Don't let the lye fool you ...

[SaltedFig]

It will ALWAYS bite!

You know that old saying, that familiarity breeds contempt?

Well, sodium hydroxide and the odd bit of potassium hydroxide in a solution of water (aka, lye) ... doesn't give one iota that you think it won't eat you up and turn you to soap.

I had a jug of lye form a crystal layer so thick and so hard that the jug could be turned upside-down, and the crystal layer that was a solid crust like ice on a lake, ...

(get where this is going?)

I turned the jug upside down.

The crystal layer broke.

The entire jug of lye water (mostly 50% solution) ... landed on the floor (the water, not the jug ... I was still holding the jug).

I'm safe. Put the jug back down (still wearing my protectives, including gloves, glasses etc.). Look at my hands and arms (I go bare - quicker to get off that way, don't recommend it) ... wash them, and then keep washing them for about 10 minutes under running water.

Think I'm good.

All good. All safe. Floors nice and clean too. :mrgreen:

 

[jewels621]

Oh, my goodness! Glad you're alright. Technically, you won by not turning into soap, but I would recommend not tempting fate next time! Ugh!

 

[SaltedFig]

Always wear shoes!

Oh, my goodness! Glad you're alright. Technically, you won by not turning into soap, but I would recommend not tempting fate next time! Ugh!

I got turned into soap alright ... I forgot my feet.

Didn't notice (it never hurts, getting turned into soap ... the nerves go too).

But, when I went to shower, it was MIGHTY slippery.

My feet still hurt now, days later (It hurts AFTER you wash it off, btw).

That was the second thing I learned (again). Lye doesn't care.

ALWAYS WEAR SHOES! (Slip-ons and socks don't count)

 

[dibbles]

I'm so glad you are okay. That could have ended up being really tragic. Thanks for a good reminder, and you are right - lye doesn't care.

 

[toxikon]

Owch, sorry to hear that happened. These kind of stories are a wonderful reminder that lye should always be treated very carefully and with respect. It's easy to fall into the habit of forgetting that - or even just having a brainfart if you're soaping tired. But it definitely needs to be taken seriously!

 

[Arimara]

I agree with the others and I'm glad you're alright

 

[dixiedragon]

I'm glad you're alright!

 

[soaring1]

So glad you are alright. Sorry that your feet got it. I hope they heal quickly. We all need to be cautious when messing with lye. I always wear long sleeves, apron and everything else I can think of. I know my husband thinks I look silly but trying to save myself from burns.

 

[Susie]

Glad you are OK. Hope this serves as a reminder to everyone.

 

[SaltedFig]

So glad you are alright. Sorry that your feet got it. I hope they heal quickly. We all need to be cautious when messing with lye. I always wear long sleeves, apron and everything else I can think of. I know my husband thinks I look silly but trying to save myself from burns.

Silly is better than soap! (soap is what you are, after the caustic burn is over)

Glad you are OK. Hope this serves as a reminder to everyone.

I am fine. Luckily it wasn't a huge amount.

It could have been a WHOLE world of nasty, which is why I'm putting my stupidity out there for all to see. :think:

As much as it is (almost) as painful as my feet to experience.

Oh yeah ... there's a smiley for this ...

Lye cares this much ... :shark:

 

[IrishLass]

Yikes! I'm so glad it wasn't worse and that your feet are healing. You have more than likely made a firm mental note of this already for yourself, but I say this for our newer folk- always give your lye solution a good stir before pouring, especially if it has been sitting for very long. I've always been in the habit of giving my stored/covered jug of 50% master-batched solution a vigorous shake and swirl before pouring any of it out just to be on the safe side, because sometimes it sits around for a month or 2 or more before I get around to using it. I've never had any of my master-batches grow a crystalized layer, though. Did air get in yours somehow?


IrishLass

 

[SaltedFig]

You better believe I have a (lifetime supply of firm) mental notes never to make that mistake again.

I normally discard (or otherwise use elsewhere) excess amounts when I'm measuring from larger supply containers. It's an anti-contamination habit that I got into a long time ago (I do it with everything, even flour for breadmaking, so I tend to get better at measuring, whatever it is, pretty quick).

Because I had a full day of soaping to do, I decided to change this (as a one-off). Instead of discarding the little bits of excess lye as I went (no using elsewhere for that stuff), I tipped them into a jug. The aim was to have a rough idea of the total waste at the end of the day.

The waste lye from the days soaping accumulated a heavy crust by the time I got around to cleaning up it.

Lucky it turns out I don't waste much because the underneath solution that I tipped on the floor, all protected by the crust, was still very strong :think:

It's not a mistake I will be repeating. Ever.

 

[SunRiseArts]

oh boy. Glad you are ok. The other day I freaked out because some batter jump in my hair. Thank you SMF for calming me down!

I read somewhere that is always good to have a spray bottle with vinegar, since it neutralizes the lye .... but I could be wrong. Maybe others can chime in, as if the vinegar does that or not.

 

[SaltedFig]

oh boy. Glad you are ok. The other day I freaked out because some batter jump in my hair. Thank you SMF for calming me down!

I read somewhere that is always good to have a spray bottle with vinegar, since it neutralizes the lye .... but I could be wrong. Maybe others can chime in, as if the vinegar does that or not.

It does (neutralize the lye), but it creates heat while it's doing it (an exothermic reaction). If there is enough of both, it can turn into a spitting monster, so a spill needs wiping up first.

Rags are great for wiping up spills, just remember that then the rags will turn everything they touch to caustic, so bagging and binning the rags, or washing them immediately, is needed.

After the area looks clean and dry, giving the area a vinegar wash to neutralize any remaining lye is a great idea.

 

[aihrat]

Wow, that's intense! I'm so sorry you got hurt SaltedFig, I hope things are healing up nicely. I admit that the only safety equipment I use are goggles and thick socks sometimes...which is definitely taking a ride on the wild side.

I keep a rag with vinegar around when I soap just in case. However, I only use vinegar for surface spills and not for my skin, as vinegar and lye on your skin will react exothermically with each other, increasing the damage of the lye burn!

 

[SaltedFig]

I admit that the only safety equipment I use are goggles and thick socks sometimes...which is definitely taking a ride on the wild side.

Please wear closed shoes :think: (I don't think thick socks are safe enough ... anymore).

And thanks for asking ... they still tingle (even now), but there's no lost skin.