Wrapped bars cure?

[Zoeybean]

I have wrapped a batch of CP bars in parchment paper, and while they look great I want them to breath. Can someone tell me if they will continue to cure completely wrapped in parchment paper? The only info I can find on-line is that cheese wrapped in parchment can breath but still keeps the moisture in. Thinking maybe parchment isn't the way to go! I love that you can see through it somewhat, I may have to buy some onion skin paper as it might look similar and let bars air out. Has anyone used parchment or had issues with it? TIA

 

[dalewaite48]

I would think they would continue to cure,however much more slowly than if left out in the open or on a rack. I am curious as to why you would want to wrap them instead of letting them cure out in the open air?

 

[shunt2011]

As long as your bars are fully cured I don't see that it would be a problem. Many totally shrink wrap or wrap their bars with other materials so you should be fine.

 

[cmzaha]

Yes they will continue to cure no matter where and how they are kept. They will also continue to dry and loose moisture which you can notice by how loose your wrapping will become.

 

[Zoeybean]

I would think they would continue to cure,however much more slowly than if left out in the open or on a rack. I am curious as to why you would want to wrap them instead of letting them cure out in the open air?

on 11-7-2014, they will have cured for 6 weeks, I am wanting them wrapped to get gift boxes ready for Christmas as I will have to mail them to family. also when someone stops by and I might want to give them a bar to try I would like it to be wrapped and labeled, I would wrap all my soaps if I knew they would keep curing. I haven't made a lot of soap 11 batches to be exact and I guess in my mind wrapped would keep dust off and seem complete and ready to go. maybe its my OCD I picture them wrapped in nice neat row with my sample bar in front. lol

 

[shunt2011]

You can wrap them but will likely still experience some shrinking. I use shrink bands and usually have to hit them with the heat gun a time or so once wrapped. I too try to cure my soaps at least 4-6 weeks before wrapping. I prefer longer.

 

[Zoeybean]

Yes they will continue to cure no matter where and how they are kept. They will also continue to dry and loose moisture which you can notice by how loose your wrapping will become.

Thank you, My biggest concern was spoiling, my sister brought me a couple of bars that a friend gave her, she said they were awful, they were wrapped in plastic and when I opened them they were so rancid I put them straight in the trash! I never want that to happen and was just unsure how much parchment paper could breath.

 

[Zoeybean]

Thanks all!

 

[Consuela]

they were wrapped in plastic and when I opened them they were so rancid I put them straight in the trash! I never want that to happen and was just unsure how much parchment paper could breath.

This is why I don't wrap in plastic. I purchased some CP soap from another soaper, and they had been wrapped in plastic. They looked great. But a few months later, it was like oil was seeping from the bars. They got yellowish, and felt sticky...

BUT. Lots of soapers use plastic with no problem - which I've only just deduced from reading around here - because I honestly thought you couldn't wrap CP in plastic at all. (If I'm thinking correctly, shrink bands leave both ends open so the soap can still breathe?)

With a full out plastic wrap though, perhaps a nice long cure time is the key - and lets face it - there are soapers out there who have their S*&# together and soap for 6 months to a year in advance

 

[houseofwool]

With a full out plastic wrap though, perhaps a nice long cure time is the key - and lets face it - there are soapers out there who have their S*&# together and soap for 6 months to a year in advance

Who are these mythical creatures? I'm lucky if I am 6-8 weeks ahead of inventory...

 

[Consuela]

Who are these mythical creatures? I'm lucky if I am 6-8 weeks ahead of inventory...

I'm with you.... but hey.... soaping unicorns do exist...


don't they?

 

[kmarvel]

Thanks all!

These look nice. Where did you get the round template for your label?

 

[Zoeybean]

These look nice. Where did you get the round template for your label?

They are just Avery 22808 2 1/2 inch kraft brown round labels. I cut them with my paper cutter so they would fit on the rectangle bar.

 

[Earthen_Step]

I lose about 10% of my bars total weight in the first month, 4% the next month and 2% the next month. I wrap most of my bars after month one or two in paper and they continue to cure, but the vast majority is done after 2 months. I have wrapped in plastic wrap and it slows down the curing, i would say by 50% or so -- this is a guess I did not weigh them. in paper they cure slower as well, but not nearly as noticeable.

Your cure rates may differ depending on the climate they are curing in. My cure rate is sped up in the winter because the air is dryer.

*I have never had a bar go rancid yet, I keep them in a dark cool spot. My grandmother had one of my bars go rancid, but it want the best recipe and used irregularly over months before it went bad.

 

[user 12568]

I cure at least 6wks and then wrap my soaps using basket style coffee filters (my soaps are round, so fit perfect in these). As the coffee filters are just heavy duty kleenex's, they let the soap continue to "breath" and cure as usual.