Accelerating soap cure

[elitenaildesign]

I thought I read somehwere in the past that soap will cure faster in heat, so I put a big batch of soap in the garage in a box(it feels like 100 out there) and sure enough, my soap got really soft almost like a gel again. Is this going to accel the curing process?

[CareBear]

or is it just absorbing moisture from hot, damp air? or melting?

[mystical_angel1219]

I think the whole "accelerating soap cure time" is a myth with cold process soap.

Yes, you can discount the water, but it still needs at least 3-4 wks to cure before it is ready to use.

My soaps do seem to harden quicker in a dry, warm area. But I don't think they are "cured" so to speak any faster than the soaps I make in the winter. Just my opinion.

Is this soap you have in the mold or already cut?

[elitenaildesign]

or is it just absorbing moisture from hot, damp air? or melting?

Oh, crap, thats what I thought.

[CareBear]

ask the folks who have tried the food dehydrators - melted soap or so I hear LOL.

[Carrie]

I used to put mine on a cookie rack above the forced air duct. That did seem to help the drying process. I'm no expert but I assume there is more to the curing process than drying out the soap.

[topofmurrayhill]

I don't know the answer for sure, but the only definite thing I've heard about curing soap is that the water content decreases. That means heat should help and airflow should help but you have to watch the humidity regardless of temperature. I've seen a touch of sweat appear in humid weather and I think what's happening is the glycerin in the soap is attracting moisture from the air. That's gotta be a bad thing for curing and stability.

[soycrazy]

So no matter how much water you discount you still need to cure 3-4 weeks?

[CareBear]

The cure serves two purposes. One is indeed to let the water migrate to the surface and then evaporate from your soap leaving you with a harder and longer-lasting bar. The other is to allow that tiny bit of saponification to continue so you end up with a mellower bar as well. And sometimes better lather as well.

So yes, you do better to cure the bar. With a steep discount some will cut it back to 2 weeks but I've found 4 to be better. 8 minimum with castile.

Humidity is your enemy. Not only does it slow or prevent that evaporation, but it seems to contribute to DOS.

[MarieJeanette]

The cure serves two purposes. One is indeed to let the water migrate to the surface and then evaporate from your soap leaving you with a harder and longer-lasting bar. The other is to allow that tiny bit of saponification to continue so you end up with a mellower bar as well. And sometimes better lather as well.</p>

So yes, you do better to cure the bar. With a steep discount some will cut it back to 2 weeks but I've found 4 to be better. 8 minimum with castile.

Humidity is your enemy. Not only does it slow or prevent that evaporation, but it seems to contribute to DOS.

Very good advice! I concur wholeheartedly.

I've always suspected that there's still some kind of chemical reaction going on in my soap, even though it has completely gelled and has sat for a week.

All my soaps get better and milder the longer I let them cure. I let all my soaps cure for a minimum of 4 weeks, because by then, I've noticed that they are harder, milder and bubblier than my week old soap, even if the week old soap went through a complete gel.

MarieJeanette

[sweetiepie]

The cure serves two purposes. One is indeed to let the water migrate to the surface and then evaporate from your soap leaving you with a harder and longer-lasting bar. The other is to allow that tiny bit of saponification to continue so you end up with a mellower bar as well. And sometimes better lather as well.

So yes, you do better to cure the bar. With a steep discount some will cut it back to 2 weeks but I've found 4 to be better. 8 minimum with castile.

Humidity is your enemy. Not only does it slow or prevent that evaporation, but it seems to contribute to DOS.

:bow:

Thank you for this post! I wholeheartedly agree and could not have said it better.

4 week minimum (with a water discount) if you want to produce a good quality soap. With cp, the longer the better. If you want to shortcut the cure, cook your soap. BTW, gelling your soap in the oven is also not going to shortcut your cure time no matter what you may read on the net. That is not the same as HPing.

[Mnhorsemom]

I've never tried anything to speed up cure time but I would be afraid of the humidity. I learned last summer that soaping here in the humidity isn't good as I had 4 different batches end up with DOS. I have never had a problem with those *$#@* spots in batchs I made during the winter when our air is VERY dry.