# Ace Hardware lye (Rooto, Roebic's)



## Maythorn (Oct 7, 2011)

Are these both okay for soaping?  The bottles say 100% lye on them.


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## LauraHoosier (Oct 7, 2011)

I get Red Crown from a local hardware store here in KY and it works great.  Says 98.5% sodium hydroxide.  To get much better out here I'd have to order online I think.  So long as its the right kind of lye it should work fine.


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## paillo (Oct 7, 2011)

i use rooto all the time, it's what i can get at my local hardware store


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## Maythorn (Oct 7, 2011)

Rooto is $3.99 and Roebic's at a different Ace is $5 something.  I'm glad I happened upon the Rooto.  I need it -- after wasting it on several failed batches lately.

Thanx.


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## Mouse (Oct 7, 2011)

I get mine at Ace. You should be good. I've never had a problem. They better keep carrying it, too-it's the only place I can get it locally.


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## LauraHoosier (Oct 10, 2011)

Ace allows for buying online and they'll ship to your local store.  If you are going to sell your soaps it pays to talk to the store manager to see if he can give you a discount (even small ones add up) if you order through him by the 12 pack/case.  My current hardware is willing to give me a discount and even if its just 5-6% then its the cost of my sales tax.

I have since found an Ace close to me who carries Rooto and once I'm about half through the lye I have now I'll be heading out to meet with the store manager and put in an order.

ETA: I'd rather have 100% pure then 98.5% since I've had a few batches do weird things for no apparent reason.  Getting pure lye is a good way to rule out one potential source since some of my batches are acting like they didn't have enough lye in them yet my figures are right, my scale batteries are fresh, and my scale is spot on.


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## ShariLynn (Oct 10, 2011)

I've used Roebic's before with no problems at all - it's 100% sodium hydroxide.  I got mine from Lowe's building supply (in the plumbing section), never thought to check at Ace.  It's kind of pricey to buy one can at a time, so I switched to bulk online purchases.  Even with shipping it's way cheaper that way.


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## Mouse (Oct 10, 2011)

LauraHoosier, thanks for the tip! I may have to do that, especially since I seem to be making more and more every year. I have so much soap curing arouns my house that it's annoying my husband. LOL! He's nudging me to get an Etsy and start selling it, but I'm not ready for that yet. Maybe next summer when farmer's market starts again in my area. It may be worth building a relationship with the Ace guy anyway. Sometimes I worry that I may get "red-flagged" for buying so much lye. Years ago, I decided I was going to try to make soap and started looking for lye and couldn't find it anywhere. When I asked a store why, after a dozen "no, we don't carry it" answers, the clerk told me they don't sell it because people make meth wih it. I live in a different state now which thankfully has it on the shelf at Ace, but I worry sometimes that they think I use it for nefarious purposes. I should go in and talk to the manager, maybe bring them some soap


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## LauraHoosier (Oct 10, 2011)

The nice part about "hooking up" with your Ace hardware manager for buying in larger quantities is that they can tell you if they can order larger containers for you or not.  They can't ship to your house but if you can order bigger containers that's less money spent in product and gas to pick it up.

Another plus is that you can request to file with him a hazmat sheet in advance so if the company gets flagged or you do then the sheet is already on file stating why you buy it.  Saves everyone the hassel.


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