Sweating in the mould

[Cuckoo Bananas]

I tried to search for this as I'm sure it must have been discussed 1000 times but ..... Sometimes on different batches my soap sweats a bit on top in the log mould so that when I un-mould it there are a few droplets of moisture on top. I usually just wipe them off with some vinegar or paper towel if they happen. But why do they sometimes happen and are they moisture coming out of the soap or moisture being attracted to the soap? The soap is always fine in every other way and no pockets or moisture inside it or along the sides where it contacts the mould, only ever ontop where there is about an inch gap to the cover of the mould.

 

[Ms. Moore]

Hi Cuckoo Bananas!

I just experienced for the first time sweaty soap. I thought I would troll the boards looking for causes. The only difference between this batch and my usual is that it contains 50% coconut oil...

 

[carebear]

Sweating like that is usually indicative of either overheating or covering your mold with something through which moisture cannot escape (or both). You can blot or simply wait and see if it reabsorbs, but be sure to check the surface for zap once it's done.

Why would a batch suddenly overheat? Maybe you soaped at a higher temp, maybe you used a different FO, maybe your room temps are a bit higher, maybe there is something funky going on in outer space...

 

[adoptapitbull]

My soap always sweats a little when I take it out of the freezer. Give it a few hours and it should all absorb back in. I never had to blot. Good luck!

 

[soapbuddy]

If it's humid where you are, it's most likely natural glycerin seeping out of the bars. A wipe with a paper towel should be sufficient.

 

[Cuckoo Bananas]

I do live in the tropics although the weather hasn't been overly humid lately it's probably only been at about 50% humidity. I checked out my mould closely - it is a DIY log mould and the wooden top has slightly distorted over the last couple of years so it it doesn't sit completely flush anymore and I don't put anything else over the top so it would let a we bit of air in.

Also I haven't been measuring the temp of the oils or lye for a long time now, I usually just let everything cool down for 1 hour before I go back to mix it.

I wonder if it is glycerin? I did check it with pH paper and it went to the at least 14 in dark colour (although on my pH paper anything over 11 looks just about the same colour) so I just assumed it is lye or something.

 

[AmyW]

Mine sweats sometimes as it's going into gel. By the time the gelling is done,t he sweat has evaporated or absorbed back in.

 

[Cuckoo Bananas]

Forgot to add mine doesn't gell so it isn't from that.

 

[FreeRabbit]

My soap always sweats a little when I take it out of the freezer. Give it a few hours and it should all absorb back in. I never had to blot. Good luck!

sweating when remove from freezer is from temp diffrence it happens also to food so I woudn't be too worried about it. if it makes a diffrence you can move from freezer to refrigirator first and then take out

 

[kbuska]

this happens to be if I put shrink wrap on the top