Handmade soap is made from a variety of ingredients, including fragrance, glycerine and oils. All bar soaps are made from this combination of ingredients being poured into a mold of some kind and letting it cure. Metal soap molds are popular with homemade soap makers for a variety of reasons.

Soap making has been around for thousands of years, with early evidence of soap-making materials found in archaeological evidence from ancient Babylon, dating to about 2800 B.C. A clay tablet unearthed from the region actually has a recipe for a basic soap. Ancient Egyptians used a combination of vegetable oils and alkaline salt to bathe with. The word "soap" appeared in Roman texts as "sapo" and described any substance created from ashes, tallow and fragrance. Chemists in the Islamic world perfected the formula around the seventh century, adding colors and perfumes to soap, which was sold in markets in both bar and liquid form. Early soap molds included wooden bowls, metal pots and even clay molds formed into different shapes. In the 1700s, European soaps became popular and the industrial revolution of the 1800s, with the first soap factory opening in 1862 in Isleworth, England. At every stage in soap's history, molds have been used, however metal molds did not become popular for soap making until the late 1700s and early 1800s.

Metal soap molds generally consist of a tube created in a shape, such as a flower, star, hexagon, rounded star or circle. Metal molds are durable and long lasting. The mold consists of a removable base on one end and is left open on the other. When the mold is in use, the metal tube stands on the base with the opening up.

To use a metal soap mold, prepare a mixture of your favorite type of soap. Set the metal mold on a level and steady surface. Pour about half of the soap into the mold and allow it to cool completely. This process is done to seal the base of the metal soap mold. When the first half of the soap is cooled, fill the rest of the mold with soap mixture. Let the entire thing cool (at least 3 hours). Take the removable base off of the metal soap mold, and push the loaf through the mold with your thumbs, somewhat like toothpaste emerging from a tube. The loaf will emerge hardened or "cured." Carefully slice the soap into useable sizes. To clean the metal soap mold, wash it with mild detergent and warm water, then dry it thoroughly.

While metal soap molds work well for soap making enthusiasts, they can also double as candle molds as well. The same basic procedures apply--the difference is in what kind of mixture they are holding. Also, many beginning candle makers fear that metal soap molds are more expensive than other kinds of molds, however, the prices of metal molds are comparable to plastic or resin soap molds.

To keep a metal soap mold in perfect condition, take care of it properly before, during and in between uses. Never drop a metal mold or you could create scratches or dents. Avoid prying the base away from the tube, or you could scratch or bend it. After cleaning a metal soap mold, dry it thoroughly to avoid rusting.

Many soap makers store their metal soap molds in sealed containers or else with the open end down in order to keep out dust and other contaminants from getting inside the mold.