# Protective equipment



## PrettySusannah (Jan 24, 2016)

Just curious, what protective equipment do you wear while making soap?


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## shunt2011 (Jan 24, 2016)

Gloves and eye protection. Also make sure the furry kid is out of the kitchen.


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## BlackDog (Jan 24, 2016)

Same as shunt, plus long sleeves and SHOES! I gave been known to lose a few batter droplets over the countertop.


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## houseofwool (Jan 24, 2016)

I wear disposable nitrile gloves and goggles that fit over my glasses.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Jan 24, 2016)

As above - eye protection, disposable gloves, long sleeves and something closed on the feet. Id rather be a touch warm for a wee while than have an itchy patch for a few days


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## Steve85569 (Jan 24, 2016)

Like has been said and +1 on the shoes.
I soap in the same room as the wood stove ( whole house heat) so I'm comfy BUT lye respects nothing and I am prone to being a bit clumsy. A little fresh batter can leave a lasting memory. (and a mark)


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## snappyllama (Jan 24, 2016)

Ditto on the gloves, googles and shoes. I'm guilty of not wearing long sleeves. My unconscious habit is to always hoist up the sleeves, and I've absentmindedly done it with a little batter on my gloves. Quickly stripping off a long tee in my kitchen to run cool water over my arm could have given my neighbor a show (thankfully he had just stopped cutting down trees and was out of view). I cannot break myself of the habit of pushing up my sleeves so I have to forgo them. 

My shoes are closed toe slippers since we don't wear shoes in the house. I figure they are better than nothing plus they are poofy frogs so it will take  a while for any small amount of batter to eat through to my feet.

I have an apron I wear also. It's not a chemical resistant one, but does have water beading layer of some type on it (we had a spray in the garage that water proofs cloth).


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## IrishLass (Jan 24, 2016)

While mixing my lye solution: Goggles, sturdy rubber gloves that are long enough to cover my forearms, and protection for my mouth & nose so that I don't breathe in any of the lye fumes while mixing. 

While soaping: Goggles, disposable nitrile gloves and an apron. I like using the nitrile gloves for the actual soaping part instead of the more sturdy-type that I use for mixing my lye, because they are less cumbersome/allow for more precise hand dexterity. 

I purposely don't wear long-sleeves while soaping (anymore) because they turned out to be more trouble for me than they were worth. The few times that I got raw soap batter on the long sleeves, it soaked through to my skin, and when I felt the tell-tale itching, I had to stop what I was doing, take off my gloves, take off my apron, take off my shirt (thankfully, my blinds were closed) and wash the spot on my arm before I could re-dress myself in a clean shirt and continue. If I get soap on my bare arm while wearing short sleeves, there's no need for me to stop what I'm doing to undress. All I need to do is give my arm a quick rinse under the faucet and continue on soaping. I soap in my kitchen sink, btw, so the faucet is just a few inches away.


IrishLass


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## amd (Jan 24, 2016)

snappyllama said:


> I cannot break myself of the habit of pushing up my sleeves so I have to forgo them.



Have you tried rubber bands to hold your sleeves in place? I've found that keeps me from trying to push them up. 

Ditto everyone else on shoes and goggles. I wear nitrile gloves under my long latex gloves so I can easily switch between lye mixing and coloring and designing.


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## snappyllama (Jan 24, 2016)

amd said:


> Have you tried rubber bands to hold your sleeves in place? I've found that keeps me from trying to push them up.
> 
> Ditto everyone else on shoes and goggles. I wear nitrile gloves under my long latex gloves so I can easily switch between lye mixing and coloring and designing.



I'll try that out! I'm very much a creature of habit so if it works that will be a miracle.


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## paillo (Jan 24, 2016)

Nitrile disposable gloves (find I can reuse them maybe three times unless they get fragile), shoes, I have big glasses so usually don't bother with goggles. I know, I'm a slacker. I always have my sleeves rolled up too, if I get a little lye on an arm it's easy to rinse off, I soap in my kitchen too. An old towel or rug to protect the hardwood floor where I'm working. Most most importantly, furries out of the kitchen! And I thoroughly mop up anything within reach afterwards and do the dishes.


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## pjones (Jan 25, 2016)

I just realized I am WAY too relaxed when I soap... Time to put clothes on I guess. Looks like soap making just got a little more formal.


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## KristaY (Jan 25, 2016)

In addition to gloves, sleeves, apron and closed shoes, I've started using a face shield instead of goggles. It doesn't distort my vision with my glasses on as much as the goggles. Plus, when I look down it hits my collarbone area so the rest of my face is protected too. I look like a complete dork but at least my face is safe from potential flying batter!


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## KristaY (Jan 25, 2016)

pjones said:


> I just realized I am WAY too relaxed when I soap... Time to put clothes on I guess. Looks like soap making just got a little more formal.



Same principal that applies to frying bacon. My 6' 6" BIL once told the family (at a holiday dinner, no less) about the lesson he learned about not frying bacon when you're naked. Ended up wearing loose fitting pants for several days.....


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## PrettySusannah (Jan 25, 2016)

snappyllama said:


> I'll try that out! I'm very much a creature of habit so if it works that will be a miracle.


Or you could do what I do. I always use duct tape to secure the dishwashing gloves to my sleeves when making soap.


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## cerelife (Jan 27, 2016)

KristaY said:


> Same principal that applies to frying bacon. My 6' 6" BIL once told the family (at a holiday dinner, no less) about the lesson he learned about not frying bacon when you're naked. Ended up wearing loose fitting pants for several days.....



That is hilarious!!

My 'musts' are goggles, nitrile gloves and all the furry babies locked out of the kitchen when I soap - AND I clean the counters and mop the floor with vinegar before I let them back in!
However, I am sooo not a soapy role model in that I soap in t-shirts and shorts and I'm usually barefoot (or at best wearing flip-flops). I realize this isn't the norm, but I live in the Deep South and I'm willing to deal with the occasional lye burn to soap comfortably. Plus it's easier to rinse off a fleck of lye or a splash of raw batter when you're half-naked anyway. If I ever have a serious spill, I'll only have myself to blame, since I DO know better!


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## cmzaha (Jan 27, 2016)

Nitrile gloves here too, regular glasses that I were full time. Other than that usually flippy flops and short sleeves. So I am also not the poster gal for soaping. When batching lye I do wear my heavier dish washing gloves. They are chemical resistant and longer than my nitriles.


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## Susie (Jan 27, 2016)

paillo said:


> Nitrile disposable gloves (find I can reuse them maybe three times unless they get fragile)



Please do not re-use nitrile gloves.  Things like this happen when you get tiny holes:

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=57977


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## Arimara (Jan 27, 2016)

I use gloves, lab coat, shoes, face mask and goggles. The rubber sleeve bands don't sound too bad.


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## hmlove1218 (Jan 27, 2016)

Some of yall get full on mad scientist when yall soap . Definitely not a bad thing, I'm just more of a caution to the wind soaper I guess. Like others, I wear goggles and nitrile gloves, but I'm usually in short sleeves because I also have a habit of pushing up my sleeves. Not to mention, and this is personal preference only, I find long sleeves a pain as I susally get something on my sleeve and then it is EVERYWHERE. Shoes are also iffy..


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## galaxyMLP (Jan 27, 2016)

I use gloves, long pants and closed toed shoes. The one time I thought I could get away with sandals, I spilled batter on my feet. I had to stop, wash my feet and my shoes. It wasn't worth it. 

I do wear prescription safety glasses with side shields. They're what I wear at work. They don't slide off my face or obstruct my view. They have a pretty big coverage area. If I have my contacts on I always wear goggles. I also don't wear long sleeves during the summer months. If I feel any itch, I stop and rinse that spot (most of the time it's in my mind!). I try to wear long sleeves if I can set the AC to 76 or less which usually begins in October and goes through May. I just can't do it June to September. I have spilled batter on myself mid soaping and had to take my shirt off once. I'm planning on getting a lab coat after I move. It will make things easier and I won't have any excuse during the summer.


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## gigisiguenza (Jan 27, 2016)

Absolutely I wear goggles, gloves, and closed shoes. Like several, long sleeves have proven problematic, as I've had to do the emergency strip when it got on my sleeve. Until I can get a couple of cheap lab coats, it's simpler to stick to a either short sleeves or rolled up sleeves. 

I have a pair of rubber washing up gloves I use when I mix lie, and that's all they're used for. I stick with my double layer glove method for soaping itself.


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## cerelife (Jan 28, 2016)

galaxyMLP said:


> I'm planning on getting a lab coat after I move. It will make things easier and I won't have any excuse during the summer.



My 'real' job is in a hospital and I have several lab coats. I used to wear my old Hello Kitty ones (from years past when we could wear whatever the heck we wanted in the hospital) while soaping, but honestly I find it easier and more comfortable to soap in a tshirt or tank top. I've found that soap batter saturates the fabric and creates a larger area of contamination before I even notice I've splashed any on myself. The reaction is much quicker and more easily contained when it's on bare skin.
This is JMHO, so please stay safe and cover yourselves if that is what you are comfortable with


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## PrettySusannah (Jan 29, 2016)

You might think that I am a little bit weird with all the protective equipment I wear. But I wear this when making soap:
A lab coat
A rubber apron over my lab coat (gets hot, but I don't mind)
A face mask (either a surgical mask or a respirator mask)
Goggles
A kerchief to get my hair out of the way
Rubber boots
Dishwashing gloves secured to the sleeves of my lab coat with duct tape

I know some people only wear the mask while mixing the lye. I, though, wear my mask the entire time while making soap.


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## MySoapyHeart (Jan 29, 2016)

KristaY said:


> Same principal that applies to frying bacon. My 6' 6" BIL once told the family (at a holiday dinner, no less) about the lesson he learned about not frying bacon when you're naked. Ended up wearing loose fitting pants for several days.....



Hahaha!! 
Sorry...:shifty:


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## fuzz-juzz (Jan 29, 2016)

I wear goggles, apron and heavy duty kitchen gloves. I check gloves regularly for holes. I find nitrile gloves selling here quite pathetic, they rip and they are quite short. Can't keep steeling good ones from work (I'm a nurse). Latex is a no for me, I developed an allergy.
I need gloves that cover most of my forearm since most of the accidental smears of raw soap happened around there.
I'm guilty od not wearing long sleeves and closed shoes. I might rethink that strategy since an oven cleaner burnt a 10c size hole on my neck few weeks ago. I'm pretty bad when it comes to discovering lye on my skin. It usually takes about 15mins to start stinging and by that time burn is already there.


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## Susie (Jan 29, 2016)

fuzz-juzz said:


> I wear goggles, apron and heavy duty kitchen gloves. I check gloves regularly for holes. I find nitrile gloves selling here quite pathetic, they rip and they are quite short. Can't keep steeling good ones from work (I'm a nurse). Latex is a no for me, I developed an allergy.
> I need gloves that cover most of my forearm since most of the accidental smears of raw soap happened around there.
> I'm guilty od not wearing long sleeves and closed shoes. I might rethink that strategy since an oven cleaner burnt a 10c size hole on my neck few weeks ago. I'm pretty bad when it comes to discovering lye on my skin. It usually takes about 15mins to start stinging and by that time burn is already there.



You can go to your local medical supply store (Call the DME stores if you don't know a local medical supply.  Someone should be able to point you in the right direction.) and buy real nitrile gloves of the same quality as the hospital.  They are about 2-3 times the price of the Walmart ones, though.


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## fuzz-juzz (Jan 29, 2016)

Susie said:


> You can go to your local medical supply store (Call the DME stores if you don't know a local medical supply.  Someone should be able to point you in the right direction.) and buy real nitrile gloves of the same quality as the hospital.  They are about 2-3 times the price of the Walmart ones, though.



I'm in Australia  but thanks for the info. It might be helpful for folks in US.
I had a look online and I think I've found ones that were quite OK. They are different brand than those at the hospital.
I think my husband picked them up the cleaning supplies store. It's just down the road so I might pop in to get some.
I do remember they were quite pricey, about $25-30 per box.:shock:


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## topofmurrayhill (Jan 30, 2016)

PrettySusannah said:


> Just curious, what protective equipment do you wear while making soap?



Ready to soap!!


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## penelopejane (Feb 5, 2016)

Mr January [emoji41][emoji41][emoji41]


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## SoapSap (Feb 8, 2016)

How about face masks when mixing the lye? I find the fumes to be awful. Does anyone use a respirator mask?  I use good quality painter's masks but I can still have my breath taken away from the lye mix.


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## Susie (Feb 8, 2016)

I mix the lye and water at arm's length in a well ventilated area.  I assure you that no fumes come near my face.


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## Steve85569 (Feb 8, 2016)

SoapSap said:


> How about face masks when mixing the lye? I find the fumes to be awful. Does anyone use a respirator mask?  I use good quality painter's masks but I can still have my breath taken away from the lye mix.



I either mix outside or under the exhaust fan inside. And I have long arms. The lye "fumes" may very well be tiny droplets of steam that have a touch of lye being carried along.* Do not mix in any situation where you cannot avoid breathing those fumes.*


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## paillo (Feb 8, 2016)

Susie said:


> I mix the lye and water at arm's length in a well ventilated area.  I assure you that no fumes come near my face.



Same here, no problems.


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## Scarekrow (Feb 12, 2016)

I dump the lye into the water on top of the stove so its directly under the hood with the fan on high. also wear goggles and "Atlas Glove" brand 26-Inch long sleeve nitrile coated cotton lined work gloves.


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