When & why do I need to place my mold in the freezer?

[WillZ]

SO far I've been lucky ( mostly). But the more I read, the more I realize that I know nothing (John Snow).
I am planning to do a coconut milk batch, with a Lemon Grass FO and a green mica.
Before I started reding the thread on Coconut milk soap, I was going to get the soap to light trace, mix a bit of it with the mica+FO, fill my mold 3/4 up, pour my colour mix in a straight line down the middle, add the last 1/4, and swirl it with chop stick. Wrap the mold in a towel, sit back and relax.
Is this all wrong?

 

[dixiedragon]

I think you will be okay. It's possible that the extra sugars in the coconut milk could cause overheating, but not very likely. Keep an eye on it. Once the gel is corner-to-corner, you can unwrap it. Leave the mold sitting on the towel just in case you have overheating and the soap volcanoes - easier to clean up a towel!

 

[WillZ]

Thanks Dixie - I'll do the towl thingy

 

[DeeAnna]

Oh. Two identical threads. Most confusing!

 

[WillZ]

I tried to delete one of them, but couldn't figure out how.

 

[DeeAnna]

Ask an admin to delete the other thread. Maybe Irish Lass, Relle, or lsg would help?

 

[DeeAnna]

"...I started reding the thread on Coconut milk soap..."

If you want people to know what your talking about, it would be a kindness to give a direct link to the thread and/or a summary of what's in the thread that you're referring to.

So ... not having read that thread, I want to ask -- what makes you think you need to freeze the mold? What's the recipe you want to use? What's the method for making the soap?

I've never felt the need to freeze or refrigerate a mold or soap in the mold, although I know others feel strongly otherwise. But even if I wanted to try it, my molds are too large to fit in my freezer or fridge unless I take food out to make room, and I don't want to do that.

When I make a soap that I expect will overheat, I set the molded-up soap on top of some food cans on the counter, so air can circulate under the mold, and put a fan on it for 1/2 to 1 hour. That's helpful.

We had a related discussion here -- https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/glycerine-rivers.69895/ -- that might give you some more info to think about.

 

[Kari]

When soap overheats it can pour out of the mold, in mild to catastrophic ways. Soapqueen did a great article on it here: https://www.soapqueen.com/bath-and-...cs-how-temperature-affects-cold-process-soap/

Sugar (including the fructose you find in coconuts) can cause soap to heat up faster/more when it goes through the saponification process. Generally you can avoid overheating by soaping at room temperature and not insulating your soaps.

You can chuck it in the fridge if you're especially worried about it happening. I've never tried to put it in the freezer, but I have heard that other soapers do. I usually chill my soaps if I'm using a lot of titanium dioxide or otherwise want to avoid glycerine rivers. If you have the room, it won't hurt the soap to try!

I would suggest you melt your solid-at-room-temp butters and oils, if you don't already. Once melted, they can be stirred into your liquid oils and allowed to cool before adding your lye water. Provided your recipe isn't heavy in solid fats, it shouldn't resolidify once mixed with the liquid oils.

 

[shunt2011]

I use coconut milk frequently. I just soap as normal, FO, Color, pour in the mold, put a lid on it and lay a towel or two over the top. No need to freeze or insulate unless you want to avoid gel. I check it a time or two and all is fine.

 

[dixiedragon]

I've often thought that, for those that put their soap in the fridge or freezer, that ice packs might be a good solution. Mix 1 part rubbing alcohol with 3 parts water. Put in a freezer bag. I actually recommend double-bagging it, b/c the alcohol will, over time, dissolve the bag. Leave in your freezer. This makes a nice, squishy ice pack for injuries and holds the cold for longer than regular ice. I've thought that 2 of these would be great for soapers who freeze. Put your mold on top of one and drape the other over the mold.

 

[girlfromoz]

Just be aware that if put in the freezer it will thaw after taken out. Will be very soft...
Leave it sitting on the bench for a few hours ( sometimes longer ) still in the mould.

I use to use the freezer but prefer the fridge now as i do not gel many batches.

 

[earlene]

I've often thought that, for those that put their soap in the fridge or freezer, that ice packs might be a good solution. Mix 1 part rubbing alcohol with 3 parts water. Put in a freezer bag. I actually recommend double-bagging it, b/c the alcohol will, over time, dissolve the bag. Leave in your freezer. This makes a nice, squishy ice pack for injuries and holds the cold for longer than regular ice. I've thought that 2 of these would be great for soapers who freeze. Put your mold on top of one and drape the other over the mold.

Good suggestion. But you can actually use a higher concentration of alcohol to make the ice pack stay cold even longer. I've been using alcohol/water mixture ice packs, in the standard old-fashioned screw-top ice packs for decades & found that when I get the mix just right, I can mold the mushy ice pack to fit my body better and it stays cold for a very long time.

 

[dixiedragon]

My ratio is what my mom uses. I see some online use 1:2 alcohol and water. At 1:3, my mom's are nicely mushy and stay cold for along time!