Abstract: A method of removing a core from a molded product in which the core is formed of a particulate inert material, such as sand, bound together by a cured binder of a water soluble carbohydrate alone or mixed with a silicate is disclosed. The silicate is preferably an alkali earth metal silicate, preferably sodium silicate, and the carbohydrate is preferably a saccharide or starch. The binder is cured by heat. The core and molded product are exposed to water, preferably heated water in a bath or steam, to rapidly disintegrate the core and remove it from the molded product.