Tips and tricks, post yours?

[PinkCupcake]

Renata, I save mine until the next day, too, but I had never thought of washing them in the bathtub. I'll try that!

 

[paillo]

I came up with a new tip today. After I took my soap out of the mold, I lined it for next time. So now, when I'm ready to make soap, my mold is ready, too. I even went ahead and lined my other molds, too.

I seem to have reverted to lining all of my molds except a silicone-lined one - I even line my acrylic mold because cleanup is so much easier.

When I'm feeling uninspired or just too tired to soap, I pre-make a whole lot of liners. I use freezer paper and have cardboard cut-outs to just trace around with a ruler - no measuring. I fold them all, mark which mold they're for, and stack for future use. Then all I have to do is cut and fit. I like to do what you do too - have all of my molds lined for the next batches of soap. Somehow that's very satisfying

 

[sistrum]

I put a pair of "soap ends" in my mold before pouring my new batch. That way I don't have to line the ends just place a sheet of my freezer paper across the mold. I did have to caulk my wood mold first. Then when it cut the bars I just recut the ends and use them again.

 

[sistrum]

Well crap! Upside down again! you get the idea. Could a mod please fix that for me? Thank you

 

[neeners]

love this thread! I've only made 2 batches of soap, so I don't have much input, but wanted to write something so the thread is saved on "my replies".

 

[DeeAnna]

Sweet idea, Sistrum! Very elegant solution to an awkward problem.

 

[Crazy8]

I put a pair of "soap ends" in my mold before pouring my new batch. That way I don't have to line the ends just place a sheet of my freezer paper across the mold. I did have to caulk my wood mold first. Then when it cut the bars I just recut the ends and use them again.View attachment 3513

I like this, but I wonder if you couldn't maybe cut up a couple pieces of some hobby wood or something to be the size you need and use those? They could be thick enough to hold the paper flat, still be easy when bringing the log out of the mold and you wouldn't have to cut ends any more, you could just pull the wood right off the ends. I may have to try this.

 

[sistrum]

I don't see why it wouldn't work. Not real sure they would just "pull" off but you could just cut them off just the same

 

[houseofwool]

I wonder if you were to grease them up with mineral oil a few times if they would release more easily from the soap?

 

[Crazy8]

I wonder if you were to grease them up with mineral oil a few times if they would release more easily from the soap?

now thats an idea. or maybe coat them in varnish or something?

 

[dixiedragon]

I save a tin can, use some pliers to bend a spout into it, and use that to melt my beeswax. I put the tin can of beeswax into a saucepan of water to make a double boiler.

 

[CaraBou]

I take smartphone pictures of the price and product labels of soap supplies and other specialty items around town. Then I have the brand, quantity, price & other info without having to write anything down. When I get home I swipe through the pics and enter the data into a master spreadsheet that I also stockpile internet stats into. The price comparisons really help me figure out what is reasonable to buy locally as well as track my actual costs later (if I really want to know:roll. Then I just delete the photos & free up the space for more pics.

 

[CaraBou]

I use an ice cream scoop to carve my hard oils and butters out of their containers. I'll never forget the first time I tried to use a spoon on cocoa butter roblem:

 

[Pepsi Girl]

I use an ice cream scoop to carve my hard oils and butters out of their containers. I'll never forget the first time I tried to use a spoon on cocoa butter roblem:

I thought I was the only one! This works great!

 

[Pepsi Girl]

I put a pair of "soap ends" in my mold before pouring my new batch. That way I don't have to line the ends just place a sheet of my freezer paper across the mold. I did have to caulk my wood mold first. Then when it cut the bars I just recut the ends and use them again.

I used this last night sort of ... I didn't have quite enough soap to fill my mold so I put a couple bars of soap in the mold and Voila problem solved!