Teach Soap

I've read recipes that say cure the CP soap 4-6 wks. Does that mean that it is safe to use in 4 wks but is a better-harder bar in 6 wks? What determines how long a bar should cure? Are all bars considered safe to use in ? wks?
thanks for the input.

CP soaps are safe to use once they're saponified and the lye is not active anymore. But, they last longer when using if you wait for them to cure at least 3-4 weeks first. It's given them time to harden up nicely. Plus, I and a lot of other soapers find that the soap is less harsh on your skin if you give them time to cure.

Now if you're making soaps with a high percentage of olive oil, the longer they cure, the less slimey they feel when you're using them.

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Genny

Ditto! Plus your climate effects your cure time. Some of my soaps are taking longer to cure this summer while some are the same. Patience is not one of my virtues but in soaping it definitely helps!

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Linda

I learn so much when I can't leave well enough alone!

We had drought for a while, now it's raining... I have mine on racks with a fan blowing and a dehumidifier going. Holiday production in full swing!

But yeah, what they said. After I cut the soap (at the 24-96 hour mark), I try a sliver to see how it feels, the suds, and so on. It's good soap at that point, but will harden up a lot more. Whether it's milder I haven't tested in any experimental fashion; I find all of mine so much more mild than the detergent sold as soap in stores that it's hard for me to say!

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Lesli Sagan
Avital's Apiaries
Like us: http://www.facebook.com/AvitalsApiaries

Thank you all for your replies. Your experience and your willingness to share it with us newbies mean alot to me!

I hope you don't mind me jumping in here and asking...but for flat out "I'm a nerd and still scared of the lye a little" purposes...basically...what ya'll are saying is...after 24-96 hours it IS safe to "test" said soap out to see what it's like? Also, can I be safe in cutting it once it comes out of the mold and NOT where my rubber gloves? Or should I still wear them to cut the soap...just in case...because I wore them to clean up all my soaping stuff today complete with goggles! (Yeah, big fat scaredy nerd me)

I'm just trying to be EXTRA careful here....sorry for jumping in with a question...but it seemed on topic here....

If you fully gel your soaps, then yes, I would say after 24 hours they would be safe enough to touch without gloves. Have you heard of the zap test? Like you lick a 9V battery, you can lick your soap. If it's zaps you, it's lye heavy. If there is no zap, the lye is all gone.

I don't gel my soaps at all, and I don't touch them for 3 days.
Day 1 I make and they go straight into the freezer (I make all milk soaps)
Day 2 they are removed from freezer and thawed, then demolded. With Gloves on. They then sit on one part of my curing rack for another 24 - 48 hours.
Day 4 I will cut them, arrange them on my curing rack and not touch. I wear thin latex gloves when I cut for hygiene reasons as well as my soap can sometimes be still slightly soft / tacky, and that keeps my hands clean.

P.S. It's fantastic that you err on the side of caution. I'd much rather everyone did that than go with the "I'll be fine" attitude and not protect themselves. Only takes a single slip up!

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The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!

In relation to your question dmclarki - I cure all my soaps for a minimum 6 weeks. I've got bars sitting here though that are 2 to almost 3 months old as well however. But my minimum is 6 weeks. I find with my soaps (be it because I don't gel, use goat's milk, live where I do, I'm not sure) that even at 4 weeks they are not as ready as they are at 6 weeks...

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The Soapinatrix! *whip-crack*
- Posting the trials and tribulations of my Soaping Journey!