# Lye static.. beads went everywhere



## big (Feb 10, 2015)

This was my first time making soap, and unfortunately I didn't realize that my apartment had a lot of static. When pouring the lye into a measuring cup, a bunch of it flew all over the place and landed on my stove and the floor. I poured water over it (I panicked), and tried to towel off as much of the liquid as possible (some managing to drip into the burners). I added too much lye to the measuring cup, and when pouring it back in, the same thing happened, so I did the same thing on the floors, hoping that I got it all.

Do I have anything to worry about? Some of the lye stuck to the handle of the bucket I bought (I didn't want to get that much but it's all the place had), so I placed it in a bucket away from everything.


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## big (Feb 10, 2015)

Skin isn't burning, clean up seems fine, thanks for nothing you ---------


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Feb 10, 2015)

Not overly sure what you were expecting people to say - without being there to know if you cleaned it all up, how can we say if it is okay or not?


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## Cookie (Feb 10, 2015)

Just wanted to chime in and say that people give freely of their own time, at least that's what I understand, to answer questions. Because it's not a paid job there isn't going to always be someone able to respond in under an hour. There is a search box in the top left, if you're on the website, and if you search things like lye cleanup there are a number of threads that will help so you don't have to hope that someone has time to respond immediately. I personally am very thankful for the help I receive here 

Here are some threads that helped me on this subject 

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=50434&highlight=cleanup

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=41814&highlight=cleanup

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=17303&highlight=cleanup


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## Susie (Feb 10, 2015)

Also, where I live that was 3:56 am and 4:51 am that you posted that.  Not many people awake here at that hour unless they are at work(therefore not on a soapmaking forum), or getting ready for work(also not on a soapmaking forum).   

That being said, you probably should have learned how to handle spilled lye BEFORE you started this hobby.  I certainly made sure I knew how to clean up spills before I started it.  There is no substitute for due diligence.


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## Earthen_Step (Feb 10, 2015)

If your NaOH (sodium hydroxide) is in a hard plastic container  -- shake it like crazy before opening it for the first time.  I have had the same problem and shaking it gets rid of all the static.  I shake it for at least 30 seconds when I'm opening a new container, very vigorously.


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## big (Feb 10, 2015)

I read up a lot on how to clean lye on the floor, however, I never found anything to do with lye near appliances/on the counter (nor did I think static electricity would cause lye to firework all over the place.

I apologize about the bastards thing; I was proper anxious about the scattered beads on the floor and near my stove (they shot far). It's been a few hours, now, and I was afraid that my socks trailed lye, but I'm assuming lye burns are near instantaneous when coming in contact with skin so I'm a lot less nervous. Again I'm sorry, I was just stressed out.


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## reinbeau (Feb 10, 2015)

Going forward you can wipe the container you're pouring into with a dryer sheet, that will cut the static.  I've heard of others having issues with static, that is why I don't like the little lye beads.


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## Susie (Feb 10, 2015)

Apology accepted.  

Now, let's talk about lye.  If it is still dry, just use a vacuum to pick up the little beads.  Then dispose of the bag by whatever method your municipality recommends for it.  Or pour it _slowly_ down a sink with the cold water on full force.  But a long hose on my vacuum got all of what I spilled between the cabinet and the stove, and the long flat attachment got under the stove. (cleanest that has been for a very long time)


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## Dorymae (Feb 10, 2015)

big said:


> It's been a few hours, now, and I was afraid that my socks trailed lye, but I'm assuming lye burns are near instantaneous when coming in contact with skin so I'm a lot less nervous. Again I'm sorry, I was just stressed out.



No, lye burns are not instantaneous. If you feel a burn right away it would be from the temperature not the lye. Lye spilled on you, or caustic soap batter first starts to itch, then burn. You will feel it, before any real damage is done so long as it is not in your eyes, nose, or mouth. Lye water burns quicker than soap batter. With lye water you will feel it within a min. Soap batter takes a few minutes.  If you ever do get it on yourself, I hope this will help you not to panic. You do have time to fully rinse off. Use only cool running water to rinse. 

And yes I know this first hand, just call me Grace! Lol


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## BugSoap (Feb 10, 2015)

You do not say what type of stove you have, gas or electric. If you think Lye may have gotten into the stove raise the stove top and look and clean everything well. If it's a gas stove some parts may be aluminum and Lye will EAT it and you do not want a gas leak blowing up your building!
 Make sure nothing else aluminum got any lye on it either!

I think Vinegar will neutralize lye, may need to look that up to be sure, then wash anything with strong vinegar solution as needed.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Feb 10, 2015)

BugSoap said:


> ...........I think Vinegar will neutralize lye, may need to look that up to be sure, then wash anything with strong vinegar solution as needed.


 
I would always use water to start off with, to dilute the lye.  Lye and vinegar causes a hotter reaction than lye and water.  Lots of water, then wipe over with a rag with vinegar solution to be totally happy that the lye is gone.

Just so people know - NEVER EVER USE VINEGAR ON A LYE SPILL ON YOU!


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## SoapBro (Feb 10, 2015)

Not trying to talk lightly of lye safty but i really dont get all the precautions people take when soaping, gloves and goggles? unless you got some lye directly in your eye balls or drank the stuff i just dont see it causing any damage..  i've gotten soap batter on my hands on more then a few occasions it did nothing at all, i just rinsed it off, i even got a splash of lye water on my skin and just washed it off and nothing happened, static threw some beads on my hand 2 weeks ago, they stuck to the skin so i had to wash them off, again nothing happened..

i really think its only dangerous if left unchecked on skin for a long time or if it lands in soft tissue (aka eyes).


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## BugSoap (Feb 10, 2015)

The Efficacious Gentleman said:


> I would always use water to start off with, to dilute the lye.  Lye and vinegar causes a hotter reaction than lye and water.  Lots of water, then wipe over with a rag with vinegar solution to be totally happy that the lye is gone.
> 
> Just so people know - NEVER EVER USE VINEGAR ON A LYE SPILL ON YOU!



Thanks, that's something I need to remember better myself.
 One of those things ya kinda know but never use so get forgetful about.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Feb 10, 2015)

SoapBro said:


> Not trying to talk lightly of lye safty but i really dont get all the precautions people take when soaping, gloves and goggles? unless you got some lye directly in your eye balls or drank the stuff i just dont see it causing any damage.. i've gotten soap batter on my hands on more then a few occasions it did nothing at all, i just rinsed it off, i even got a splash of lye water on my skin and just washed it off and nothing happened, static threw some beads on my hand 2 weeks ago, they stuck to the skin so i had to wash them off, again nothing happened..
> 
> i really think its only dangerous if left unchecked on skin for a long time or if it lands in soft tissue (aka eyes).


 
I misclicked like - I don't like this!

Some people HAVE gotten batter directly in the eye.  A member on this very forum needed a lot of work and think she is still not 100% - I would rather wear goggles on the off chance.

While you CAN wash it off from the hands and so on, gloves can be a good idea in general - EOs and FOs, for example, can cause issues when direct on the skin.  Personally, the hassle of wearing gloves is really nothing next to the benefits/potential benefits.  For example, if I get some lye solution or batter on my glove, I don't have to clean it off too quickly, so if I'm moulding up a troublesome soap, I don't have to decide between risking a bad batch or a burn on the hand.


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## shunt2011 (Feb 10, 2015)

^^^^
100% totally agree with what TEG said.   No excuse not to use caution.  I for one received a terrible burn on my nostril area because of flying batter.  Being careful is very important.


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## Susie (Feb 10, 2015)

I have to agree with TEG also.  From personal experience, I can tell you that soap batter droplets on an eyelid is nothing fun.  It really and truly hurts.  Not to mention what soap batter can do to an unprotected cornea.  I learned from that experience that safety goggles are a really good idea.  

I also use gloves from the time I pick up the lye bottle to pour it until the clean up is done.  I would just rather not have to choose whether to deal with soap batter or a risk a burn.

Your safety is your choice, SoapBro.  But coming on a forum thread where new soapers are trying to learn how to deal with spilled lye safely, and saying that, is not a wise choice.   If this were your child reading this, how would you feel if someone said that he/she did not need goggles and gloves?  Would you want to risk them?  Probably not.  These are other people's children, whether adults or not, they are still someone's child.


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## BugSoap (Feb 10, 2015)

The Efficacious Gentleman said:


> I misclicked like - I don't like this!
> 
> Some people HAVE gotten batter directly in the eye.  A member on this very forum needed a lot of work and think she is still not 100% - I would rather wear goggles on the off chance.
> 
> While you CAN wash it off from the hands and so on, gloves can be a good idea in general - EOs and FOs, for example, can cause issues when direct on the skin.  Personally, the hassle of wearing gloves is really nothing next to the benefits/potential benefits.  For example, if I get some lye solution or batter on my glove, I don't have to clean it off too quickly, so if I'm moulding up a troublesome soap, I don't have to decide between risking a bad batch or a burn on the hand.



Clicked like this one.
 I'll add also my thought.
 If something does happen and lye gets in eyes it may be much better to just pull off gloves fast and have clean hands and take care of the eyes than to have to wash lye off hands before trying to care for the eyes. Don't want lye all over hands when needing to put hands near eyes!

I've worked with lye for allot of things and so far nothing bad has happened and maybe never will, but then it could at most anytime and we never know when.

I don't fear the Lye but I do respect it. I've used it to eat up lots of aluminum making Hydrogen, and as paint remover, also to melt silica beads to make Sodium Silicate, and to melt glass bottles, etc...
 I know what it CAN do to other things, I do not really want to know what it can do to me other than reading about it! 

I haven't been using Lye for much for along time, which is why I was a bit rusty about using vinegar, something I once knew for the just in case but rather forgot.


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## boyago (Feb 10, 2015)

SoapBro said:


> Not trying to talk lightly of lye safty but i really dont get all the precautions people take when soaping, gloves and goggles? unless you got some lye directly in your eye balls or drank the stuff i just dont see it causing any damage..  i've gotten soap batter on my hands on more then a few occasions it did nothing at all, i just rinsed it off, i even got a splash of lye water on my skin and just washed it off and nothing happened, static threw some beads on my hand 2 weeks ago, they stuck to the skin so i had to wash them off, again nothing happened..
> 
> i really think its only dangerous if left unchecked on skin for a long time or if it lands in soft tissue (aka eyes).



That's crazy talk.  Yeah if you get some on your hands they won't auto ignite or drop to the floor, but lye burns are pretty crappy.  If you get to a sink right away your not going to have a problem MOST of the time.  Allot of the time you might not know that you got some on you, a splash to the eye can be devastating.  Also the soap batter is much more dilute that the lye mix but is still pretty caustic.  Here is a picture of my eye.  This happened 12 hours after soaping while cleaning up.   I'm fairly certain it was just cool batter that I inadvertently transferred to my eye,  There is another member got hot batter in her eye and had to go to the hospital to get patched up.  I'm not saying to wear a hazmat suite but at the very least wear the goggles and respect what you are doing.


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## boyago (Feb 10, 2015)

BugSoap said:


> I don't fear the Lye but I do respect it. I've used it to eat up lots of aluminum making Hydrogen, and as paint remover, also to melt silica beads to make Sodium Silicate, and to melt glass bottles, etc...
> I know what it CAN do to other things, I do not really want to know what it can do to me other than reading about it!



Do you just run around melting stuff?


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## papillonpotions (Feb 10, 2015)

Earthen_Step said:


> If your NaOH (sodium hydroxide) is in a hard plastic container  -- shake it like crazy before opening it for the first time.  I have had the same problem and shaking it gets rid of all the static.  I shake it for at least 30 seconds when I'm opening a new container, very vigorously.



That was an extremely useful tip!  Thank you


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## boyago (Feb 10, 2015)

papillonpotions said:


> That was an extremely useful tip!  Thank you



I thought that was trolling, wont shaking the bottle increase the static?  Isn't the charge from friction between the bottle contents and the bottle?  Like rubbing a balloon on your head?


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## lionprincess00 (Feb 10, 2015)

Anyone else started watering up looking at that pic?! Yikes! Wipe everything down with a dryer sheet. This includes the package the lye is in, the lid, the scale, the cup. Lift the lid of the oven if electric after removing the grills and saucers, and then you can wipe what fell in. 
Goggles always. 
Gloves better than not, and I always use them. 

I stick blended once and a fresh early blended batter flung onto my goggles directly over my eye. I was quite glad I was being smart about precautions at that moment.


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## BugSoap (Feb 10, 2015)

boyago said:


> Do you just run around melting stuff?



No, but I do many different things!
 Well, ya, maybe I do just melt everything LOL  
 I built my own small home foundry to melt aluminum for casting my own parts for some stuff. I made the sodium silicate myself by melting  silica beads in lye solution then used it to bond perlite for homemade insulating refractory for the foundry I built.  :-D

I bake wood (not melt it ) to make my own charcoal. BUT I do use that charcoal to melt the aluminum in the foundry to cast.

I also use the charcoal to cook with sometimes, it is very good at melting cheese for grilled cheese sandwiches and cheeseburgers! :mrgreen:


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## papillonpotions (Feb 10, 2015)

boyago said:


> I thought that was trolling, wont shaking the bottle increase the static?  Isn't the charge from friction between the bottle contents and the bottle?  Like rubbing a balloon on your head?



Heh well if it was, it got me!  :-D I haven't tried it but I'm having the same dang issue, beads everywhere.  I'm to the point I'm swiping everything down with a used dryer sheet (which helps a bit).


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## DeeAnna (Feb 10, 2015)

"...wont shaking the bottle increase the static? Isn't the charge from friction between the bottle contents and the bottle?..."

Yes, shaking the lye flakes/pellets in their plastic storage container will change their static electrical charge. But that may not be a Bad Thing. What if the shaking alters the charge on the lye particles so they are attracted to the other plastic container you are pouring the lye into, rather than be repelled from that container?

It's very dry here in the midwestern US -- 25% relative humidity in my house today -- so if lye bits were inclined to fly around, they would have plenty of excuses to do so. When making soap this weekend, I shook my lye container vigorously with the goal of breaking up some chunks. I didn't do anything special to control static ... but I didn't get any fly-away bits when pouring my lye beads.

I didn't think too much of it at the time -- I notice the static when it's a problem, but I pretty much forget about it when it's not ... until it is a problem yet again.  When I read Earthen Step's tip, the memory came back of two batches of lye beads poured with nary a fly away. Now I'm really keen to verify this idea. Good excuse to make more soap!

A tip from the chem lab -- If you want to try the shake method, check that the cap is firmly screwed in place before you shake AND hold a couple of fingers over the cap as you shake. Caps have been known to fly off or loosen. If it's pancake batter you're shaking up, that's one thing. Lye is another.


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## SoapBro (Feb 10, 2015)

Oh man so many comments regarding my post while i was away, i didnt say you shouldn't wear ANY safety gear,  i just said that i didnt see the big deal with purely skin contact like getting some batter on your hand, i left some batter once on my arm for like 20 minutes because i didnt notice it, it didnt do anything after i washed it off, i'm fully aware that if it splashed my eyes i'd be royally screwed, obviously you SHOULD wear eye protection incase of splashes and i do, personally i just dont bother with gloves.


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## Purplerain (Feb 10, 2015)

First time I made soap, the stick blender threw out some batter. Who knew it would do that? I had taken gloves and glasses off because I thought they were only needed when mixing the lye and water (duh!). Got batter on my face, my arms and yes, in my eye. I looked like I had measles and it stung and burned like heck. For a long time. 
I am now very very careful. 
Newbies don't know what can happen.


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## Earthen_Step (Feb 10, 2015)

boyago said:


> I thought that was trolling, wont shaking the bottle increase the static?  Isn't the charge from friction between the bottle contents and the bottle?  Like rubbing a balloon on your head?



It works for me 100% of the time.  I had lye bouncing all over before I started shaking first.  I don't know the science behind it, just know it works.

*I would never troll you wonderful soapers!  Gamers on the other hand, it can be hard to resist.


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## reinbeau (Feb 10, 2015)

SoapBro said:


> Not trying to talk lightly of lye safty but i really dont get all the precautions people take when soaping, gloves and goggles? unless you got some lye directly in your eye balls or drank the stuff i just dont see it causing any damage..  i've gotten soap batter on my hands on more then a few occasions it did nothing at all, i just rinsed it off, i even got a splash of lye water on my skin and just washed it off and nothing happened, static threw some beads on my hand 2 weeks ago, they stuck to the skin so i had to wash them off, again nothing happened..
> 
> i really think its only dangerous if left unchecked on skin for a long time or if it lands in soft tissue (aka eyes).


While I am not terrified of using lye, I am respectful of it.  Goggles?  I can't wear them.  So I wear a full face shield.  I learned my lesson just the other day, I was banging a mold and a speck must have flown up and landed right on the side of my nose , about 1/2 inch below my eyeball.  I did have my glasses on.  That burned before I noticed it.  If it went just a bit further (my glasses aren't that big) I'd be screwed.  So wear eye protection, at a minimum.  

You will see us emphasizing safety.  There's a reason for it.  An experienced soaper just had a terrible experience (and is still going through it) by losing her grip and pouring 40 ounces of lye down her front.  I won't get into the gory details, but she's had surgery, has to go through debridement, and will have further surgery to close the FOURTH degree burn on her thigh.  Lye is nothing to trivialize.


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## BugSoap (Feb 10, 2015)

I just got done with a messy batch of soap a few minutes ago! Nothing drastic or major, just a mess! After I got the first box mold filled what was in the pot still was getting too thick and I had to scrape it out with a spoon to fill other small molds. Needless to say soap batter was all over my gloves by the time I got done fighting with it. I'll have a good deal of cleaning to do on pots, spoons, mixer, and other implements of destruction later!
 At least with the gloves on I could worry more about he soap than keeping my hands clean or getting them washed fast.

I think my scale went whacky, maybe batteries going dead. I tried weighing something and it showed me the weight then it starts changing just sitting there for no reason.
 So I don't really know till I test my scale if I have correct amounts of lye and fats or not now and they may been the problem? Or maybe I traced too thick, or maybe it was the coffee?


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## hmlove1218 (Feb 10, 2015)

reinbeau said:


> An experienced soaper just had a terrible experience (and is still going through it) by losing her grip and pouring 40 ounces of lye down her front.  I won't get into the gory details, but she's had surgery, has to go through debridement, and will have further surgery to close the FOURTH degree burn on her thigh.  Lye is nothing to trivialize.



Oh my word!  I haven't heard about this.  Is it a member here?  I would say I hope she's alright, but from the sounds of it, she's not.  I just hope she has a complication free recovery.

Anyway, freak accidents like this are why people here are extra cautious about lye.  I will admit that I am the worst about safety gear.  I rarely wear gloves, and sometimes forget my safety glasses.  However, they are very important pieces of soaping equipment and should be recommended to every newbie that starts making soap.  They don't need to be told otherwise because accidents happen and safety gear is a better safe than sorry step of precaution.


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## DeeAnna (Feb 10, 2015)

Eye protection is a given -- the long-term consequences of a splash to the eye are so severe and the damage can happen so quickly.

There's a reason for wearing gloves too, although the consequences are not quite so life changing. If you get lye underneath your fingernails or under the cuticle, it can be very difficult to get out completely before it does its damage. The injury and pain to these sensitive areas can be intense.


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## DeeAnna (Feb 10, 2015)

"...I think my scale went whacky, maybe batteries going dead. I tried weighing something and it showed me the weight then it starts changing just sitting there for no reason...."

Could be your batteries -- certainly something to check. If the stuff you're weighing is hot so water is evaporating off it, or if there is a lot of air movement around the scale, the weight reading can change a little bit. But I'd sure check the batteries first.


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## hmlove1218 (Feb 10, 2015)

BugSoap said:


> I think my scale went whacky, maybe batteries going dead. I tried weighing something and it showed me the weight then it starts changing just sitting there for no reason.
> So I don't really know till I test my scale if I have correct amounts of lye and fats or not now and they may been the problem? Or maybe I traced too thick, or maybe it was the coffee?



It could be your batteries or it could be that your scale isn't level.  Mine tends to act up when I set it on my counter, so I had to start putting it on a cutting board to make sure it was on a flat surface.  I guess there's a slight dip in my counter top.


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## kchaystack (Feb 10, 2015)

Am I the only one who likes wearing his goggles?

They are just cool!


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## IrishLass (Feb 10, 2015)

Those are way cool goggles, kaychaystack! 

I always wear goggles. Like DeeAnna said, they're a given. My go-to goggles are actually those that are sold as 'onion goggles'. I bought them several years ago at my local cooking supply store (long before Brambleberry started selling them) to use them for their original, intended purpose, which is to prevent tearing up while cutting onions (for which they work great, btw!), but then I discovered how wonderful they were for soaping, and it wasn't long before they started pulling double duty. They're very comfortable, and the foam lining creates a complete gap-less seal on my face so that nothing can get through to my eyes. I love them so much that I now have 3 pairs. lol


IrishLass


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## BugSoap (Feb 10, 2015)

Pretty sure it's the battery now, or the scale is dying. I've tried a couple things, sitting it different places and using stuff weighing different amounts. 40oz when first weighed will go up or down by about 2oz just sitting there. Take it off and sit it back on again and it weighs 40oz to start then begins changing again. Actually not certain it's even 40oz, just what scale says most often. 
 I'll get new batteries and hopefully also find my other scale I lost awhile back. Too many places for things to hide!



reinbeau said:


> An experienced soaper just had a terrible experience (and is still going through it) by losing her grip and pouring 40 ounces of lye down her front.



Oh how terrible! 
 I hope her recovery goes as quickly and smoothly as possible!


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## DeeAnna (Feb 10, 2015)

Hey there, Mr. Minion!!! Lookin' good!!!!!! :shifty:


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## reinbeau (Feb 10, 2015)

hmlove1218 said:


> Oh my word!  I haven't heard about this.  Is it a member here?  I would say I hope she's alright, but from the sounds of it, she's not.  I just hope she has a complication free recovery.


She's on the Facebook groups, I don't know if she's here or not.  The good thing that will come out of this is we are working on chemical resistant aprons that extend down below the knees.  Trying to keep them inexpensive, there's a nice logo that's been designed for them, and the fund that was started (through no desire of the burned soaper) has been turned over to the apron team to help defray costs so soapers with little means will be able to afford them.  Any incident is a wake up call, but so awful to have happen!!


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## jnl (Feb 10, 2015)

i was scared of lye at first
but then i kept forgetting the soap batter was dangerous and kept touching it with my bare hands (after soap poured and clean up done and gloves removed).  never burned me or anything.
so now the only thing i worry about is if any lye beads get on the floor that my dog might lick up
so far no spills





SoapBro said:


> Not trying to talk lightly of lye safty but i really dont get all the precautions people take when soaping, gloves and goggles? unless you got some lye directly in your eye balls or drank the stuff i just dont see it causing any damage..  i've gotten soap batter on my hands on more then a few occasions it did nothing at all, i just rinsed it off, i even got a splash of lye water on my skin and just washed it off and nothing happened, static threw some beads on my hand 2 weeks ago, they stuck to the skin so i had to wash them off, again nothing happened..
> 
> i really think its only dangerous if left unchecked on skin for a long time or if it lands in soft tissue (aka eyes).


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## jnl (Feb 10, 2015)

yikes!  12 hours later?!  you would think the lye would be much less reactive by then




boyago said:


> That's crazy talk.  Yeah if you get some on your hands they won't auto ignite or drop to the floor, but lye burns are pretty crappy.  If you get to a sink right away your not going to have a problem MOST of the time.  Allot of the time you might not know that you got some on you, a splash to the eye can be devastating.  Also the soap batter is much more dilute that the lye mix but is still pretty caustic.  Here is a picture of my eye.  This happened 12 hours after soaping while cleaning up.   I'm fairly certain it was just cool batter that I inadvertently transferred to my eye,  There is another member got hot batter in her eye and had to go to the hospital to get patched up.  I'm not saying to wear a hazmat suite but at the very least wear the goggles and respect what you are doing.
> View attachment 12384


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## jnl (Feb 10, 2015)

i wore swimming goggles once when i cut onions and it made NO difference
my eyes still burned bad
part of the problem can be from it coming through the air
but i think part of it is it being absorbed through your skin
if someone rubs garlic on your feet you can taste it
i have not yet tried goggles AND gloves for cutting onions

i only have crappy plastic safety glasses to wear over my real glasses for soaping
i cant wear goggles because i have to wear glasses to see properly (developed an allergy to contacts)

my brother once was cutting wood and wearing proper safety glasses and somehow a chunk of wood got into his eye through the side.  he had a big splinter sticking out of his eyeball.  he was lucky it was in the white part, not the iris!  the hospital removed the splinter but then he had to go back again later because there was still a tiny piece stuck in there.  yikes!!

so i am paranoid about things coming in through the sides of my glasses





IrishLass said:


> Those are way cool goggles, kaychaystack!
> 
> I always wear goggles. Like DeeAnna said, they're a given. My go-to goggles are actually those that are sold as 'onion goggles'. I bought them several years ago at my local cooking supply store (long before Brambleberry started selling them) to use them for their original, intended purpose, which is to prevent tearing up while cutting onions (for which they work great, btw!), but then I discovered how wonderful they were for soaping, and it wasn't long before they started pulling double duty. They're very comfortable, and the foam lining creates a complete gap-less seal on my face so that nothing can get through to my eyes. I love them so much that I now have 3 pairs. lol
> 
> ...


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## lillybella (Feb 10, 2015)

reinbeau who's working on chemical resistant aprons?


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## reinbeau (Feb 10, 2015)

It's an effort called Ashley's Aprons, are you on Facebook, Lillybella?


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## boyago (Feb 10, 2015)

jnl said:


> yikes!  12 hours later?!  you would think the lye would be much less reactive by then



Well, in the spirit of clarity, transparency, and all things too often absent on the interweb I couldn't say with absolute certainty that it was the batter.  It could have been anything from a errant bead of lye, soap batter, or any **** thing.  But when you tell it THat way it makes for a pretty lame cautionary tale about the dangers of soap making.

But, I am pretty sure it was the batter and am not willing to re-test for a similar reaction.


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## OliveOil2 (Feb 10, 2015)

IrishLass you have me beat, I have two pairs of onion goggles, and they are amazing! Sometimes they are a good price on Amazon, just depends. There is no comparison between the onion goggles and swimming goggles. For someone who wears glasses there are some great face shields available.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Feb 11, 2015)

Onions - like lye fumes - are not an issue under an extraction hood.......


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## reinbeau (Feb 11, 2015)

The Efficacious Gentleman said:


> Onions - like lye fumes - are not an issue under an extraction hood.......


Or with a downdraft exhaust


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## DeeAnna (Feb 11, 2015)

Today's science trivia: 

When cutting onions, what burns the eyes is the gaseous sulfur compounds rising from the cut surface of the onion. These gases react with the eye's tears to make sulfuric acid. It isn't anything absorbed by the skin or whatever. 

That's why a sweet onion (Vidalia is an example) doesn't cause as much burn -- these onions are grown in low-sulfur soil, so they have less sulfur in them to cause trouble. That's also part of the reason why sweet onions are not good keeping onions -- the sulfur in regular onions helps preserve them longer.

Onion goggles work because they form an air tight seal around the eyes, preventing the sulfur gases from reaching the eye. Swimming goggles are designed to seal against water pressure and may not form as secure of a seal when worn out of the water. 

If you are in the US and want a great selection of goggles, see: http://www.safetyglassesusa.com/ If your goggles fog up easily, consider goggles with a two layer lens: http://www.safetyglassesusa.com/254-du-40097.html   If you want a goggle with a "cheater" bifocal for less-than-perfect eyesight, these "reader" goggles might work well: http://www.safetyglassesusa.com/bf61.html Both seal gently but fully around the eye area, have a comfortable wide adjustable headband, and are not overly expensive.


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## lillybella (Feb 11, 2015)

What are downdraft exhausts and extraction hoods?

reinbeau I do have a FB account. Is Ashley's Aprons on FB?


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## reinbeau (Feb 11, 2015)

Yes it is,  lillybella.


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## lillybella (Feb 11, 2015)

Hi reinbeau, I looked under Ashley's Aprons, but I couldn't find it. Is it under another name?
Thank you.


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## reinbeau (Feb 11, 2015)

lillybella said:


> Hi reinbeau, I looked under Ashley's Aprons, but I couldn't find it. Is it under another name?
> Thank you.


It's Ashlee's Aprons and I think it's a secret group because of some judgemental nastiness that was going on.  Send me a friend request there, Ann Rein, and I'll get you added.


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## big (Feb 11, 2015)

Update: I didn't die and nothing was affected, so it looks like I've beaten the terrorists in my kitchen and floor. I'm definitely exercising even more caution next time.. on the plus side, the soap turned out good; now I wait.


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## Sislea (Feb 12, 2015)

My body puts off a lot of static naturally. Would the dryer sheet work on me? I've had this problem since I was little. DH won't come near me if I am holding a metal object cause I will zap him. I haven't  worked with lye as of yet as I am still reading blogs, webpages, and watching videos but this topic caught my eye and made me curious.


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## Dorymae (Feb 12, 2015)

Actually it will!  I have one brush with a dryer sheet pushed through the bristles because there are days my hair is so full of charge I look like I saw a ghost!  A quick brush with the dryer sheet and all is good. 

I also keep one in my purse for when my skirt decides it has something against my pantyhose. Nothing like having your skirt rising up on its own!  Lol - I love dryer sheets.


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## Sislea (Feb 12, 2015)

Dorymae said:


> Actually it will!  I have one brush with a dryer sheet pushed through the bristles because there are days my hair is so full of charge I look like I saw a ghost!  A quick brush with the dryer sheet and all is good.



Thanks for the tip! Nothing is more aggravating than trying to get ready for a company dinner and my hair strands wanting to touch the ceiling.:Kitten Love:



Dorymae said:


> I also keep one in my purse for when my skirt decides it has something against my pantyhose. Nothing like having your skirt rising up on its own!  Lol - I love dryer sheets.



I quit wearing skirts with panty hose. I resorted to thick tights, they don't seam to be as much of a static problem for me.

OK now that it is daylight out, maybe I can also ask the question I originally intended to about static and lye being that my body loves static. 

When I do venture into finally making my soap, am I going to have a problem with lye "fireworking" on me? So, otherwise, I should definitely do the dryer sheet before opening the container?


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## Dorymae (Feb 12, 2015)

If I felt I was carrying a static charge I would rub a dryer sheet down my front and around my arms. Certainly wipe out your lye cup with one.


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## snappyllama (Feb 12, 2015)

it you're worried about the little pellets, you can buy lye in flake format.  BB and WSP both sell them like that.  It's a bit more work to get the flakes to dissolve in cold water/milks, but I prefer them to the pellets. I think they bounce less and are easier to spot. One downside is that the containers have a bit of lye dust when you open them... so I do that outside the first time.


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## Sislea (Feb 12, 2015)

Great thanks for the tips ladies. I will try the flakes when I go through my first batch of lye. I probably bought to much to start with being my first time but cost wise it was actually cheaper to buy 2# than a few ounces.


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## hnelbach (Feb 14, 2015)

I've had this problem if I use A plastic bowl to put the dry lye in. I use a glass bowl to put the lye beads in. But of course the distilled water and lye mix I use plastic so when it heats up it does not break.


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## PinkCupcake (Feb 15, 2015)

jnl said:


> i only have crappy plastic safety glasses to wear over my real glasses for soaping
> i cant wear goggles because i have to wear glasses to see properly (developed an allergy to contacts)
> 
> my brother once was cutting wood and wearing proper safety glasses and somehow a chunk of wood got into his eye through the side.  he had a big splinter sticking out of his eyeball.  he was lucky it was in the white part, not the iris!  the hospital removed the splinter but then he had to go back again later because there was still a tiny piece stuck in there.  yikes!!
> ...




Of course you can wear goggles! I have a few styles that go over my glasses. I think I got 2 of them from Amazon. Just make sure that the description mentions wearing them over glasses. Safety glasses just aren't enough protection.


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## reinbeau (Feb 15, 2015)

PinkCupcake said:


> Of course you can wear goggles! I have a few styles that go over my glasses. I think I got 2 of them from Amazon. Just make sure that the description mentions wearing them over glasses. Safety glasses just aren't enough protection.


Actually I can't wear goggles at all, they interfere with my prescription and I figure it's better to be able to see   So I use a full face shield.http://www.soapmakingforum.com//www.pinterest.com/pin/create/extension/


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## DeeAnna (Feb 15, 2015)

A full face mask like that trumps goggles any day! Thanks for sharing the pic of your gear, Ann!


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## PinkCupcake (Feb 15, 2015)

reinbeau said:


> Actually I can't wear goggles at all, they interfere with my prescription and I figure it's better to be able to see   So I use a full face shield.



Wow! That's excellent protection!


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## reinbeau (Feb 15, 2015)

You can get it from Harbor Freight for about $14 if anyone is interested.


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## Sislea (Feb 15, 2015)

reinbeau don't tell DH about that face mask..he will surely send me to Harbor Freights tomorrow to get one.


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## Soul_Healthy (Feb 17, 2015)

I really like the BramleBerry flakes for this very reason! Lye burns aren't fun!


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## BugSoap (Feb 18, 2015)

reinbeau said:


> You can get it from Harbor Freight for about $14 if anyone is interested.



Do a quick search on the Net for Harbor Freight Coupons and you can always find a good one for 20% off any one item! Sometimes you can find 25% off.
 Also coupons for something for free like tape measure, screwdrivers, tarp, digital meter, or something!

I buy at HF allot myself, nearest one is over 100 miles away, but I ride a motorcycle so a good excuse to go for a nice ride when I want small stuff. 

Weather gets better I'll ride up and buy one of those shields myself! Got snow and ice here now.


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## BugSoap (Feb 18, 2015)

Also if at HF you could check for leathers. I think that is where I got my leather welding sleeves and maybe leg protection for other work. I think they also have leather aprons. Look in welding section.

Though not the best protection maybe, leathers should keep away the lye if it gets on you long enough to get the leathers off.


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