Glass or plastic? Mixing your lye. And making a mess.

[Natalie]

When I started soaping I was mixing my lye solution in an old pyrex measuring cup, a big one. After many batches I noticed a crack in the bottom so I threw it out.

I think I remember reading here everyone uses plastic, or was that rubber? Rubbermaid pitchers? I went the plastic route. First I was using a rubber or plastic pitcher (not rubbermaid) which was too big, then I used a plastic thing my hubby got at work, didn't like that either.

2 weeks ago I bought a hard plastic measuring cup at Dollar Tree. Perfect size. I must have mixed in it about 4 times prevously. Last night was soap night. Made one batch, everything was fine. 2nd batch, I was waiting for the lye to cool, had my back turned, got up to stick the themoter in it and it was EMPTY! I looked down and hot lye solution was in a big puddle all over my counter which ran under my dish dryer rack and onto the floor. My coffee pot was sitting in it. Only 11 ounces made quite a mess! And a hot mess, too. Ugh.

BTW I an NEVER mixing the lye on the counter again. In the sink for me.

Ok, so what does everyone recommend? I'm in the market for a new mixing cup again.

 

[artisan soaps]

..

 

[kwahlne]

I mix it up in stainless steel. To cool it, I put it in an ice bath. The stainless steel conducts the cold better and cools it faster than if it were in plastic or glass.

 

[Natalie]

Thanks artisan soaps and kwahlne, stainless steel sounds good. There's no way that will melt.

Hmm, I think I even have a stainless steel mixing bowl around here somewhere. Last night I finished up with another plastic measuring cup I had hanging around (I sometimes use it to seperate soap to add color in it) but now I'm a weeeeee bit nervous about my lye container.

 

[IrishLass]

What recycle # does it have on the bottom of your plastic container? There are a lot of different plastics, but not all are good for mixing lye in. Stay away from PETE #1, and PS #6, for instance.

The best ones are:

-Polypropylene #5
-HDPE #2

I mix my 50% lye solution in Polypropylene #5 and then I store it in HPDE #2 for weeks on end without any issues.

IrishLass

 

[TomS]

I don’t use glass to mix my lye solution. I recommend stainless steel or plastic. I use very hefty plastic containers that I previously used in my darkroom. I don’t believe that any glass is designed to withstand the repeated thermal shock of mixing lye without eventually failing. I just don’t see any reason to take that kind of risk. As you have learned the hard way, always prepare your lye in the sink.

 

[IanT]

ive been using pyrex with no issues as of yet...

 

[honor435]

i do use plastic, but i get a good one from home depot made for hot mixing, hubby does granite work, so he knows they are tough. been using the same one for 50 batches or so. sorry,bout your mess, hope it never happens to me.

 

[ewepootoo]

I use a stainless steel hospital type pitcher which has a pouring spout formed into it and then strain my Lye solution through #250 stainless steel mesh to take out the white floaties. I dont know what this white stuff is but I think it is best if it is not in my soap. Steve

 

[Bubbles Galore]

I've been using Pyrex or plastic but always in the sink. I'll look at switching to stainless steel as well I think. It's a nasty lesson.

 

[Lynnz]

I have used pyrex since day one but think after reading this that I may look out for a suitable stainless jug.................Gets me thinking of those fab kitchen aid mixers............One of those bowls would be fab.............Hmmmmmmm 799.00 what would I do with the mixer

 

[Absinthe]

When I started I used "Chinese Soup Containers" the plastic ones with the lids to mix the lye. However, I found another stainless steel pot at the auction and now use that for both the lye and the fats. I put them both on the stove and while the fats are heating up the lye is cooling down. If I want to cool the lye I simply toss a few ice cubes into the sink and then hold the bottom of the pot on the ice for a few seconds to a minute and down it comes. If I could find a portable stainless pot I would prefer that, but for now this works out pretty well. I did recently see a stainless steel measuring cup at Tuesday Morning (I think it was 1 quart size) and thought that would work well too. But I didn't buy it.

Pyrex glass or any of the borosilicate (however that is spelled) should be fine. If it is made to sit on the stove, it should not have any trouble with the exothermic reaction in lye. Though, I don't deficit my water so I am not sure if you can get higher temperatures than I get (150 to 170 F) for the lye water reaction.

 

[Bigmoose]

I use a plastic pitcher I got from the dollar store that is pp5. Over 100 batches on this pitcher and still going strong.

Bruce

 

[Sunkawakan]

I too use a deep plastic pitcher purchased from the Dollar Store. Mine is marked in BIG letters "LYE ONLY" (along with the long wooden spoon that I mix) and goes directly to the diswasher after its rinsed throughly. When I'm done making soap for the day or week they get put away in a box with the lye, secured away from animals and/or children.

What concerns me most is that you were mixing it on the counter. Maybe I'm overly cautious, but I always mix mine in the sink with the water running and the kitchen window open. I'm fortunate in that my sink is just below my window. Even when I'm letting it sit (I do cphp so I can mix it any time prior to pouring into the pot, don't need to let it cool), I leave the water at a slow drizzle just in case. Saves time of turning on the faucet if there ever is an accident (many years of doing this without incident, thank heavens). And, because I'm about as clumsy as a new born foal, there is less risk of me knocking it over.

Please, please, please be careful. Lye is nasty! Glad to learn everything is ok, I'm not so sure I'd be as calm as you appear

 

[Ollieblue]

.......

 

[Vintageliving]

I use Pyrex and mix outside.

 

[tamarajane]

I use a stainless steel frothing pitcher (like coffee shops use) and it works great! The handle doesn't get hot, so after I mix it in the sink I can set it on the stove under the vent fan.

 

[artisan soaps]

..

 

[holly99]

I've been using a glass batter bowl and now I don't want to! I like the idea of stainless steel but a quick search doesn't reveal much for me. I doubt I'd find anything at Walmart/Target etc. The frothing pitcher sounds nice but the ones I saw have solid steel handles so wouldn't that get pretty hot?

 

[holly99]

Here's a 32 oz pitcher on Amazon but does have a solid handle. Does this look good?

http://www.amazon.com/Rattleware-32-Oun ... 411&sr=8-7