Which soap molds can I use?

First off, I know I’m spelling soap molds wrong. I’m spelling it the American way, because I don’t like ‘mould’ in, on, around or to describe any of my products. Mould is icky, which  I try to avoid at all cost. So if I ever do write mould, then you know that I really mean the stuff that is unwanted. In the meantime, mold equates to something good, like soap molds. Yes, I know, I’m weird that way sometimes!

So let’s get back to the soap molds. When you make soap you need to take in account the technique you’re using. For example, raw cold process soap has a high pH and the chemical process can make the soap reach a very hot temperature. Also you need to be able to remove the soap, so the soap needs to be a bit flexible. For these reasons, you need to keep clear of any metal or glass molds when using the cold process technique.

On the other hand, if you are using a melt and pour base, you don’t have to be as careful. Glass is still not recommended, because glass is solid and doesn’t give way, which makes it difficult to remove the soap. Small metal molds, for example the ones they used to use in baking, can be used. Just gently tap the mold on the table and it should slide out. If a soap does get stuck in a mold, you can pop the soap in the freezer for about 15-30 minutes and  it should come out easy after that.

The best molds to use are made of plastic or silicon. In recent years, silicon has seen a popularity boost both cooking and crafts, and they have come down in price considerably. They’re also available in all shapes and sizes and you can find them in shops like the Warehouse, Briscoes, and your supermarket. If you like more specialised molds, check out the soap making suppliers here in New Zealand like Pure Nature and Go Native, or have a look on Trade Me.

You can also make your own wooden soap box for making loaves of soaps, which you can then cut into even bars. Be aware that if you do use wood, you will need to line your box with baking paper, to prevent the soap from sticking to the wood. The advantage of using baking paper, is that you can easily lift the soap out of your box, when it has hardened.

But you don’t need to spend money on molds. You can re-use or recycle containers and pots, such as custard cartons and yoghurt pots. I like using my 500ml Campbell’s Soup cartons (and no the soap does not smell like soup afterwards!). I’ve made some pretty soaps using these cartons.

Where you can buy soap molds

• The Warehouse has various silicon muffin and cupcake trays, as well as silicon ice cube trays that can be used.
• Many supermarkets also have limited stock of silicon muffin trays, but they also have small plastic storage containers, such as those from Gladwrap or Pam’s. I use these in my soap workshops. The 700 ml Gladwrap container will give you 4 well-sized bars of soap.
• Spotlight has plastic chocolate molds that you can use for soap making.
• Go Native has a range of special silicon molds for soap making.
• Aussie Soap Supplies also has large range of soap molds, both heavy duty plastic and silicon. However, they do have a minimum order of AU$100 and charge and extra AU$15 handling fee for international orders.
• If you are making larger batches of soap, you might want to check out Hawthorn Bay, also located in Australia. They have large soap boxes with reusable liner and acrylic dividers, which can make 42 bars of soap at a time.