# Best lye brands



## Jen74 (Aug 27, 2021)

What brand sodium hydroxide ( lye) do you guys use? I've been using Bell Chemicals. How, I got a bad batch  a couple months ago so was looking into other brands. Anyone have a Brand that has never failed them?


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## Mobjack Bay (Aug 27, 2021)

Essential Depot, The Lye Guy and Duda(?) Diesel lye have all worked fine for me.  I like the way the ED container handles and seals the best of the three brands. I occasionally use the brand from Ace Hardware if I run out, but it definitely has more impurities compared with the others I’ve tried.


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## kagey (Aug 27, 2021)

I use drain operner from Walmart.
Cheap and has never failed me!


			Robot or human?


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## Susie (Aug 28, 2021)

kagey said:


> I use drain operner from Walmart.
> Cheap and has never failed me!
> 
> 
> Robot or human?



Praying for you this weekend! 

Once you start using lye from Essential Depot or The Lye Guy, you won't go back.


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## Cat&Oak (Aug 28, 2021)

I used Brambleberry lye for many years and never had an issue. Last lye batch was from Nurture soap.


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## kagey (Aug 28, 2021)

Susie said:


> Praying for you this weekend!


thanks - making last minute preparations for the hurricane. thinking about collecting rainwater.
Q: would it be bad to make and sell soap "made with Hurrican Ida water?"




Susie said:


> Once you start using lye from Essential Depot or The Lye Guy, you won't go back.


I don't understand why? Aren't lye crystals all the same? Don't they all perform identically?


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## violets2217 (Aug 28, 2021)

I've definitely used the Ace Hardware lye and never had a problem with it. Since I've been using so much of it lately, I been buying 10lbs at a time from Nature's Garden and not had any issues. I have notice sometimes a wee bit of lye lint and have strained as I poured it into oils, but other than that, all was good. They also have good sales on lye sometimes. I did just order 12lbs from Duda Diesel and have not had a chance to try it yet, so we will see!


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## Zing (Aug 28, 2021)

Always Roebic from Menards.  Never a problem.


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## Susie (Aug 28, 2021)

I was having issues buying 100% NaOH locally. It was usually old, clumpy, and I got the third degree when I tried to buy it. Then I started buying it online from actual soapmaking sites that had a much better turnover rate. So I then got fresh, non-clumpy, performed well consistently product. It really was a game changer. 

I think NOLA is going to get the worst of this storm since it will be on the northeast quadrant. And it looks like it will be a Cat 4/5 by landfall. I have encouraged everyone I know in Houma, Thibodaux, and NOLA to evacuate. I especially don't think those levees are going to hold nor those pumps going to work efficiently in NOLA, no matter what the Corps of Engineers say.


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## Mobjack Bay (Aug 28, 2021)

One bottle of lye I had from Ace had chunks of something that looked like scale off the side of a metal container. I used tweezers to pick out the pieces I could find, but used it because it was all I had on hand. It was annoying at the least and at the worst a source of DOS-triggering contamination. So far, soap is okay, but IMHO using inferior lye is not worth the worry.

@Susie yes, really a serious situation down on the GOM and heartbreaking to think about NOLA and adjacent areas getting the worst of it.


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## MrsZ (Aug 28, 2021)

Mobjack Bay said:


> One bottle of lye I had from Ace had chunks of something that looked like scale off the side of a metal container. I used tweezers to pick out the pieces I could find, but used it because it was all I had on hand. It was annoying at the least and at the worst a source of DOS-triggering contamination. So far, soap is okay, but IMHO using inferior lye is not worth the worry.


I've been using lye from Ace hardware since I started making soap. The last few bottles however, have had lots of black specks mixed in. Definitely quite a bit of contamination. I probably should buy better lye now too.


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## Susie (Aug 28, 2021)

I think they are putting in ingredients to discourage people from making certain illegal substances with the supposedly pure NaOH.


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## melinda48 (Aug 28, 2021)

I used to get mine in our local Amish community but then began having some problems with my soap and decided to try Essential Depot lye. Not going back.


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## TennisGirl (Aug 28, 2021)

When I used to use the Ace Hardware stuff, I always had to strain the solution to remove the black flecks. Now I either buy from ED when they have a sale, or I get it from a local chemical supply store for about half the price. Minimum 50lb tho.


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## melinda48 (Aug 28, 2021)

TennisGirl said:


> When I used to use the Ace Hardware stuff, I always had to strain the solution to remove the black flecks. Now I either buy from ED when they have a sale, or I get it from a local chemical supply store for about half the price. Minimum 50lb tho.


50# isn’t really that much. Hmm….will have to look into that.


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## Nona'sFarm (Aug 29, 2021)

Susie said:


> I think they are putting in ingredients to discourage people from making certain illegal substances with the supposedly pure NaOH.


Ok, so I am fairly naive regarding illegal substances. What illegal substance calls for lye?



kagey said:


> I don't understand why? Aren't lye crystals all the same? Don't they all perform identically?


I thought the same, then found out some other things can be mixed in.
There is a good article by @DeeAnna about checking the purity of your lye at this site.





						Soapy Stuff
					

Classic Bells restores antique sleigh bells and manufactures bell home decor. Wholesale. Retail.




					classicbells.com


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## Professor Bernardo (Aug 29, 2021)

Nona'sFarm said:


> Ok, so I am fairly naive regarding illegal substances. What illegal substance calls for lye?


The making of methamphetamine and crystal meth uses sodium hydroxide in it's conversion process.  A lot of volatile chemicals are used and that is why the "home labs" often blow up or catch fire.  I believe it is used in making crack cocaine also.
I use to be able to get lye at the HEB stores here in Texas but most don't sell it anymore.  

Most of the sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide is made be a few large chemical companies and then is sold in bulk aka drums of it to distributors who repackage it with their own labels.  It is best to try and find anhydrous lye as it is free of H2O.  Once opened though the exposure to humidity starts to affect it, especially potassium hydroxide.


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## Professor Bernardo (Aug 29, 2021)

kagey said:


> I don't understand why? Aren't lye crystals all the same? Don't they all perform identically?


Yes it is, there are many industrial grades, kosher and food grade also.  Kosher and Food grade is what is recommended for soap making.  Actually quite a few different grades, but for our purposes kosher or food grade is recommended.


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## melinda48 (Aug 29, 2021)

Nona'sFarm said:


> Ok, so I am fairly naive regarding illegal substances. What illegal substance calls for lye?


Meth. That is why people steal hydrous ammonia from farms also. Meth is a scourge and lye can be an important component in its production.


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## Peachy Clean Soap (Aug 29, 2021)

Ive used Roebic 100% lye from lowes & tractor supply, both carry it.  Currently i'm using & continued to use for the past 9 months or longer "Belle" is the company name I order off amazon.  Both brands of lye have been good w/ no issues.


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## Rsapienza (Sep 2, 2021)

I get mine at a local chemical company, but have used The Lye Guy, WSP, and Lowe’s. Never noticed a difference in any of them. FWIW, Essential Depot just started only selling food grade in the past few years so I don’t know if I agree with it “having” to be food grade. I could be wrong but from my understanding, food grade has more to do with the standards the manufacturing facility must meet.


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## Vicki C (Sep 2, 2021)

I’ve been using Rooto from Ace with no problems. I recently made a large purchase from the Lye Guy, 36 pounds. It was just barely cheaper than Rooto. He was very responsive and good to work with, but I received it later than expected and had run out of lye (got the shipping notification several days before it had actually been sent) and the box it was sent in was scarily flimsy for such a large amount of lye. I mentioned it to him and he said his supplier had sent him flimsy boxes. So, I’ll probably go back to Ace. They have sales that put they price at $2.99/lb.


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## Professor Bernardo (Sep 2, 2021)

I just found a company called Belle Chemical.  I originally saw the product on Amazon and did a search on Google.

Pricing is good with free shipping.  KOH is $12.49 for a 2# container and a quantity of 5 - 2# containers is $29.99
for the NaOH it is $13.99 for a 2# jar and a quantity of 5 - 2# jars is $40, 10 - 2# is $75


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## Catscankim (Sep 2, 2021)

I use Belle Chemicals. Never had a problem, except sometimes the container is hard to open.


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## Rick Jarvis (Sep 3, 2021)

Local suppliers might be best. Mine offers a 50lb bag at 95 cents a pound but has a weird 25 dollar environmental fee but still a bargain.


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## earlene (Sep 3, 2021)

I don't think any is the Best.  I just make sure it says it is pure lye, meaning no other ingredients are in the mix.  Food grade only matters if using it for food preparation, which I don't, so I'll buy whichever one I can find for the most reasonable bottom line cost & speed of delivery.

I have purchased a few different brands, both while at home ordering online and on the road when making soap while traveling.  No end product (soap) differences noted with any of the different brands over the years in my experience, although I don't particularly like the large flakes some come as.  But I learned to get used to what I get when I open the bottle.

I like the convenience of online ordering and really enjoy taking advantage of sales that come along with free shipping, which I often find give me the best 'bang for my buck'.  I also like buying products from vendors who deliver (at no additional cost) directly to the soap conferences I attend, which Essential Depot does if ordered with that stipulation.  I also really like the HDPE bottles that the Essential Depot lye comes in with a very secure child-proof lid, especially because they're a good size for my elderly hands when full of MB lye solution.  So I have purchased from ED more than any other vendor, and with these types of savings, their products do end up being competitive.   Speaking of the lye bottles, even though the Lye Guy's website now says the bottles will be sent in better quality HDPE bottles with child proof caps, the picture still shows the PET bottle that it came in when I used his product; I feared it would crack too easily & I certainly could not use it to store lye solution the way I can in ED's bottles.  If the new bottles really are what he's selling his product in, that would certainly make me rethink using his product.

But I have also purchased at Hardware stores, Tractor Supply Company, etc. while traveling throughout the US.  The soaps all turn out just fine no matter which NaOH I purchase.  I have found the best price for NaOH in ACE hardware stores versus the big box stores, but tend to drop in at TSC because they are almost always visible from the Freeway making them a more convenient stop while traveling.

KOH, of course, I have to order online; I've never seen it on a shelf in any brick and mortar store, although I don't get to actual soap supplier b&m stores, so maybe I just don't go to the right places.


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