Teach Soap

So my husband made me a few new larger soap molds, problem is that the wood has made my soap turn red where it came into contact with the batter. There is no varnish or paint on the mold at all but the wood itself has a tinge of red to it. Anyway, I love these new molds other then that so can I put a varnish on them or would that too react with the batter. ANother option I thought about was simply putting plasitc wrap on the edges where the batter comes in contact with the wood and than covering it with my freezer paper! Opinions please!

One other thing, what do you other soapers use for your larger batches. I love my small molds as well made of pine though...but I am selling these small batches too fast to keep using them. My small batches of soap fit perfectly into my plastic mixing bowls but these larger batches just barely fit in to the bowl! I know I have seen soapers using steal pots..however I have always used a double broiler method as I feel better knowing there is no fear of over heating/scalding the oils that way!

Thanks

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I would try some plastic to shield the wood. For my larger batches I have HDPE molds from SoapHutch, which don't need lining and don't stain.

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

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All wood molds are to be lined with freezer paper, silicone or something along those lines. None of the wood should ever be in contact with your batter. regular plastic wrap is not thick enough, but some people use (thicker) trash bags. They usually make a crinkly mess though, imho.

As for what to make a larger batch in, you can use stainless steel pots or a large, heavy duty plastic bowl, paint container or similar type container. Many different containers will work, just make sure that you can get your stick blender down into the container and that it is heavy enough to withstand the heat. Just make your container a dedicated soap pot.

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

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I use the heavy duty plastic mixing buckets & cups from Lowe's. In the closest store to me, they are located near, but a little ways away from, the painting supplies area. The ones I have are Polypropylene (recycle symbol 5) which can handle heat up to 250F. So I can use these to mix my lye & water in as well as for mixing the lye & oils.

My local Smart & Final has heavy duty plastic buckets in different sizes with pour spouts. I would check there. The bigger the batch, the harder and longer it will take for all the oils to melt. Can I ask why you don't use the stove with low heat to melt your oils?

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

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Sorry Foster, I misunderstood what you were saying. I like to line my molds with the thin plastic cutting boards that I found at the dollar store, but they only are big enough to do a 5 lb mold. Someone posted a corrugated sign type liner that worked well on here about a year and a half ago or so. I am sure that you could find it in a search. But baring something along these lines, I would just do more or better with the paper lining.
I am not familiar with the stores you have, but I am sure that you can find some different sized buckets with pour spouts at your local hardware or building supply store. It is really amazing what you can look at differently once you begin making soap! Lol So many molds, too little time!

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

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www.fostersfields.ca
https://www.facebook.com/FostersFields

It is great that you have a wonderful, handy hubby! How nice for you, not to mention money saving! I really think you should try the thin plastic dollar store cutting board deal. You can just cut the end pieces if that is all that leaked, then cover it all in paper, or use the main piece, the long edge in paper. Better yet, cover it all in the plastic and then you don't ever have to worry about paper again. For sure I'd keep those molds, I'd just add the plastic to line it.

A lot of places do stain their molds, but the soap batter is not to come in contact with it. So how much it leaches into your soap when it does is a matter for a chemist, and a question that I can't answer.
Much luck to you

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Remember, it's not just that we weather the storm, but how we dance in the rain.

Tammy

http://youtu.be/3mSg-OQ51hM

I hope this link works. This is the one that I used to figure out how to line my mold. This was really descriptive and helpful.

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Shari

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