out nicely.