Soap Making List of Categories Answers to frequently asked questions about melt AnD; pour soap making.
-
Can you give me any suggestions on how to remove the scent from a plastic mold from the previous batch of soap, i.e. so that the next batch I make doesn't smell like the first batch? I'm reusing the same mold over and over.
There is no way to remove trace scent from a previously used plastic mold. The good news is that this should not pose any problem - the amount of scent involved is normally overpowered by the scant of the next soap poured into the mold. Remember we are talking about a microscopic fraction of the total scent used in the next soap. Unfortunately this does not apply to unscented soap so if you make both scented and unscented soaps, it is a good idea to have molds used only for unscented soaps.
Top
-
How can the lather be increased in melt and pour glycerin soap?
We know of no way to do this at this time.
Top
-
I'm very interested in making glycerine soap base. I was delighted youprovided the raw materials, but not the process of combining these with the appropriate amounts to produce the ultraclear glycerin soap base.
May you kindly provide this process please! Thanks
Ric
Top
-
What is the best way to melt soap?
We prefer to use a double boiler.
Top
-
Can I melt soap in a microwave?
Yes, but care must be taken not to overheat it (that would make a mess and ruin the soap). Place in a Pyrex measuring cup for ease of handling. Microwave on low for 10 seconds, stir. repeat until fully melted. Once melted, stir in dye and scent oil.
Top
-
Why are some of your scent oils not safe for soap?
The scent oils we have marked as "candles only" contain known skin irritants such as cinnamon.
Top
-
How much scent oil do I add to soap?
This will vary depending on the fragrance, and how strong you want it to smell. One ounce of our scent
oils will fragrance from 5 to 20 pounds of soap.
Top
-
Can your solid soap dyes be used in other types of soap making?
Yes and No. Our soap
dyes are suspended in glycerine soap base. This gives them a melt point of about 145 degrees F. If you are using a soap process that gets the temperature this hot long enough to stir in the dyes yes, otherwise no. When using the dyes for non Melt & Pour soap they should always be melted before stirring them in. Always test on a small batch.
Top
-
How much dye should I add?
This depends mostly on how deep a color is desired. Add a little at a time until the desired color is obtained. Unlike candle making the soap in the melting pot will be the same as the finished soap.
Top
-
Does your soap base contain any animal products?
No. Our soap
base is all vegetable based, with the exception of our goat milk soap base. Which of course, contains goat milk.
Top
-
Why are my soaps sweating?
They appear to be sweating but the moisture is coming from the air, not the soap. Glycerine is a good moisturizer because it attracts moisture. In some environments it will attract moisture from the air to the soap. Wrapping your soaps in plastic cling wrap until you need them will prevent this.
Top
-
How can I keep my soaps looking good until use?
The preferred method is to wrap them in plastic cling wrap until you are ready to use them. Unwrapped glycerine soaps will get ugly very quickly.
Top
-
Why are my layers of soap separating?
This is caused by a poor bond when pouring layers. To avoid this, a light mist of alcohol, cheap vodka, or witch hazel should be misted on the soap before pouring the next layer. Use a pump spray bottle, but be careful not to do this near a stove or open flame.
Top
-
How can I bond two pieces of soap together?
Mist both pieces with alcohol, cheap vodka, or witch hazel. Allow to sit for a few moments, then press together. This technique is commonly used on bar soaps. Since most bar soap molds are half molds, to get a nice finish on both sides you have to bond two together.
Top
-
Is the soap I make safe for people with allergies?
There is virtually nothing on earth that some people are not allergic to. Like any product there are some people who will be allergic to it.
Top
-
Can I use latex molds for soap?
Yes, but there are several thing to keep in mind:
- Soap is very soft compared to wax or plaster. Avoid molds that narrow down, then get wider (for example people molds). The narrow area will commonly break with a soft material such as soap when demolding.
- Most of the latex molds have a textured finish so smooth shiny soaps cannot be obtained with them.
Top
-
How can I avoid getting unsightly fingerprints on my finished soap?
We find that demolding them directly onto plastic cling wrap will allow you to wrap them without touching them.
Top
-
Is there a mold release I can use?
None that we are aware of.
Top
-
Is there a way to make them demold easier?
Soap comes out of cold molds much easier, so we put the mold into a freezer for about 10 minutes before demolding. More or less time may be needed depending on the size of the mold and how cold your freezer is. It is important not to handle the soaps after demolding when using this technique since some condensation will form on the cold soap.
Top
-
How can I keep my soap embeds from melting when I pour hot soap on them?
When embedding soap within other soap it is a good idea to freeze the soap embeds for about 30 minutes before pouring. Remove them from the freezer just before pouring.
Top
-
How are tube molds used?
Tube
molds are used to get a loaf stlye soap that can be sliced into bars. They are commonly used to embed a smaller shape inside a larger shape - for example make a small heart tube mold in one color, demold, then place inside a large round tube mold and pour another color around it. Each bar sliced from it will have a heart inside.
Basic Use:
- Pour 1/4 to 1/2 inch of soap into mold bottom.
- Place the tube into the mold bottom.
- Allow to cool.
- The mold is now sealed and can be poured like any other mold.
- To demold, remove the mold bottom.
- Push the soap out of the mold.
Top
-
I made a cameo soap with a white cameo face and pink background. After a while the colors faded where it looked like all light pink. It happens with most of my 2 color soaps. They are in the house, not in the sun. Any suggestions?
This sounds like a color bleed more than fading. Unfortunately we know of no way to prevent it. The red family is affected the most by this and the effect is usually substantially less with most other colors, but this can happen to any color.
Top
-
I have used the create-a-soap opaque glycerine soap base previously, and found that even after the soaps had been left from times ranging from 2-8 weeks before using, they did not last very long - less than a week with only 1 person using them. Is there anything I can do or add to help my soap last longer.
There are two main factors that can affect this. The quality of the soap base is the most important factor. I am not familiar with the brand you mentioned, so it is quite possible that is where the problem lies. The second factor is the size of the soap. Small bars will naturally have a much shorter life than a larger bar. A good example of this is in my home right now. It is a 3" diameter by 3/4" thick bar made with our opaque glycerine soap base. All four family members use it and it is already several months olds and only about halfway consumed.
Top
|
Printer