# Recommendation for heat proof plastic container?



## sheilaohga (Jan 26, 2017)

Hi, I recently shattered 2 of my pyrex glass jar when making lye water.
So I want to try with plastic.
I was being careful when mixing the two but after my second break, I don't want to use the glassware anymore.

Can you recommend good plastic that can withstand harsh lye water without warping the plastic container?
I usually make 50 oz batches so the container shouldn't be too small.

Thank you.


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## IrishLass (Jan 26, 2017)

Anything made of PP#5 plastic (i.e., polypropylene with the recycle code of 5 stamped on the bottom) stands up quite nicely to lye. It is both heat resistant and lye safe. That's what most of us use. Other good lye mixing containers that some soapers use are those made of quality stainless steel and also Nalgene. I myself use a plastic Rubbermaid pitcher made of PP#5 plastic that one can find at any retail or grocery store or dollar store.

I'm sorry you had to find out the hard way that Pyrex/glass is a no-no when it comes to mixing lye solutions. But at least now you know! 


IrishLass 

Edited to add a picture of what I use: http://www.rubbermaid.com/en-US/classic-pitchers


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## Gerry (Jan 26, 2017)

sheilaohga said:


> Hi, I recently shattered 2 of my pyrex glass jar when making lye water.



I'm guessing you live in North America where Pyrex is made by the World Kitchen company and composed of soda-lime glass. It's sad when company's cheap out just because it's North America.  I guess here we can just accept crap more easily.

Those in Europe can use Pyrex for lye mixing just fine, as well as freezing then suddenly grilling over an open campfire. In that side of the world Pyrex baking and cooking glassware is made of borosilicate and made by Arc.  It's real lab quality corning 7740 that we used in biology and chemistry class.

Apparently Pyrex marketing determined that lowering quality to save costs and increase margins would be more acceptable in North American markets, so that's what they did.  Ummm.....???  :silent:


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## Susie (Jan 26, 2017)

I have these in three sizes.  They work quite well, and unlike other thin plastic, they do not get weak when hot.  

https://www.lowes.com/pd/United-Solutions-80-fl-oz-Paint-Pail/999917952


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## Scooter (Jan 26, 2017)

Gerry said:


> I'm guessing you live in North America where Pyrex is made by the World Kitchen company and composed of soda-lime glass.


I knew in the US they had gone to soda-lime... I did not know the rest of the world was still getting the good stuff. Grrrrrrrr. That irritates me. I should be less irritable. It looks like one can still buy borosilicate in the US, but from another company : https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006FYRP2G/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20


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## Gerry (Jan 26, 2017)

Scooter said:


> I knew in the US they had gone to soda-lime... I did not know the rest of the world was still getting the good stuff. Grrrrrrrr. That irritates me. I should be less irritable.



Could you tell I was just on the edge from going on a serious rant? :crazy:

This whole thing irritates me.  Throughout a good part of my life Pyrex=borosilicate.  And without a public announcement, they suddenly change for North America only and people who are used to using Pyrex for certain applications get a surprise!  I'm surprised there aren't lawsuits happening frankly.


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## DawninWA (Jan 27, 2017)

I use the plastic pitchers from the dollar tree, they hold up just fine


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## KristaY (Jan 27, 2017)

I use paint mixing containers you can find from Home Depot, Lowe's, Walmart, etc. They have a few different sizes so you can choose what you need.


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## The Efficacious Gentleman (Jan 27, 2017)

Even with the better Pyrex, I still use plastic for mixing. 

My test for plastics is to pour boiling water in to them - if they hold up pretty well then I use them. Some (like plastic pots that cream cones in over here) might only be single use but can still be handy


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## Relle (Jan 27, 2017)

Scooter said:


> I knew in the US they had gone to soda-lime... I did not know the rest of the world was still getting the good stuff. Grrrrrrrr. QUOTE]
> 
> Doesn't look like we are getting it here. I bought a pyrex measuring cup last year and it had the green tinge to it which means it's the soda lime going by the link below.
> 
> ...


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## Susie (Jan 27, 2017)

Should I not tell y'all that I still have some of the old borosilicate Pyrex measuring cups?  I inherited my parents', and my hubby had some from way back when.  However, plastic is so much lighter, and easily replaceable.


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## dixiedragon (Jan 27, 2017)

I like plastic pitchers as well. The lid is very nice.


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## Gerry (Jan 27, 2017)

Plus if you drop an empty plastic container on your kitchen's ceramic floor it's only an inconvenience because you have to bend over to pick it up.  Drop a heavy glass container and it's more of a disaster.


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## Dahila (Jan 27, 2017)

Is there any way to tell the different ?


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## cmzaha (Jan 27, 2017)

DawninWA said:


> I use the plastic pitchers from the dollar tree, they hold up just fine


Those 99 cent store pitchers bend and spill to easily. At a soap get together I attend periodically I have mentioned the fact and of course go mostly ignored well the last time I went a gal spilled hers and had raw soap all over the table. I hate those cheapo measuring pitches. Paint mixing buckets are much more stable. 



Susie said:


> Should I not tell y'all that I still have some of the old borosilicate Pyrex measuring cups?  I inherited my parents', and my hubby had some from way back when.  However, plastic is so much lighter, and easily replaceable.


LOL, so do I and I cherish them. I also have several of the old borosilicate glass saucepans. Got rid of the glass fry pans years ago and kinda wish I still had them. I use 1 and 2 gallon hdpe buckets for mixing


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## mx5inpenn (Jan 27, 2017)

cmzaha said:


> Those 99 cent store pitchers bend and spill to easily. At a soap get together I attend periodically I have mentioned the fact and of course go mostly ignored well the last time I went a gal spilled hers and had raw soap all over the table. I hate those cheapo measuring pitches. Paint mixing buckets are much more stable.
> 
> 
> LOL, so do I and I cherish them. I also have several of the old borosilicate glass saucepans. Got rid of the glass fry pans years ago and kinda wish I still had them. I use 1 and 2 gallon hdpe buckets for mixing



I miss my old sauce and frying pan. The sauce pan was the last to go a few years ago. It went out with a bang (right on the floor) and was well loved for many years.


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## Relle (Jan 28, 2017)

Dahila said:


> Is there any way to tell the different ?



Going by the link I found - the soda lime have a greenish tinge and the other one is clear.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrex


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## navigator9 (Jan 28, 2017)

Dahila said:


> Is there any way to tell the different ?



This may help. http://www.network54.com/Forum/500426/thread/1335966143/Identifying+old+vs+new+clear+Pyrex-
You can often find the old Pyrex at thrift stores.


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## sheilaohga (Jan 30, 2017)

Thank you all for the replies.
Now I will go for plastic and never use the glass again!!
I thought Pyrex was Pyrex (my mom still uses hers after 30 years) but now I know.. 
So shocked I jumped back when that glass just POOFED and turned to bits and pieces. Thank goodness I was wearing my glove and my goggles.

Thank you!


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## sheilaohga (Jan 30, 2017)

I have the plastic pail which I got my coconut oil from and it is HDPE 2.
Can I use this for the lye water?


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## Gerry (Jan 30, 2017)

sheilaohga said:


> I have the plastic pail which I got my coconut oil from and it is HDPE 2.
> Can I use this for the lye water?



I've used the same in the past (small CO bucket HDPE 2) and it worked okay.  Although it never actually melted and held its shape fine, it does get really soft from the heat. Doesn't react with the lye at least.


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## Susie (Jan 31, 2017)

sheilaohga said:


> I have the plastic pail which I got my coconut oil from and it is HDPE 2.
> Can I use this for the lye water?



I really prefer #5 on the bottom of mine.  It gets soft, but not nearly as soft as the #2.  Lard comes in #2 pails.


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## snappyllama (Jan 31, 2017)

Like most everyone else here, I use plastic #5 for my lye water (actually a rubbermaid pitcher that's got a nice pouring spout). For mixing my batter, I use a ton of those paint buckets from the hardware store. I like having the quart and pint ones so I can still blend small amounts when separating for colors. The price is perfect, they fit in the microwave when melting oils, and I don't have to care about replacing them. I save my lard buckets and also use them too (handy when doing many batches at once... note which one is in the blue bucket, white bucket, etc.

One thing the paint buckets do not hold up to... microwaving stearic acid. They melted before the oils did. That'll teach me to try being lazy about having to clean a double boiler...


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