What kind of containers do you use for smaller amounts of soap?

[Jencat]

We have a soap bucket from MMS that we use for mixing our soap batches so far. I'm trying to find something good to use for smaller amounts, like when mixing parts of the larger batch with colorants. I'd love to find something that is also easy to pour from. Do any of you have any recommendations? Thanks!

 

[MirandaH]

I got some smaller cups from Lowe's. I assume they are paint cups. It is called a "Measure Right Mixing Container" and they had lots of different sizes. The size I bought was 1 quart. They have marks on the sides that are for measurements (but it says that the measurements are approximate. They were $1.18 each and they had other sizes as well. The bottom of the cup has the number 5 in the triangle and says PP on the bottom and I have never had any issues with them. Here is the link from Lowe's for the cups and if you search under "United Solutions" you can see the other sizes they have.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_40008-84240...1&currentURL=?Ntt=united+solutions&facetInfo=

 

[seven]

I am using those small plastic pitchers for cooking. The kind that has numbers on its walls (cups, ml, grams), with a small pout for easy pouring.

 

[shunt2011]

I got some 4 cup plastic measuring cups at Walmart for 1.00 and love them. You can also find hard plastic measuring cups at the dollar store that work well too.

 

[MirandaH]

I am using those small plastic pitchers for cooking. The kind that has numbers on its walls (cups, ml, grams), with a small pout for easy pouring.

I bought some of those, but then my husband went into my soaping supplies and pulled one out to use in the kitchen. Luckily I hadn't used it yet, but I figured if he would invade my soaping space for the kitchen, I better use as much as possible that is not for the kitchen, or nothing he would use in there. :lolno: So frustrating. He is very supportive, but doesn't listen. I have the spatulas hidden.

 

[Jencat]

I bought some of those, but then my husband went into my soaping supplies and pulled one out to use in the kitchen. Luckily I hadn't used it yet, but I figured if he would invade my soaping space for the kitchen, I better use as much as possible that is not for the kitchen, or nothing he would use in there. :lolno: So frustrating. He is very supportive, but doesn't listen. I have the spatulas hidden.

I guess I'm lucky that DH is paranoid about mixing the soaping tools with the food tools. He didn't even want to put them in the dish drainer together!

 

[Jencat]

I got some smaller cups from Lowe's. I assume they are paint cups. It is called a "Measure Right Mixing Container" and they had lots of different sizes. The size I bought was 1 quart. They have marks on the sides that are for measurements (but it says that the measurements are approximate. They were $1.18 each and they had other sizes as well. The bottom of the cup has the number 5 in the triangle and says PP on the bottom and I have never had any issues with them. Here is the link from Lowe's for the cups and if you search under "United Solutions" you can see the other sizes they have.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_40008-84240...1&currentURL=?Ntt=united+solutions&facetInfo=

Those looks good and the price is right. Are they deep enough for stick blending?

 

[MirandaH]

Those looks good and the price is right. Are they deep enough for stick blending?

Absolutely. I don't know that I would try to mix a quart of soap in them, but they are actually about 1/2 - 3/4 inch taller than the measuring cups mentioned above.

 

[MirandaH]

Oh, and for like 50 cents each, you can also buy the lids for them. Sometimes I use them for my lye mixture when I am soaping at RT. Then I can mix the lye and water and put the lid on them and set them outside in the patio and nothing falls in the lye water and no liquid evaporates out.

 

[Jencat]

Thanks Miranda! Sounds like a trip to Lowes is in my near future :smile:. The store near me even has them in stock. The trick will be getting out of the store without finding other things that I "need". Hardware stores are dangerous places.

 

[MirandaH]

If your family is able to be trusted, you should really look into the measuring cups too. Especially if you need to pour into squirt bottles or something small. The ones I posted can be pinched and it makes it easier to pour, and I haven't had any issues with them, and LOVE the fact that they have a lid...but it wasn't easy to get the soap into the squeeze bottles when I was trying a peacock swirl.

 

[moodymonday]

I use a polypropylene mixing bowl that would have otherwise been used for baking or food storage.

 

[lsg]

I sometimes use disposable plastic cups as containers when dividing into portions and coloring soap.

 

[Jencat]

If your family is able to be trusted, you should really look into the measuring cups too. Especially if you need to pour into squirt bottles or something small. The ones I posted can be pinched and it makes it easier to pour, and I haven't had any issues with them, and LOVE the fact that they have a lid...but it wasn't easy to get the soap into the squeeze bottles when I was trying a peacock swirl.

Good point. I could see me getting soap everywhere when trying to pour into squeeze bottles.

 

[PinkCupcake]

I do all my mixing in plastic paint containers. They are cheap and come in a variety of sizes. Also, I can pinch the container into enough of a spout for pouring. If I'm mixing small amounts of colors, I use paper cups.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I am the one who is a total freak about keeping things for food and for soaping apart from each other. All of my soap only things has it written all over in red marker pen!

I tend to hoard all of the decent sized plastic containers that would otherwise go in to the recycling box and use them for things like lye weighing and so on.

 

[MirandaH]

I am the one who is a total freak about keeping things for food and for soaping apart from each other. All of my soap only things has it written all over in red marker pen!

I tend to hoard all of the decent sized plastic containers that would otherwise go in to the recycling box and use them for things like lye weighing and so on.

I honestly don't think it would make a difference. It would be one thing if I left the stuff in the sink after washing, but I don't. I let things dry in the patio and that is where I keep it when it is waiting to be washed. All of my soap supplies are somewhere other than the kitchen and he actually left the kitchen and went into my soap supplies to get the measuring cup. Clearly, for someone who was listening about lye, anything in there would be off limits for food. Sadly, no one listens. :thumbdown:

 

[Jencat]

I ended up at Home Depot on Saturday, so I checked out the paint section there. They had similar containers, so I picked up a few in two sizes for a little over $1 a piece. I'll have to keep an eye out for the large plastic measuring cups, but these should be good for now. Thanks everyone!

 

[Lin]

I use large plastic measuring cups (various ones from 2-6 cups) and large white bowl pitchers from dollar tree. They are like a decent size mixing bowl but have both a handle and pour spout.

 

[Jencat]

I need to find a better dollar store. The Family Dollar near my house doesn't have anything useful for soaping.