Warm weather is also ideal for spring cleaning. Along with cleaning your molds, it’s a great time to declutter your soaping space. You can also make your own cleaning products to help make your space shine. Read more tips and get recipes in the Spring Cleaning Roundup.

Summer temperatures can also affect how you store your soap. Some soapers choose to force their soap through gel phase. In fact, gel phase was a big question during the talk I gave this morning at the Alabama Soap & Candle Convention.  It is not necessary to gel to make great soap (!). During gel phase soap gets up to 180 ° F. This heat makes the colors brighter and can help prevent soda ash. It doesn’t affect the final soap; it is only aesthetic. Find out more, including whether or not to insulate, in the When to Insulate Handmade Soap post.

If you prefer to stay inside where it’s cool, you can focus on warm scents instead. The new Ginger Patchouli Fragrance Oil is warm, herby and spicy. The scent inspired the gold and yellow colors in the Ginger Patchouli Melt and Pour Bars. The bars also feature a subtle melt and pour swirl.

If you’re looking for a sweet summer treat, you’ll love this Butterscotch Caramel Pecan Cake. It features creamy butterscotch frosting, a butterscotch syrup and crunchy caramelized pecans. It’s a decadent treat that’s also a great Father’s Day present. It is a multi-step process so give yourself some time to make this layered cake.

Soap and other handmade bath products are also great holiday gifts. This week’s Facebook Photo of the Week by Sapolina celebrates the 4th of July. The soap is made with jojoba beads for gentle exfoliation.

The swirls and layers in the soap are so gorgeous. The dotted effect from the jojoba beads is really lovely as well. It’s a fun twist on a 4th of July soap. For more holiday inspiration, click through the 4th of July Fireworks Cold Process post. For a patriotic look in melt and pour, check out the Easy 4th of July Stars Tutorial.

Above (clockwise, top left) are Sapolina’s Green Morning, Sweet Berries, Palette and Sea Breeze soaps. If you love Sapolina’s sea soap, you’ll love this Mermaid Tail Cold Process Soap. The ocean was also the inspiration for the Mermaid Shell Melt and Pour.

Find Sapolina
On Facebook
On the web

You can see more beautiful soaping techniques in this week’s Instagram Photo of the Week by Shieh Design Studio. Her Viva la Juicy Soap features vibrant pink and yellow soap and a swirled center. It also has a bit of mica and pearls on top. It is just stunning. See more work on her Instagram page.

Post pictures of your crafty creations on the Facebook page each week for a chance to be featured on the Soap Queen blog and receive a sweet soapy package from Bramble Berry. Photos are chosen based on consensus from the Bramble Berry staff, so the best way to increase your chances of winning is to show us lots of photos!

To participate in the Instagram contest, hashtag your pictures with #soapshare. Each Friday, I will pick a photo on Instagram to be featured on the Bramble Berry Instagram account. 

The post Facebook and Instagram Photo of the Week (June 6th ~ 12th) appeared first on Soap Queen.

Soaping can be a messy process. There are several ways to clean after making cold process soap, including washing the dishes right away. You can also let your tools sit (unattended, on a high shelf so little hands can’t grab them) for 48-72 hours. During that time, the soap saponifies and hardens, allowing you to scrape it out and wash your equipment. Learn more in the Soapy Session Clean Up Guide.

Spring is also a great time to clean soap molds. When cared for properly, soap molds can last for years. Silicone molds should be washed with warm water and dish soap. Wood molds should be cleaned with 99% isopropyl alcohol and a clean paper towel. After they’re clean, you can go the extra mile and shine your wood molds with Simple Citrus Furniture Polish. The combination of  beeswax, olive oil and castor oil will make your molds look new, condition it and help keep your mold in top-top shape for years (even decades as some of my older molds can attest to). Read more mold care tips here.

Organizing is another aspect of spring cleaning. While you’re caring for your molds, you may notice there are some you want to give away or sell. There are several factors to consider before parting with your supplies, such as the condition of your supplies, and if you have the time and energy to organize a sale. Get more tips in the Declutter It Up post. I’m personally posting a bunch of my knitting supplies on EBay during my decluttering process and while it’s sad to see them go, I’m excited to have space in my life for more crafty things that I can do with my kiddos.

If you have leftover soap after organizing, you can use it for laundry soap. Handmade laundry soap is made with a variety of ingredients like baking soda and borax. It’s also a great way to use lye heavy soap. Click through the Three DIY Laundry Soap Recipes to learn more.

To fight stains in your kitchen and bathroom, you can use the Crisp Orange Cleaning Spray. The spray is made with hydrogen peroxide, vinegar and 99% isopropyl alcohol to make the surfaces in your house shine. It also has Peppermint Essential Oil, 1st Distill and Orange Valencia Essential Oil to give your home a fresh scent. To keep your bathroom smelling fresh in between cleanings, you can use the Fizzy Toilet Fresheners. They fill your bathroom with a clean mix of Lemon Essential Oil and Peppermint Essential Oil, 2nd Distillation. The sodium bicarbonate and citric acid help combat residue and stains.

Room spray is another way to freshen your house. The Springtime Room Spray is scented with Spring Meadow and Crisp Apple Rose. It will make any room in your house smell like a spring garden.

Top row: Fizzy Toilet Fresheners
Bottom row, left to right: Springtime Room Spray, Crisp Orange Cleaning Spray

One cleaning ingredient we always have on hand is 99% isopropyl alcohol. Alcohol helps clean off soaping equipment, as well as any surfaces you may have spills. It also helps remove leftover scent from molds. Read more in the Sunday Night Spotlight: 99% Isopropyl Alcohol post. Baking soda is another staple. It is a gentle exfoliant, which is great for scrubbing away dirt and grime. Read more about it here.

While spring is almost over, it’s not too late to get all your spring cleaning done before the summer heat. Do you have a handmade cleaning product you love to use? I’d love to hear the recipe!

The post Spring Cleaning Roundup appeared first on Soap Queen.