Jen74
Well-Known Member
What brand sodium hydroxide ( lye) do you guys use? I've been using Bell Chemicals. How, I got a bad batch a couple months ago so was looking into other brands. Anyone have a Brand that has never failed them?
Best lye brands
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Essential Depot, The Lye Guy and Duda(?) Diesel lye have all worked fine for me. I like the way the ED container handles and seals the best of the three brands. I occasionally use the brand from Ace Hardware if I run out, but it definitely has more impurities compared with the others I’ve tried.
I use drain operner from Walmart.
Cheap and has never failed me!
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Instant-Power-Crystal-Lye-Drain-Opener-16-oz/55227093?athbdg=L1200
Cheap and has never failed me!
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Instant-Power-Crystal-Lye-Drain-Opener-16-oz/55227093?athbdg=L1200
Praying for you this weekend!
Once you start using lye from Essential Depot or The Lye Guy, you won't go back.
Cat&Oak
Well-Known Member
I used Brambleberry lye for many years and never had an issue. Last lye batch was from Nurture soap.
thanks - making last minute preparations for the hurricane. thinking about collecting rainwater.
Q: would it be bad to make and sell soap "made with Hurrican Ida water?"
I don't understand why? Aren't lye crystals all the same? Don't they all perform identically?
violets2217
Well-Known Member
I've definitely used the Ace Hardware lye and never had a problem with it. Since I've been using so much of it lately, I been buying 10lbs at a time from Nature's Garden and not had any issues. I have notice sometimes a wee bit of lye lint and have strained as I poured it into oils, but other than that, all was good. They also have good sales on lye sometimes. I did just order 12lbs from Duda Diesel and have not had a chance to try it yet, so we will see!
Always Roebic from Menards. Never a problem.
I was having issues buying 100% NaOH locally. It was usually old, clumpy, and I got the third degree when I tried to buy it. Then I started buying it online from actual soapmaking sites that had a much better turnover rate. So I then got fresh, non-clumpy, performed well consistently product. It really was a game changer.
I think NOLA is going to get the worst of this storm since it will be on the northeast quadrant. And it looks like it will be a Cat 4/5 by landfall. I have encouraged everyone I know in Houma, Thibodaux, and NOLA to evacuate. I especially don't think those levees are going to hold nor those pumps going to work efficiently in NOLA, no matter what the Corps of Engineers say.
I think NOLA is going to get the worst of this storm since it will be on the northeast quadrant. And it looks like it will be a Cat 4/5 by landfall. I have encouraged everyone I know in Houma, Thibodaux, and NOLA to evacuate. I especially don't think those levees are going to hold nor those pumps going to work efficiently in NOLA, no matter what the Corps of Engineers say.
One bottle of lye I had from Ace had chunks of something that looked like scale off the side of a metal container. I used tweezers to pick out the pieces I could find, but used it because it was all I had on hand. It was annoying at the least and at the worst a source of DOS-triggering contamination. So far, soap is okay, but IMHO using inferior lye is not worth the worry.
@Susie yes, really a serious situation down on the GOM and heartbreaking to think about NOLA and adjacent areas getting the worst of it.
@Susie yes, really a serious situation down on the GOM and heartbreaking to think about NOLA and adjacent areas getting the worst of it.
I've been using lye from Ace hardware since I started making soap. The last few bottles however, have had lots of black specks mixed in. Definitely quite a bit of contamination. I probably should buy better lye now too.
I think they are putting in ingredients to discourage people from making certain illegal substances with the supposedly pure NaOH.
I used to get mine in our local Amish community but then began having some problems with my soap and decided to try Essential Depot lye. Not going back.
TennisGirl
Well-Known Member
When I used to use the Ace Hardware stuff, I always had to strain the solution to remove the black flecks. Now I either buy from ED when they have a sale, or I get it from a local chemical supply store for about half the price. Minimum 50lb tho.
50# isn’t really that much. Hmm….will have to look into that.
Ok, so I am fairly naive regarding illegal substances. What illegal substance calls for lye?
I thought the same, then found out some other things can be mixed in.
There is a good article by @DeeAnna about checking the purity of your lye at this site.
https://classicbells.com/soap/soapyStuff.asp
user 49910
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The making of methamphetamine and crystal meth uses sodium hydroxide in it's conversion process. A lot of volatile chemicals are used and that is why the "home labs" often blow up or catch fire. I believe it is used in making crack cocaine also.
I use to be able to get lye at the HEB stores here in Texas but most don't sell it anymore.
Most of the sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide is made be a few large chemical companies and then is sold in bulk aka drums of it to distributors who repackage it with their own labels. It is best to try and find anhydrous lye as it is free of H2O. Once opened though the exposure to humidity starts to affect it, especially potassium hydroxide.
user 49910
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Yes it is, there are many industrial grades, kosher and food grade also. Kosher and Food grade is what is recommended for soap making. Actually quite a few different grades, but for our purposes kosher or food grade is recommended.
Meth. That is why people steal hydrous ammonia from farms also. Meth is a scourge and lye can be an important component in its production.
Peachy Clean Soap
Well-Known Member
Ive used Roebic 100% lye from lowes & tractor supply, both carry it. Currently i'm using & continued to use for the past 9 months or longer "Belle" is the company name I order off amazon. Both brands of lye have been good w/ no issues.
