Basic Soap Mold Care

Home > Instructions

Use of Molds:

The molds can be used with melt and pour soap bases, cold process soap, hot process soap, wax, and candy (chocolate) making. We suggest if you plan to use the mold for both chocolate and soap, that you purchase two separate molds and label the molds accordingly.

Cleaning the Molds:

Use warm tap water and soap (if the molds have been used for soapmaking, simply soak in warm water for a half hour or so). Hot water, including dishwasher water, may warp the plastic.

Pouring Temperatures:

The molds can tolerate wax and melt and pour soap temperatures of 135-145 F degrees. Pouring temperatures should not exceed 145 F degrees. Pouring above these temperatures may warp the mold. If you are concerned about warping, set the molds in a shallow cold-water bath for hot-temperature pours.

Unmolding:

Mold size and pouring temperature of soap will determine set up time. It is imperative that you allow the soap to cool completely before trying to remove it from any mold. Depressions will occur in the top of mold if you try to release soap by force. Allow molded soaps to sit at least 1 hour for best results. Please do not manhandle the molds when releasing its contents! Gently pull at the sides of the mold. This releases entrapped air between the mold and its contents. Using firm, but gentle pressure, push on the top of the the mold until soap is released. If you are still having difficulty, place mold in freezer. For chocolate, a few minutes of freezer time will allow for easy unmolding. For soap, 1 hour should be sufficient.

Pour Time:

When filling many cavities, realistically consider just how much working time you have before your soap begins to thicken beyond the "easy-pour" state. Dividing soap up into smaller portions for different colors and fragrances will slow you down: some artifical fragrances will speed the thickening. If this is the case, think about making smaller batches. If your soap does thicken fefore all the cavities are filled, spoon the soap in and tap the molds lightly on the counter top. The clear plastic will allow you to see if any air bubbles remain on the mold's detail surface.

Opaque Cold-Process Soap Considerations:

Because opaque cold-process soap undergoes a chemical reaction in the molds, there are a few extra considerations to keep in mind:

Do not use oil in the molds, it will make the CP stick more because the traced soap wants to grab onto the oils. When you get a new mold, wash it in warm soapy water, rinse and dry with a soft towel and buff it.
Use borax in the water before you add the lye. Add 2 teaspoons of Borax for every 6 ounces of water, stir till it's dissolved and then add your lye to it. What this will do is firm up the CP and make releasing it a breeze.
Soap needs a certain amount of heat to saponify properly.
Most CP soap books call for pour temperatures of 80-100 F degrees. These temperatures are fine if you are pouring several pounds into one large mold, but when soap is poured into individual 3 or 4 ounce molds, heat is more easily lost regardless of how much insulation you use. If you've measured your ingredients correctly but your finished soap is soft and/or grainy, raise the soap's temperature to between 115-125 F degrees next time pour.

**(NOTE)Melt and Pour Soap Note: Opaque Cold-Process Soap Considerations don't apply to melt and pour soap since it's neutral when poured. Melt and pour soap also lack "stickiness," so there shouldn't be any problem unmolding them.