# potassium hydroxide koh



## leslieas6 (Nov 14, 2011)

I would like to try making shampoo.  I am trying to find out any specific product (brand) names that I should look for or buy containing only potassium hydroxide.  What stores would possibly carry it. I'm hoping to find it locally first before having to buy online.


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## MychelleC (Nov 14, 2011)

I'm not sure I understand your question.  Are you looking for a potassium hydroxide supplier?  I don't know of one, but I don't make soap.  Why do you want potassium hydroxide in a shampoo?  Are you looking to make a soap-based shampoo?  Check out Swift's blog for a ton of info on shampoo making.  Maybe someone else here can be of more help.


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## carebear (Nov 14, 2011)

You are trying to make a liquid soap to use as a shampoo, correct?

You can get KOH at AAA Chemicals - and many other soap suppliers as well.

Good luck.


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## Arkie-annie (Nov 14, 2011)

*KOH*

KOH / Caustic Potash is typically only used for liquid soaps like for washing your hands.  Most shampoos (that I know of) do not contain KOH. 
Do you have a particular formulation you are looking at?

Most of your hair/ body wash formulations will be something like blends of gentle surfactants - coco glucoside / coco betaine and decyl glucoside, with some add'l conditioners and m aybe a thickening agent (salt if you are using sulfates I guess)


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## leslieas6 (Nov 15, 2011)

Most of the recipes I have found making shampoo from scratch call for potassium hydroxide (koh). A few I have found call for sodium Hydroxide (na oh).  I have also found a few using a castille soap base, from my understanding is pure olive oil and potassium hydroxide for a liquid soap base.  I would mainly like to make the liquid shampoo- tho I am also interested in making a shampoo bar at some point when I have found a recipe that would be compatible to my hair. 
 It took a while for me to find the 100% sodium hydroxide(na oh) in a local store in a name brand product.  I was hoping to do the same with the potassium hydroxide (koh), since I want to start with a liquid shampoo I need the potassium hydroxide (koh) not the sodium hydroxide (na oh).


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## Hazel (Nov 15, 2011)

Have you checked for a chemical supply company near where you live? I don't think you'll find KOH in regular stores.


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## carebear (Nov 15, 2011)

Annie, I assume you meant that most shampoos are not made WITH KOH, not CONTAIN because of course all the caustic is consumed in the reaction with the oil and the finished shampoo wouldn't contain any.

Commercial shampoos are detergent based (soaps and detergents are both surfactants), and these are generally kinder to your hair.  But some people still prefer SOAP for their hair - liquid or bar.  If it's liquid we still call it SHAMPOO.

Yes, you can make your own shampoo using KOH and oils.  It's unlikely you will find a local source of KOH.  I order mine from AAA Chemicals, but there are other soap suppliers from whom you can order it as well.


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## leslieas6 (Nov 15, 2011)

Thank you for your help.  Looks like I may have to order it online.  I just wanted to try and keep my purchases as local as possible.


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## evought (Apr 3, 2014)

If you do have a local source for KOH, it is likely to be a restaurant supplier. Aqueous KOH is used in commercial dish-washing as a sterilizing rinse. These KOH dish-washing rinses can be used for soap-making and are a little easier than using anhydrous (dry, powdered) KOH because it is already diluted. You just have to take the extra water into account in your soap recipe.


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## Susie (Apr 3, 2014)

If you can order from the internet, that is where I get mine.  I would not know where to begin to locate it locally.


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