How To Soften Hard Soap
Soft and moist soap bars are recommended for
soap carving.
But it's hard to tell if the soap is soft or not when we
purchase the soap.
If you have hard and dry soap,please try to soften the soap.
I will show you two ways how to soften hard soaps easily.
Part 1: Method when your soap is a little dry
Part 2: Method when your soap is extremely dry
without a microwave. (from 5：45〜)
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WHAT YOU WILL NEED
Dry and hard soapPlastic food wrapDish cloth: This blue dish cloth is about 35 x 30 cm.
: I used a disposable dish cloth as shown in the picture,
but you can use any cloth you like except fluffy cloths.
: If you use a disposable cloth,wash the cloth well
to prevent color transfer to the soap.
microwave: If you don't have a microwave,please see the Part 2.
I also show how to soften the soap without a microwave.
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Part 1
: How to soften soap that is a bit hard and dry.
(in the first half of the video)
I just barely carved simple patterns in this soap.
1. Water and dish cloth
2. Wet the cloth with water then lightly wring the cloth.
3. Wrap the soap in the wet cloth.
4.Warm it in the microwave for about 20 seconds
(500 watt)
Don't warm it too long or the soap will burst.
5. Then I carved a rose in the soap.
If the soap has become hard again,warm it
again in the microwave.
But don't warm the soap too many times or it will
be more hard instead.
Finally I was able to carve a rose in the soap.
Bottom right : Softened soap
Bottom left : Dry and hard soap
Part 2
: How to soften soap that is extremely dry
without a microwave
(in the second half of the video,from 5：45〜)
I used an extremely hard and dry soap.
80g (3 oz) in weight, 2.5 cm(1") in thickness
I was not able to carve anything in this soap.
Use a dish cloth,water and plastic food wrap.
Note : Dish cloths made of synthetic fibers like viscose
or polyester are recommended.
（You can use a cotton dish cloth,but take the soap
out of the wet dish cloth within a week.
Because a cotton cloth might get moldy.)
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1.In the same way as Part 1,wet the cloth with water
then lightly wring the cloth.
Wrap the soap in the wet cloth.
2.Wrap the soap and the wet cloth in the plastic
food wrap.
3.Wrap the soap and the wet cloth in the plastic
food wrap twice.
Then leave it at room temperature.
After about five to seven days, you can carve the soap.
If the soap is extremely dry, left it for at least a week
or more.
I have left it for about three weeks,and it worked well.
If you soften the soap faster, warm the soap in the
microwave, too.(in the same way as Part 1)
.
Finally I was able to carve a rose in the soap!
About handmade soap carving
Generally, handmade soap (such as cold process soap)
is pretty dry and hard.
Freshly made soap is left to dry well because moist soap
will not last .
And it takes about 6 weeks for saponification to complete,
then no lye(sodium hydroxide) will remain in the soap.
Finally we can use handmade soap safely.
However, I like handmade soap.
So I purchased handmade soap,and softened it to carve.
1.Aleppo soap
Aleppo soap is made with 100% natural products.
Aleppo soap contrains a lot of glycerin, so it is hard
to break.
2.Marseille soap
Savon de Marseille is a traditional French soap
made from 100% natural ingredients.
I wrapped the Aleppo soap in a wet dish cloth,and
warm it up in a microwave.↓
And I wrapped the Marseille soap in a wet dish cloth
and plastic food wrap,then left it for a week.
But the Marseille soap became too soft.
It's better not to left the soap in a wet cloth for many days.
