Teach Soap

Hi, I'm new to the melt and pour soap making craft and I'm enjoying myself tremendously except when it comes to removing my soaps from those hard, clear plastic molds. Does anyone else have this problem. I've broken one mold trying to extricate my soap from it. I've tried painting on a little vaseline before I pour in hopes that they'll come out easier but it doesn't seem to help. Am I doing something wrong? Any help/suggestions will be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks, Pam

Hello, welcome to soap making!
How long do you let the molds set before you try to de-mold them? I've only ever had a problem if the soap is still a bit warm. If I let them sit over night before I unmold then they are ready to go, almost falling out when I flip it over. Also if you need it out in a hurry you could stick it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes but then let the bar dry out on the counter after its unmolded to dry some of the moisture from the freezer.
Hope that helps!

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Hi, Pam, and welcome!

It helps to pull the sides of the mold away from the soap just a little to break the air seal. Just work your finger around the edge to gently pry the mold away from the soap, but be careful not to ding the soap with your fingernails. Then flip the mold over and press on the bottom to get the soap to slide out. (You can even see the air bubble moving around as you pull and press if you have clear plastic molds.)

Sometimes soap is super-stubborn and refuses to budge. When all else fails, you can pop your mold in the freezer for a few minutes to help shrink the soap enough to get it out of the mold.

And marulatree is right - if you try to unmold too soon it will be difficult. I let mine sit overnight, too.

I hope that helps! Have fun soaping!

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I did the same thing! I broke my favorite molds(more then once!) fighting with them. But leaving them overnight should help, or better yet, get some awesome silicone molds! They're well worth the extra cost because they're easy to unmold and will last a very long time. =) Good luck!!

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Also make sure you're pouring as cool as possible, because if the soap is too hot it will stick or it will warp the mold and then stick.

Everyone's advice is right, the longer you keep it in there the easier it will come out. I usually leave mine upside down overnight and sometimes when I check on it the next day, it's fallen out all by itself.

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Keep in mind too that sometimes your mold costs more than the single bar of soap you are trying to remove.

If you wait long enough and put the mold in the fridge for a bit it should come out, but if not it is usually more cost effective to ruin the bar of soap than the mold. This may depend on your recipe though and how long you spent making the soap.... up to you. =)

Thank you all so much for your help!! I really appreciate all the responses.