When is it best to unmold?

[kniquy]

I am only on my 3rd batch of soap the first 2 I unmolded after 24 hours. They seemed fine and I was able to cut. But when watching some soap queen videos i recall her stating unmolding after 3-4 days.

What do you like to do and why?

Does it matter what kinds of oils you are using when you choose to unmold?

Can you wait too long to unmold and have problems?

 

[shunt2011]

It totally depends on what oils you are using as well as lye discount and do you gel or not. what kind of mold you are using matters too. Individual or loaf or slab. Too early or too late can cause problems.

A recipe with a lot of liquid oils can take longer to harden up and get out of the mold. Could take 2-3 days depending on other factors listed above.

A recipe really high in Coconut oil may need to be cut within 3-4 hours

 

[Zing]

Generally I gel and use sodium lactate (a salt that speeds up unmolding time). Usually I unmold in 24 hours. I have a silicone loaf mold. If the side pulls easily away from the soap, I unmold it. If it's really stuck tight or pulling soft soap with it, I let it rest an additional 24 hours. My recipes generally are 60% hard oils/butters and 40% soft oils. Have fun soaping!

 

[amd]

My regular recipe I can unmold and cut in 18-24 hours (even with a 3:1 water to lye concentration). On Wednesday night I made a batch with a recipe that I have not used in several years, last night it was still goopy and way too soft to cut (I needed to be able to cut it this morning) so I preheated my oven at its lowest setting 170°F, turned it off and put my soap in it. Helped firm it right up and I could cut it this morning. Moral of the story: yes, recipes influence unmold and cut time, but sometimes you can help it along.

 

[Micchi]

I tend towards the 18-24 hour range. I check at 10 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours. 10 and 12 hour marks are usually just me being anxious and making absolutely sure there's no overheating.

Usually it's the 18 hour mark, pretty often the 24 hour, and rarely 12 or 48. I had a batch day before yesterday that was ready in 10 hours, though, which blew my mind a little. But soap's gonna do what soap's gonna do, I guess!

 

[IrishLass]

Like Zing, I gel and use sodium lactate in most of my batches...and I use a 33% lye concentration. I'm usually unmolding and cutting within 18 - 24 hours. With every batch I make, I also pour off about 4 oz into a plastic indy mold just to see how my soap does un-gelled (my indy molded soap never gels). Un-gelled soap can take up to 2 to 3 days to firm up enough to be unmolded and handled.

My gelled 100% coconut soap can be unmolded and cut within 4 to 6 hours. Actually, it needs to be unmolded and cut within 4 to 6 hours, or else I'll need a buzz saw to cut them, they're so hard. lol


IrishLass