50% lye solution "lye crust"

[xraygrl]

I just made a 50% lye solution: 5.2 oz of lye, 5.2 oz of water. Slowly added the lye to the water and stirred and stirred. I left it on the counter to cool for a while whilst I gathered the rest of my supplies, measured and melted etc. When I went to take a look at the lye water it had a sort of thin white translucent crust floating on top of the lye water....lye water underneath was clear. I assumed that this was undissolved lye so I measured another ounce or so of water and added that into the lye water and stirred again. It immediately clouded up like lye water will initially do when you add the lye to it. The water is distilled. I made the steep "water discount" so that I could add a hefty portion of yogurt to make up the difference to a 28% lye solution.


Have any of you had a Lye crust" on your 50% solution, and if so how do you deal with it? I used to have a strainer, but can't find it.

 

[new12soap]

If it was just a film on the surface, it's probably just a little soda ash, and I wouldn't worry about it. If it was lye falling out of solution it would be on the bottom.

Just a note, when making a 50/50 solution, weigh your container then weigh the solution. You can lose a little water to evaporation. And if your water (or room) is very cold, it may take a little more than 50% water.

 

[IrishLass]

Ditto everything new12soap said. Also- if there is any hidden soap residue left on your lye mixing container from previous washings, it, too, can show up as floaties/crusties.

When I mix my 50% solution up, I do as new12soap said and weigh my empty mixing container and the finished solution so that I can add the correct amount of water back in if any happened to evaporate while being mixed. For what its worth, I normally lose about 6 or 7 grams of water to evaporation (sometimes a little bit more).


IrishLass

 

[xraygrl]

yes, it did look like a film on the surface, with clear lye solution underneath. I did find my sieve so I did strain it out just in case. It's been quite some time since I've done a 50% lye solution, so maybe the crust was there before and I just don't remember.

ok, so add extra water after to account for evaporation. Will keep that in mind. I don't often soap with a 50% solution (33% is my normal) so I may have forgotten that part.

ETA thank you both for your replies. My soap is in the crockpot cooking away ATM Hopefully I can post some pics later.