I have just had my first ever go at making soap and really don't know what to do with the pans I have used!! How do you wash them?? Can I just wash them in ordinary water and let it go down the sink? We made up the lye solution in a stainless steel pan and dont know how to wash that either. worse still I measured the sodium hydroxide in a metal pastry container and the bits remaining have burnt through the tin!!!! it is now in the garden in a bag waiting for your advice!!!! please help asap!!!anybody!!!!
Help anybody!!!how do I wash my pan after making lye.
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valor
Well-Known Member
Well, I am certainly no expert, but as far as I know, you can simply rinse the lye down the drain (it is a drain opener) with cold water. As far as your metal pan goes, rinse it with water and I would say not to use that dish again for anything, let alone lye. Scrap it.
Also, please be careful of what types of metal you use in the future. Aluminum is dangerous to use with lye.
I wish you much success in future soaping. Do let us know how your first batch comes out!
Also, please be careful of what types of metal you use in the future. Aluminum is dangerous to use with lye.
I wish you much success in future soaping. Do let us know how your first batch comes out!
cwarren
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Mix lye in glass or plastic that can handle boiling water.. I use a glass measuring cup or a plastic pitcher - when done , I run water in it for a few minutes (overflowing) then wash with dishsoap..
For the container you mixed the soap in...you have two options:
1. Simply leave overnight, it will turn to soap and then rinse out.
2. Wash right away with HOT water and soap. I find that a little added borax/washing soda help with the oily mess. Before I wash I like to take a towel and wipe out so I'm not washing alot of unsaponified soap down the drain. Leave the towels somewhere safe over night and wash the next day (they'll have soap on them.) You can also wipe with paper towels but you'll go through alot of paper towels this way.
The container you mixed the lye/water in...you can simply rinse well with water.
The container that you had the lye in that reacted- I would rinse with cold water and throw it away.
1. Simply leave overnight, it will turn to soap and then rinse out.
2. Wash right away with HOT water and soap. I find that a little added borax/washing soda help with the oily mess. Before I wash I like to take a towel and wipe out so I'm not washing alot of unsaponified soap down the drain. Leave the towels somewhere safe over night and wash the next day (they'll have soap on them.) You can also wipe with paper towels but you'll go through alot of paper towels this way.
The container you mixed the lye/water in...you can simply rinse well with water.
The container that you had the lye in that reacted- I would rinse with cold water and throw it away.
Deda
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Exactly - never ever mix your lye in glass.tasha said:
Last year my glass lotion mixing batter bowl (pampered chef) burst into a million pieces whilst sitting undisturbed on a shelf in my soap room. I'd never ever, even once, used it for soap, only lotion.
Best Natural Soap
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I soap with RubberMaid Commercial pitchers-- got them at a restaurant supply store in my town. They hold 3 gallons, and can withstand commercial dishwasher temps.
For people wanting to use metal-- use plain old ordinary stainless steel. Don't use coated pans- the non-stick coating will eventually peel and flake and get into your soap.
I'm also NOT a fan of wooden spoons for soaping, though I know quite a few people use them. They absorb EO's and FO's, and are hard to get really clean.
I use a giant stainless steel spoon, from the restaurant supply place.
For people wanting to use metal-- use plain old ordinary stainless steel. Don't use coated pans- the non-stick coating will eventually peel and flake and get into your soap.
I'm also NOT a fan of wooden spoons for soaping, though I know quite a few people use them. They absorb EO's and FO's, and are hard to get really clean.
I use a giant stainless steel spoon, from the restaurant supply place.
Ditto on a lot of what has already been said.
No glass, wood, or aluminum when working with lye. Sounds like your pastry container was aluminum. Stick to HDPE or other heat safe plastic and/or stainless steel.
You can rinse most of your pans with lots of water and dish detergent right down the drain. Though I also prefer to let it sit and turn into soap rather than washing oils down the drain. This might be especially important with septic systems but I do not have to worry about that.
If you have any concerns about residual lye, you can use a vinegar solution to neutralize. You should already have plenty on hand if you are making soap.
No glass, wood, or aluminum when working with lye. Sounds like your pastry container was aluminum. Stick to HDPE or other heat safe plastic and/or stainless steel.
You can rinse most of your pans with lots of water and dish detergent right down the drain. Though I also prefer to let it sit and turn into soap rather than washing oils down the drain. This might be especially important with septic systems but I do not have to worry about that.
If you have any concerns about residual lye, you can use a vinegar solution to neutralize. You should already have plenty on hand if you are making soap.
cwarren
Well-Known Member
I did NOT know glass would break..
thanks for all your answers
Hi guys, thanks so much for your answers, you have made me feel a lot better about washing the lye remains down the sink. I think that I was worried after reading all the 'take care with lye' info that I had visions of contaminating the entire city water supply!!!! I am so excited to see how the soap turns out tomorrow!
thanks again x
Hi guys, thanks so much for your answers, you have made me feel a lot better about washing the lye remains down the sink. I think that I was worried after reading all the 'take care with lye' info that I had visions of contaminating the entire city water supply!!!! I am so excited to see how the soap turns out tomorrow!
thanks again x
Thankfully you didn't find out the hard waycwarren said:
It can be fine for a very long time but glass can develop almost invisible fractures and break... usually at the most inconvenient time.
reallyrita
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Help anybody? How to wash pans I made lye in
Just leave your soaping pans and utensils for 24 hours. Then you can put them in the dishwasher with your dishes. Make sure to wipe these pans and utensils our thoroughly with paper towels right immediately after soaping to get most of the mixture out of them..you are perfectly safe to then wash them in the dishwasher or by hand if you don't have a dishwasher. It is just soap after 24 hours. The lye pitcher and stir spoon you can rinse out immediately with warm water and stick in the dishwasher or hand wash.
Never ever use glass for mixing your lye. Don't use wood spoons either. I use plastic or stainless steel spoons. I was using plastic pitchers for my lye but these developed hairline cracks after many uses so now I use stainless stainless steel pitchers. Be careful with stainless steel. Alot of the stuff on the market now is from China is very poor quality and may not be pure stainless. The best is a little heavy. Lightweight is crap, in my opinion. Never soap with any metal other than stainless. The lye will eat into any other metal...this goes for shelving for curing as well.
Just leave your soaping pans and utensils for 24 hours. Then you can put them in the dishwasher with your dishes. Make sure to wipe these pans and utensils our thoroughly with paper towels right immediately after soaping to get most of the mixture out of them..you are perfectly safe to then wash them in the dishwasher or by hand if you don't have a dishwasher. It is just soap after 24 hours. The lye pitcher and stir spoon you can rinse out immediately with warm water and stick in the dishwasher or hand wash.
Never ever use glass for mixing your lye. Don't use wood spoons either. I use plastic or stainless steel spoons. I was using plastic pitchers for my lye but these developed hairline cracks after many uses so now I use stainless stainless steel pitchers. Be careful with stainless steel. Alot of the stuff on the market now is from China is very poor quality and may not be pure stainless. The best is a little heavy. Lightweight is crap, in my opinion. Never soap with any metal other than stainless. The lye will eat into any other metal...this goes for shelving for curing as well.
well so far the soap looks good!! Very yellow but we did use extra virgin olive oil so I assume thats normal???
here's another question. When I first sent off for sodium hydroxide it came in liquid form but all the recipies I have use the pellets. Does anyone have a recipe for the liquid form or is it just the pellets with the distilled water already added and do I just use it like its made up already and stick to the recipies I have? Do I sound like a real total beginner or what!!! Sorry if this is an obvious question!!
here's another question. When I first sent off for sodium hydroxide it came in liquid form but all the recipies I have use the pellets. Does anyone have a recipe for the liquid form or is it just the pellets with the distilled water already added and do I just use it like its made up already and stick to the recipies I have? Do I sound like a real total beginner or what!!! Sorry if this is an obvious question!!
Where did you order that from?
I know of no one who uses lye solution that they did not mix up themselves. You need to know how much water is in it so you know the lye concentration.
You will notice that Soap calculators and most if not all recipes include a measurement for lye and a measurement for water or other liquid (milk etc). The lye here refers to solid lye crystals or flakes.
I know of no one who uses lye solution that they did not mix up themselves. You need to know how much water is in it so you know the lye concentration.
You will notice that Soap calculators and most if not all recipes include a measurement for lye and a measurement for water or other liquid (milk etc). The lye here refers to solid lye crystals or flakes.
Nel
New Member
I washed a pan with sodium hydroxide, then poured it down the drain, I rinsed it with water then, the scrubed it with soap and water, is it safe to use? Im so worried, as someone used it yesterday
@Nel -- Sodium hydroxide is a hazardous chemical, but it is not poisonous. It breaks down in the natural environment to safer chemicals. So ... after your pan is well washed and rinsed, it will be safe to use.
Never, never mix sodium hydroxide and aluminum because the two will chemically react in ways that can be dangerous.
Also never mix or store sodium hydroxide in glass, for the reasons discussed in the messages above.
Never, never mix sodium hydroxide and aluminum because the two will chemically react in ways that can be dangerous.
Also never mix or store sodium hydroxide in glass, for the reasons discussed in the messages above.
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I have tried several different things over the past year and this is what I do:
I use plastic 4-cup measuring cups I bought from the Dollar Store for mixing my lye solution. When I’m done soaping I simply rinse them with hot tap water and set aside in my dish pan (also bought from the Dollar Store) to be washed the next day. Since I use a silicone spatula (again from the Dollar Store) to stir and scrape out my container, there is very little lye than goes down the sink.
I have to date, used two different containers to mix my batter in...handled mixing bowls from the Dollar Store (holds about 3 lbs), a second ‘dish pan’ from the Dollar Store (holds about 14 lbs well), and an original stainless steel Dutch oven by Paul Revere (holds about 6 lbs) to melt my oils/butters. After scraping out my containers really well, I wipe down my bowls, spatulas and what now really well with microfiber towels that I purchased on Amazon. Besides being really pretty, they kick butt at cleaning up and rinse out well in the sink. I then add the soaping stuff to the dish pan and put it the garage to be either hand washed or put in the dishwasher.
When it comes to measuring my lye, I am currently using a Mason jar; I am using beads and the glass producing less static.
Rinse you pan with hot water and then wash and dry as usual. Keep it separate. Rinse the pastry container with hot water and toss...it must have had aluminum in it. Aluminum and Sodium Hydroxide are mortal enemies.
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