# getting soap out of the molds



## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

I have molds from kelsies creations. I use a paper liner on the bottom, but I cannot seem to easily get the soap out of the molds. I've tried using non-stick spray, to no avail. Putting them in the freezer seems to work well, but I only have an icebox and I have to take all the food out....don't ask me how much food I've ruined this way.  Anyway, just wondering if there is something else I can do without resorting to lining everything. I have 4 of these molds, and lining seems so labor intensive. 
Thanks.
Anita


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Gosh Anita, call up and talk to Rita. In fact using Pam is going to ruin your material! You didn't get the liner for the bottom? It's what makes this work so well!

It can also be your recipe, recipes high in butters are harder to get out of molds than recipes high in oils.

I flip mine over, pry off the bottom, mine are so tight I have never used the lag bolts, take off the bottom and peel off the liner. Flip it back over again and take a small flexible knife and cut around the edges, sort of aiming for the mold and not the soap....this way I can get my soap out of the molds in about 12 hours. For release on it's own, you may have to go to 24 or 48 hours, which for me means I would have to buy 6 more molds, so I use my knife. Vicki


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## Guest (Sep 5, 2009)

I have kelsie molds and don't use a liner. and the soap comes out beautiful.. after they break in..
I take it out very similar to vicki, by taking the bottom off.. I also do not use the lag bolts
Barb


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Barb what percentage of oils are you to butter? Also how long do you keep it in the mold before you take it out and cut? No way can I get my recipe out without a liner. Well I have only kept on batch in the molds, on accident, went away for 3 days and came back and my daughter didn't know there was soap to cut....they came out without even taking out the middle deviders! Vicki


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## Guest (Sep 5, 2009)

My percentage usually ranges around 80 percent oils to 20 percent butters, sometimes the butter is even lower.. Now when i first got the molds it was hard to get the soap out, I leave soap in for 24 hrs, or less depending on water discount and how firm it is.. I RT soap in a very cold room and do not gel... Once in a great while I will try to unmold too soon and mess some soap up, so I back off and leave it alone. I do big water discounts and never OP
Barb


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

Vicki, exactly what type of knife do you use that doesn't mark up the sides of the soap? I've got one mold very well seasoned, and the other three are new. Does not seem to make a difference on ease of removal. I love putting them in the freezer, but like I said, there is not enough room, although I do plan to get a new freezer hopefully in a few weeks. I'm trying to increase my inventory for holiday sales, craft fairs, etc. and have gotten frustrated trying to get soap out. I was pushing on the bottom of some soap, trying to get it out about two weeks ago and my hand slipped and I peeled back the skin on the inside of my wrist with the sharp edge of the mold...the next day I hit my eye with a tall corner on a stall door and it turned completely black...looks like I've been beaten up! I feel horrible for my boyfriend as everywhere we go together everything looks at him like he's a criminal! Anyway, I'd like to find a knife that will help with getting the soaps out. I'll see what I have, but I'm thinking I'll need to buy something.
Thanks,
anita


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I get them at flea markets they are wooden handled paring knifes,they have 3 metal brads that run through the handle and hold the blade in place and you can see the knife blade on the top of the handle all the way to the bottom... and say Parker Brothers paring knife etched into the blade, nothing on the handle in fact most of the time they don't even look stained or laquered. They work perfectly for sliding them down the molds, I have used these knives since I start soaping in the old Martha Molds (I still use these molds also). Vicki


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

Well, I used what I had, and it didn't work very well...marked up my soap, not horribly, but bad enough. I use a paper liner on the bottom of the molds so I can access both sides of the soap sooner. I do want to order the silicone liners, but that has to wait.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Why not jus wrap the bottom with saran wrap then put the mold together. Pour, cure for 24 hours, then flip it over, take your bottom off, the saran will just pull off. Flip it over again and run a knife around the edges.

Vicki


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## Whitney (Oct 27, 2007)

I do encourage you to order the silicone liners. I have a kelsei mold w/ silicone liner and it is AWESOME!


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

I often use the saran wrap, but I always end up with wrinkles. I left the last batch in for three days, then just knifed around one end and then gently pushed the log downward from the bottom, very slowly, and it came out nice and smooth. I've used several knives around the edges and so far cannot do it without messing up the soap. Darn. I'm still trying though....and looking for a freezer to freeze them in for a couple hours before I try and get them out. Works everytime for me, just no more room in the freezer!


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I used to care about wrinkles  I used to plane all my soap, bevel the edges, then someone picked up an unpampered bar of soap of mine on the cure rack and wanted to buy it...the rest is history. I don't pamper my soap anymore. If perhaps I was selling into some high end place, but dang even my B&B's like my rustic appeal. Vicki


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## Guest (Sep 11, 2009)

Same here Vicki, used to plane the bars, take off ash etc... NOpe not now.. they are rustic and I like them that way and I tell my customers that if I don't plane them or clean them up, they get more soap
Barb


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

Mine are rustic too, I don't take off anything but I do like clean edges.


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