using silicone molds

bassmaster17327 · #1 08/01/12, 09:56 PM

I made some soap almost three weeks ago and poured it into some silicone molds, this was my first time using a silicone mold. So it has been almost three weeks and the soap looks good on the top but when I try to remove it from the mold the deepest part of the soap is still soft and pulls apart. Did I do something wrong?

linn · #2 08/02/12, 08:23 AM

I don't think it is the silicone molds, I use them quite a lot. It must be your recipe. Without seeing your recipe, I can't guess other than too much liquid or fats for the amount of lye.

bassmaster17327 · #3 08/02/12, 11:25 AM

Ok thank you, I just used soapcalc but I might have miss measured something

MDKatie · #4 08/03/12, 08:00 AM

Are you waiting three weeks to remove it from the mold? It might not be able to dry out enough, so it's still soft in the center. Are you making cold process soap? You may want to refrigerate it and try to remove the soap after 24 hours and see if it comes out easier.

bassmaster17327 · #5 08/03/12, 09:14 PM

Yes cold process soap, when I try to remove it from the mold the bottom is soft and rips apart. It seems like the bottom did not get any air and is still wet, does soap need air to set? I will try putting it in the fridge

PaulNKS · #6 08/04/12, 06:51 PM

I've never used silicone molds, but do you need to coat the mold with petroleum jelly or something first? Just askin...

bassmaster17327 · #7 08/04/12, 08:43 PM

I rubbed them with vegi oil. I put them in the freezer for a few hours and they came out with no problem this morning, I am awy from the house until to tomorrow afternoon so I will see what they look like after they thawed out

MullersLaneFarm · #8 08/04/12, 08:58 PM

The freezer trick always works!

Soap molds with more intricate designs need a recipe that contains a hight % of hard oils or a lower water amount if you don't want to freeze the soap to get it out.

fransean · #9 08/05/12, 10:40 AM

I use silicone molds and I always take my soap out the next day. My concern with leaving it in the mold so long is that it might have started to "sweat" and that contributed to the soft quality. I honestly have never had to use the freezer to get soap out of silicone molds.
Have you looked at the number............I cant remember what it is called but it refers to the hardness of you soap because of the base ingredients. My formula, if I remember correctly, is a 159.
Maybe someone else can jump in on what that number is called.........INS or INC maybe?