# Lye water expiration?



## JBB (Sep 13, 2014)

Once you mix your lye and Distilled water, how long does it keep? I mixed mine earlier but got caught up in another project and never made it back to make my soap yet. It has been about 7 1/2 hrs now. Will the solution go bad or will I have any challenges with my lye water being cool instead of warm when I mix it with my warm oils?


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## AKjulz (Sep 13, 2014)

It doesn't go bad.  Many people, myself included, make large batches of 50/50 lye and water and use it in batches over time.  I store mine in an HDPE jug and just pour off what I need for that batch.  I have had no problems soaping with room temp lye or oils.


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## shunt2011 (Sep 13, 2014)

I haven't masterbatched my lye but I do masterbatch my oils and I generally make my lye mixture in the morning and then when I get home from work I make my soap.  That's usually 8-9 hours or so.  I've never had a problem doing that.  I do want to start masterbatching my lye in the near future.  Just need to find a jug to do it in.  It would certainly save time.


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## AKjulz (Sep 13, 2014)

I think the jug I've been using for the last year or so originally held apple juice.  Most of the HDPE jugs I find have lids that snap on and off, gallon size vinegar for example...not good for lye.  This one with the screw on lid has been working great.  I mix 5 lbs of lye at a time (10 lbs total) and also master-batch my oils, I must say it makes soaping SO much easier!  Just made another oil master-batch today.  I do it in a 5 gallon bucket, melt my hard oils first dump it all in and stir well (I stir again before I pour a batch). Only draw back to MB oils is that it's hard to pour from a 5 gallon bucket


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## IrishLass (Sep 14, 2014)

I master-batch my lye, too. It lasts a looooong time. I did an experiment once a few years ago with mine- I let it sit for about 8 months to a year before using it, and it soaped just as wonderfully as my freshly made solution.

 I make enough 50% solution to fit inside one of those gallon-sized liquid detergent jugs (made of HDPE) with the drip-proof spout and screw-on lid. 

 IrishLass


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## sassanellat (Sep 14, 2014)

We create very concentrated (10N) sodium hydroxide master stock for labs, Sealed in a jugs so no water evaporates, we use it for five years or more. It's very stable, and for soaping, it's pretty nice to start with cold lye solution ready whenever you need it.


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## AKjulz (Sep 14, 2014)

IrishLass, I just emptied one of those detergent containers, I think it's time to switch jugs and go for an even bigger batch.  Having lye and m-b oils on hand all cool and ready to go sure does fuel the addiction!


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## Booko (Sep 14, 2014)

Lye solution doesn't go bad.

It's not customary to keep premixed alkali solutions in a chem lab, as different reactions may require different molarity, but once in a blue moon it makes sense to do so.


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## KatieShephard (Sep 16, 2014)

Total noob question here...but when you masterbatched your lye solution, how do you go about measuring it for different batches?


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## IrishLass (Sep 16, 2014)

Katie, here is a thread to answer that question:

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=26634

 IrishLass


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## KatieShephard (Sep 16, 2014)

IrishLass said:


> Katie, here is a thread to answer that question:
> 
> http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=26634
> 
> IrishLass



Thank you IrishLass   Will read through tomorrow...my eyes and brain are telling me it's too late to be thinking logically and mathematically


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## CiCi (Sep 16, 2014)

I make my solution up 10 batches at a time and soap them throughout the week.


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## JBB (Sep 17, 2014)

Wow, great information. Thanks everyone!


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