What if I don't cover my soap batches?

[Carl]

I've been doing this for a while now and have done tons of batches. But I still have never tried leaving a batch uncovered.

I use wooden molds that I built out of 3/4 inch birch plywood and I have tops that I use to cover them with.

Every batch I have ever done I have covered.

I can obviously try this and see what happens but I don't feel like wasting a batch.

So, what would happen if I just decided to leave my loaf batches uncovered (open to the air while they are going through saponification)?

 

[shunt2011]

The worse that happens would be partial gel. Maybe some ash. Otherwise it should be fine.

 

[Carl]

The worse that happens would be partial gel. Maybe some ash. Otherwise it should be fine.

Thanks, think I may try it. I recently changed my recipe and I'm starting to get a little bit of cracking on top. In previous posts of mine several people suggested overheating so I took all insulation away except the wooden top. Now maybe I'll try taking away the wooden top.

 

[Obsidian]

I've never covered a batch except for the 2 or 3 tines I wrapped a mold to force gel.

 

[Carl]

I've never covered a batch except for the 2 or 3 tines I wrapped a mold to force gel.

Funny one of the books I read when I first started learning said to cover it and do not even open it to peek. Just leave it covered til the next day!

 

[Jersey Girl]

I put a cardboard box over mine and some dish towels over that on a heating pad and I peek a lot to check on it. It always gels. Peeking is ok for me!

 

[KiwiMoose]

I'm a constant peeker.

I reckon you'd get a bit of soap ash of you left it uncovered. That's all.

 

[Susie]

Partial gel is what you would get most likely. But you have to work with the recipes you make and the conditions in your home. Keep trying different things, then you will know what works for you. You can always CPOP after the fact if you do get partial gel, so it would not be a wasted soap.

 

[lucycat]

I sometimes make a "shelf" from a couple of my mold lids and set the log on top of them. Elevating the log 1/2 of an inch lets air flow beneath the log and can prevent the overheating. I can usually tell by how hot the wooden mold is whether I think it needs elevation. Mine needs to be warm to gel but when it is hot I usually elevate the log. That might be all you need to prevent the cracking.

 

[Claudette Carignan]

I put a cardboard box over mine and some dish towels over that on a heating pad and I peek a lot to check on it. It always gels. Peeking is ok for me!

I do the exact same thing. I can’t help but peek every couple of hours

 

[Jersey Girl]

I do the exact same thing. I can’t help but peek every couple of hours

A couple hours? What control you have!

 

[Kamahido]

Partial get and soda ash at the very worst. Purely cosmetic.

 

[shermluge]

I put a cardboard box over mine and some dish towels over that on a heating pad and I peek a lot to check on it. It always gels. Peeking is ok for me!

Same here, I've tried covered and not. I've just personally found the best is spay with alcohol, cover with cling wrap and cardboard, covered with towel on a heating pad. I didn't start this way, this is what I have just found gives me the best results. The exception is my milk bars which go in the fridge.

 

[Carl]

Thanks everyone! next batch I'm going uncovered and hopefully the rubbing alcohol spray will protect me from the ash!!

 

[chayah]

I have never covered a batch of any soap I have ever made... I didn't know I was supposed to.

 

[GGMA0317]

You don't have to. I was told that in my early soaping days and I did it a couple times. But then I realized it just wasn't doable. So I simply stopped doing it and the soap was fine and the sky didn't fall. .

 

[lenarenee]

Other than the first couple of soaps I made, I never cover my soap - just let it do whatever it wants to do.

 

[chayah]

I have never ever covered my soap. I didn't know I needed to.. always looks nice unless my trace is too fast.. Has anyone ever put arnica oil in their soap?

 

[dixiedragon]

It will EXPLODE!! j/j it will be fine. I personally cover b/c I have nosey cats and dogs.

 

[shunt2011]

I cover because I want full gel and avoid ash. It works for me.