Clumping lye?

[FloridaSoaper]

Ok, so I haven't made soap since around I don't know...July or August I think? I bought some lye from the lye depot and it's been sitting on top of my hutch undisturbed with the lid screwed on tight. I pulled it down to make a batch tonight and noticed that it had some clumps in it, some small, some big...not all the way through, but you get the drift. So is it still good? I'm thinking I read somewhere that clumping lye was bad? The clumps do break apart really easily when you dump them out...and in water no problems stirring, so maybe they're only faux clumps? Haha, ok so I'm grasping at straws here, but maybe there's a difference between clumps. Anyways, somebody help me out here, ha! I want to keep making soap and not have to order more lye.
Thanks

 

[cerelife]

OK, first I've got to say how jealous I am that you live so close to our beloved St. Augustine! I soo miss the peace of Nombre de Dios and the beauty of Crescent Beach...lucky you!!
That said..I buy my lye from a little local grocery store under the brand name "Rooto"...a 1 lb bottle is $3.99. Not to economical maybe (I've never priced lye online), but I only make soap for us, and I spend my money locally when possible. Before I take the seal off, I shake them up a bit, but there are always some clumps. Not had a problem so far with my soaps...hope this helps!

 

[FloridaSoaper]

That does help! And yes I try to get around FL some to see all the wonderful sights, but I've only been to St. Augustine once! And I know I live soo close. And when I say "been to St. Augustin", I mean to actually walk around and see stuff. It really is the most beautiful city!! Anyways, yah I ordered online to make it easier on myself when I was soaping a TON this summer, but there's an ace hardware around the corner from me that I will try as soon as I run out of my little stash. I only soap for my family and I as well. So, maybe a little clumping is totally normal...especially since it's almost pointless to fight the humidity down here. It's still pretty nice at this time of year though which I'm loving! But come summer, any time I go outside I will be raising the humidity in the house, LOL! I'm wondering if that didn't cause my soaps to have DOS...but I'm working on solving that problem too. So did you used to live down here? I'm not actually from FL originally, but have enjoyed living down here so far. Thanks again!

 

[c.a.p.]

Hopefully, someone with a lot more experience will jump in here, but I would guess that if it breaks apart easily, it has not absorbed very much water. Hard clumps would mean that there is quite a bit of water. Like I said, I'm guessing.

 

[FloridaSoaper]

Hey there - yah I'm thinking the same thing. Let's hope we're right, anymore thoughts, anybody?

 

[Healinya]

I live in Florida and have the same clumping issue if I buy too large at once. I very carefully bang the jar against the counter, break up as much as I can... When I am measuring out the lye, there are occasionally smaller clumps that didn't break down.... *goggles, gloves and mask*... that's the most important part... The lye is ok to use..

Once I had a little left over in a jar stick together and somehow absorb dirt in the air maybe?? little black spots... I didn't use the lye, but always wondered how it happened.

 

[cerelife]

Nope, never lived in St. Augustine...we just visit as often as we can...we split our vacation time between here and New Orleans...LOVE them both sooo much! If you haven't been to Nombre de Dios, GO!!! This is possibly the most peaceful spot on earth...and if you like animals, take a bag of peanuts or doritos...the birds and squirrels will come up to you and take them out of your hands! You can also sit by the water and watch the dolphins play...this is such a cool place even if you aren't religious..
I'm "old-school" southern...a 42-year old 5th generation Georgian who was brought up from childhood to know where the graves (from as old as 1785) of our ancestors are, and to have the respect to place flowers on these graves. I was also schooled in the byzantine tangle of cousins once, twice, even three times removed from the original family tree, LOL!
I've been soaping since last August, and so far no DOS!! But I can see where the ridiculous humidity here could cause them...
Like a previous poster said, I put on all my protective gear when I measure my lye.. I also line my work area with newspaper that I can trash when I finish soaping...sometimes those lye clumps break apart at the worst time...when you are trying to pour into whatever container you measure in! I use an old pickle jar...there is always some lye left in it due to the humidity...I just use the tare feature on the scale...so far, so good!

 

[LadyM]

I buy big bags of lye from a chem company and when I open the bag and it's super fresh, I always have clumps. If I smash them with a spoon or gloved hand they come right apart. This is fine!
I've had other clumps like solid nuggets from old lye that moisture has gotten into .. not so good!

 

[LadyM]

I buy big bags of lye from a chem company and when I open the bag and it's super fresh, I always have clumps. If I smash them with a spoon or gloved hand they come right apart. This is fine!
I've had other clumps like solid nuggets from old lye that moisture has gotten into .. not so good!

 

[FloridaSoaper]

So ladyM, how do you store the lye when you get it in those huge bags?

 

[LadyM]

I get my coconut oil in heavy duty plastic 50 lb buckets so I have empty ones that I keep around for lye holding.
I just carefully dump the lye into the bucket and then use a sheet of plastic wrap over the top and the put the lid on.
This works really well to keep air out!

I used to dump the entire thing in one bucket but now I dump half in one and half in another so that I have a really fresh batch waiting when one is finished. I found that keeping it all in one .. as I got to the bottom there would be more hard clumps and it wasn't as fresh and wonderful.
Probably from all of the opening and closing etc. moisture gets in more.

 

[FloridaSoaper]

Thanks for the tips. I am nowhere near being able to use that much lye, or oils for that matter...but it will come in handy down the road I'm sure. I just can't imagine having that much lye in bag form? What if that bag leaks...I mean lye is like the worst substance in the world that I would want leaking anywhere, IMO. But maybe the bags are really sturdy, who knows... Well thanks again!

 

[LadyM]

Yes the bags are super hardcore! The lye is in a ultra heavy duty plastic "bag" and then that is in an ultra heavy duty mega thick paper type "bag".

Getting into it is always a little bit of a chore!

And interestingly, the local company that I get it from will only put it in your trunk, not in the front of the car at all even though it's so totally packaged!

 

[FloridaSoaper]

Ok well that's good - it makes me feel like I would be able to order in this quantity someday. Seriously, thanks for sharing all the details!

 

[heartandsoap]

One time I used some lye that had sat in a container for five years.( distance between batches ) It was semi solid but I could scrape away at it with a spoon. Too slow, I don't like fiddling with lye. My order was in for new lye but was a week away from delivery. I put the container in a plastic bag and tapped it lightly with a hammer. The lye came out with some clumps but they all dissolved when added to the water. The soap turned out fine.

 

[FloridaSoaper]

Ha, interesting! Yah, I don't like fiddling with lye either...but it's good to know that it's not as fragile as I initially thought Thanks for the story!

 

[turbo]

I use a lot of lye in my biodiesel production. I have been purchaseing lye from the hardware store for over 3 and EVERY bottle has some clumps in it. Never had a batch fail yet ( well due to the lye )