# lye solution has particles floating around



## jeanna (Mar 2, 2009)

I am trying to make CP soap with goats milk (evap) added at trace.

I dissolved my lye into the water and it has not dissolved all the way.  There are tiny particles floating around in there.  Can I still combine my lye with the oils to make soap or do I need to add a few more tablespoons of water to get it to dissolve all the way.

I cut back on the amount of water to adjust for the milk that I will be adding at soap as per some instructions I found somewhere - probably about.com.

Thanks so much.

Jeanna


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## Guest (Mar 2, 2009)

Adding more water probably isn't the answer.  You might just need to stir it for a bit longer.

What are your weight measurements of lye and water?


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## AshleyR (Mar 2, 2009)

Are you using a plastic container to mix your lye by any chance?

I ask because I have had these little floating "white flakes" in my lye mixture when I use a plastic juice jug to mix it in. I'm not sure why - I think the lye may have been eating away at the plastic or something. 

I use a tempered glass jar now. Most people will tell you NOT to use glass for mixing lye in (it can explode - it's happend to me with a pyrex dish of hot oils!) Butttt the jar I use is super thick tempered glass and I'm very careful. 

Does anyone have any recommendations of other things to mix the lye in besides glass or plastic?


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## Guest (Mar 2, 2009)

AshleyR said:
			
		

> Are you using a plastic container to mix your lye by any chance?
> 
> I ask because I have had these little floating "white flakes" in my lye mixture when I use a plastic juice jug to mix it in. I'm not sure why - I think the lye may have been eating away at the plastic or something.
> 
> ...



Plastic should stand up just fine to lye solution.  The white flakes may have been dried matter inside the container, loosened up by the lye.


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## jeanna (Mar 2, 2009)

The lady in my town who regularly makes soap told me to mix my lye/water in a quart canning jar which could take the heat.

She mixes her lye/water and then leaves it until the next day to add to the oils (at room temp).

So that's what I did.  I'm using 2.2 oz lye to 4 oz water. (because I need to add the goat milk (evap.)

What will be affected if there are particles in there?

I will try stirring again really well to see if that helps.

Thanks.

Jeanna


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## AshleyR (Mar 2, 2009)

jeanna said:
			
		

> The lady in my town who regularly makes soap told me to mix my lye/water in a quart canning jar which could take the heat.
> 
> She mixes her lye/water and then leaves it until the next day to add to the oils (at room temp).
> 
> ...



Hmm, if you mixed it in the glass jar I have no idea what the particles are. Did you leave it uncovered overnight? Maybe some dust or something blew into it?

Not sure, maybe someone else will have an answer for you!


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## xyxoxy (Mar 2, 2009)

You're not using drain cleaner instead of 100% lye are you?
I know some drain cleaners have a mixture of lye and metal flakes which should NEVER be used for soap.

If it's not 100% Sodium Hydroxide don't use it.

If that's not the answer then I'm out of ideas too.


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## topcat (Mar 2, 2009)

As long as you have an equal or greater weight of water to lye then it should be all dissolved - the floaty bits may be from the jug itself.

Tanya


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## carebear (Mar 2, 2009)

we call 'em floaters.  don't worry about them.  it is MY belief that they are saponified bits of residual oils on your spoon or jar.  now that doesn't make sense really, cause soap dissolves - but the explanation works none the less.  (I

I used to sweat it and even filter them out but found that completely ignoring their presence is just fine and much less dangerous than playing with the lye.

Fish or filter them out if you must, but your lye is fine.

And while lots of folks use glass, it's not recommended because even canning jars can break and the last thing you want is a flood of extremely caustic lye water.

There's a thread or two about that here which you are welcome to ignore LOL.


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## starduster (Mar 2, 2009)

*We al learn*

Once apon a time I had a lye mix that I was stirring with a pre-used and washed wooden spoon.I stirred on and on.On and on etc.Still flakes,then someone doing some work on my place got curious, came over and had a look and said that is just little bits of old soap or something off the spoon. Duh? me?
  8)


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## Rosey (Mar 2, 2009)

so not to hijack but what do you use then if you don't use glass? I use a big glass container i found at walmart. Should I just use a stainless steel thing?


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## Guest (Mar 2, 2009)

Rosey said:
			
		

> so not to hijack but what do you use then if you don't use glass? I use a big glass container i found at walmart. Should I just use a stainless steel thing?



I just use a plastic container with a pour spout that came with my SB.  Lye doesn't react with plastic, and the 180-200° F temperature created by the lye solution is perfectly safe for plastic.

Keep in mind that the pure lye you get online is shipped in plastic containers...


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## mamaT (Mar 2, 2009)

I use a stainless steel container, it's one of those inserts like you find in a steam table in a resturant.  Works great, I've got two of them and use them also to melt oils by sitting it in a pan of boiling water.


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## carebear (Mar 2, 2009)

Use a pitcher made of HDPE (recycling code 2) or polypropylene (recycling code 5).

http://www.ides.com/resources/plastic-r ... -codes.asp


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## Rosey (Mar 2, 2009)

Danielito said:
			
		

> Rosey said:
> 
> 
> 
> > Keep in mind that the pure lye you get online is shipped in plastic containers...



yes but it's not at almost 200F either 

I'm only making small batches but i'm worried about the time i make big ones. hmmmm I'll just get another stainless steel sometimes and then i'll stop worrying about that.

Thanks!


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## kathryn (Mar 2, 2009)

Are you using distilled water? If not, the little bits may be from using non-distilled water. I get them all the time if I don't use distilled but that doesn't affect my soap at all that I'm aware of!


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## Soapmomma (Mar 2, 2009)

I have got this before many times and came to the same conclusion as carebear, I washed my lye mixing bowl (a recycled 1 qt crockpot) with my oil measuring bowl and just figured I didn't get all the oil rinsed good.


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## Guest (Mar 2, 2009)

Rosey said:
			
		

> yes but it's not at almost 200F either



Like I said, 200° F isn't nearly hot enough to damage a plastic container.... but stainless steel works too.......


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## carebear (Mar 2, 2009)

ah, but some thin plastic isn't very stable when it gets hot.  so be careful

(for example, a milk jug isn't your best bet)


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## Guest (Mar 3, 2009)

carebear said:
			
		

> ah, but some thin plastic isn't very stable when it gets hot.  so be careful
> 
> (for example, a milk jug isn't your best bet)



True, lol -- look for plastic measuring containers or other containers made of thick, hard plastic.


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## xyxoxy (Mar 3, 2009)

I use a large Rubbermaid pitcher to mix my lye and Ikea has these great little white plastic pitchers that are great for measuring liquids and mixing ingredients like colors etc.


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## Jeremy (Mar 3, 2009)

If they look like tiny soap flakes, then don't worry.  I believe we all have them, every batch I make ends up having them and they always turn out, as in not lye heavy, not perfect batches, boy I've had some stinkers.


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