Teach Soap

Hi! Everyone, thanks for all your info on the heat gun and low sweat soap.

Today is going to be my first soap making day!!!! I'm so excited.
Last night, I ran out to the market to buy the individual Motts Applesauce. I thought they would make good molds!

I have a question about molds. Can I use an iron mold that is teflon coated or will it react with the M&P soap? I have a bundt, muffin pan that is iron coated with teflon.

How do you get the round soaps with the crinkly edges? They look like candle tart molds, but they are metal. You can't use metal right? even if it's coated?

Also, what works best: the microwave or a double boiler to melt the M&P? I'm afraid I will over melt!

This is such a great site! I love it!

Thanks, everyone!

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"Soap is to the body what laughter is to the soul!"

Hey einnoc!! In my experience, and from what I have read on this wonderful forum, plastic is best, you won't be able to get the soap out of a mold that doesn't have some sort of flexible or bending quality. I have used all sorts of molds that I have found around the house, usually plastic bowls. If your finances are limited, as some molds can be a little costly, go to your nearest dollar store. I love Dollar Tree because they have the Ziploc type plastic bowls, usually a minimum of two and they have different sizes. This will at least allow you to push the soap out of the plastic when it's ready, until you can buy actual soap molds. Iron or anything metal doesn't have any give, so it might be extremely difficult for you to get the soap out. If I am off or wrong, someone will follow up on this post. The crinkle cuttiing is from a cutter designed to give a crinkle look, like a veggie cutter and you can find one here at an excellent price:
http://www.brambleberry.com/Crinkle-Cutter-P3792.aspx

Sorry einnoc, I forgot to answer you about the melting part. You can use a double boiler, lots of people use them, I in fact do not have one so I use my microwave. You might want to buy one at a garage sale, yard sale, Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc. if you don't want to use your kitchen one. I had to purchase one because my mother is allergic to anything associated with bees and in the past I have used beeswax. In the beginning I did use my kitchen one and what I did was put it on half power and do the 30 second burst thing, until all was melted. You can use it on regular power, just watch closely. Good luck and please post a pic of your first soap!!

Hi noni2009!
Thank you for all the great information! Yes, I do have a microwave. I'm just afraid I will over cook my soap! Putting it on half power is a great idea! I need to find a dollar store around here. I have spent so much money on candle making supplies and now on soap supplies. I just love everything I see!!! I'm sure you know how this is!
I'm chickening out about the soap today and want to go back to soy candle making. I feel like I kind of know what I'm doing with that! I do have a recipe to make soy, beeswax lemon butter. Maybe I will try that. It feels like a cross between candles and soap!

So someone can be allergic just from the fumes? of beeswax? Is this the same for soy? I have just started adding an additive to my soy candles and I noticed I was having difficulty breathing. I emailed the company where I ordered the soy wax several times and asked what is in the additive. No response. I stopped using it and have gone to using my heat gun.

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"Soap is to the body what laughter is to the soul!"

MP soap base is safe with teflon, but you might have a hard time getting the soap out. If so, you can try the freezer.

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

I like to use the little single serving size fruit cups (they come in packs of 4). they are scalloped and make pretty M&P soaps. I've also used them for CP (including CPOP) and they work great.

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Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

These sound like great ideas! Thank you. There doesn't seem to be any $ stores around Denver. They were popular back east.

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"Soap is to the body what laughter is to the soul!"