Teach Soap

I use the little plastic "bowls" that some lunch meats come in. I love them! I just make sure to check the bottom of them to make sure they are dishwasher safe and can handle what I need them to handle. No problems so far, except that my samples are shaped a little weird lol. I also happened to have a huge PVC pipe laying around that's about 3 inches in diameter. My little brother is cutting it down in several pieces so that way I'll have circle molds. The pipe itself is probably 5 or 6 feet long, so we're cutting it down so that I have two 6 inch molds and saving the rest for when and if I start making larger batches and might need a bigger mold. I was also blessed to inherit my grandmother's soap making supplies so I have several of her molds.

I too see potential soap molds everywhere I go! I picked up some drawer organizer thing-a-ma-jigs at Dollar Tree, found a lovely wooden dealy box/treasure chest thing for $7 at Hobby Lobby that I line with parchment paper and love that too....we don't eat much in the way of pringles or crystal light here...may have to start eatin' 'em so I can get the empty containers for molds though

Of course I already have an unhealthy obsession with saving 20oz soda bottles to turn into baby goat bottles each year...I don't know that another hoarding obsession for used food containers would be appreciated by my husband

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Making soap one loaf at a time - it's better than bread 'cause soap doesn't have calories!

Plastic egg cartons
Milk/juice cartons (tear-away)
Pringles cans (the PLAIN kind, not the flavored; tear-away)
Plastic drawer dividers
Silicone ice trays in fun shapes
USPS mailing boxes, lined with freezer paper or a plastic garbage bag (use the Medium Flat Rate box -- the flatter kind -- if you're making someone a 10 to 12 pound batch; it will hold them perfectly)
Silicone cupcake cups/trays
Shoe box, or really, any kind of box -- save every box that comes in the mail!
PVC pipes, cut to 6" to 15" lengths
Plastic condiment cups/shot cups (anywhere from 0.25 ounces to 3 ounces -- these are about the size of salad dressing cups that you get as take-out condiments from restaurants)

Or of course you could try your hand at making a mold for yourself out of scrap wood.

For shaving soap: Buy a small ceramic mug, ramekin, or cup and just pour the soap right into it. Add the cost of the ramekin to the buy price of your soap (if you're a seller).

Great list, Ipstenit. Thanks!

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

Thanks! I was especially proud of the USPS box idea. A friend wanted me to make her an entire batch of soap and ship it to her, so I thought, well, how can I get the most possible bars of soap into a box this size?

Then the went on: Why don't I get the most bars into a box this size by getting them out of a box this size?

I felt enormously clever, I can tell you.

OK so these are not free, but I went to Home Depot and got a plastic storage container that is 9 3/4" x 12" x 3" deep. It has a locking lid. It was just under $4. I also bought a 12" drywall taping thingamajig for cutting the finished soap for under $9.

Of course, I haven't made CP soap yet because I'm waiting for my supplies order. But I did buy new goggles that fit over my reading glasses!

I hope my plastic "molds" will be okay for CP . . . any input would be appreciated. Also, in reading the forums, I keep seeing the term "zap". What is it? I can't seem to find the forum where it has a glossary of terms, although I know I saw it somewhere . . .

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

Thank you Irena. I most definitely plan on gloves - looking for some that fit because the large are too big and I haven't found mediums yet. I also plan on long pants, sneakers, doing it in the garage when my 6 y.o. is at school, etc. I still have to get a stick blender since I won't use my good one that I use in the kitchen!

Is there some other way than the "zap" test to check out the soap? I just don't think I can do the zap test.
And I definitely plan to let the soap cure for longer rather than shorter time!

Anyway, thanks for the input.

You can also check the pH of your soap with a pH meter, but it's pricey.

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

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Lisa
“What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul” ~ Yiddish proverb

7 is neutral and lower is acidic, and soap should be alkaline, so don't go lower than 8 for sure. I think it's 8-10 pH that's fine, but it might be 9-10 pH. Not higher than 10, though.

Zap is the poor man's pH tester. If it zaps, it's higher than 10 pH.

Will litmus paper work? If so, maybe I'll look into getting some. Meanwhile, I don't have to worry about it until after cure time has passed!