Unmolding soap

[Makingsoap21]

I am making an olive oil & coconut oil cold process soap. How long should I wait to take it out of the mold and cut the bars ?? I waited about 12-16 hrs when i made a 100% coconut oil and it would break / crumble while cutting it . My mistake in not knowing I should only wait about 4 hrs or so .

 

[earlene]

Depends on the recipe. Was it high OO or high CO? How much water? Was it a high lye concentration (less water)? And did you CPOP?

 

[GemstonePony]

Without knowing the ratio of Olive to coconut, it's hard to estimate. Coconut only takes a few hours to harden, while Olive can take 1-4 days to harden, depending on oil grade, additives, etc.. Ideally, you'd cut it once it's the hardness of cheddar cheese, probably somewhere between 6 hours-4 days. Depending on the amount of liquid you used, if your fragrance accelerated, and if your soap gelled, it could even be less time or more time than that.

 

[Makingsoap21]

Depends on the recipe. Was it high OO or high CO? How much water? Was it a high lye concentration (less water)? And did you CPOP?

It’s 85% olive oil and 15% coconut oil .

 

[GemstonePony]

It’s 85% olive oil and 15% coconut oil .

That narrows it down to 1-3 days. Can you find any other information about what you put in it? Any idea what your water to lye or water to oil ratios were?

 

[Todd Ziegler]

@GemstonePony is right. When you can press the soap with your finger and it gives a little but doesn't leave a dimple, then you are good to unmold and cut.

 

[Zing]

@GemstonePony is right. When you can press the soap with your finger and it gives a little but doesn't leave a dimple, then you are good to unmold and cut.

What @Todd Ziegler said, when it's like cheddar cheese, unmold and cut it.