Help with Protecting My Work Area

[vico]

I likely will be soaping in my kitchen as it’s too cold for me to soap in another area and my basement has poor ventilation. I redid my kitchen two years ago and I’m am scared to death to damage anything. Will the lye and “batter” damage on contact? Do I need to drape my cabinets and floor (countertop is a given)?

 

[Kcryss]

I likely will be soaping in my kitchen as it’s too cold for me to soap in another area and my basement has poor ventilation. I redid my kitchen two years ago and I’m am scared to death to damage anything. Will the lye and “batter” damage on contact? Do I need to drape my cabinets and floor (countertop is a given)?

I would cover your work area with something for sure. Old newspaper, old towels ... whatever you have to protect the area. Once you're finished making a batch, your covering can be removed. That's what I do anyway. Anywhere that I might potentially spill or splash lye and/or lye active soap batter gets covered. Once the batter is in the mold, I clean it all up and remove the cover.

 

[JackofallShaves]

Definitely drape or cover granite and other surface areas.

I have a table cover type thingy that I bought at the local dollar store, I cover my kitchen island before making a batch. Works pretty well.

 

[Millie]

I haven't damaged anything yet....
Once the lye and oils are mixed you'll have time to wipe away an errant drop of batter before it can do damage. Even on your skin. Speaking of which, if you notice a patch of skin itching rinse it off

 

[CatahoulaBubble]

I use an old shower curtain. I can just toss it in the washer once I'm done.

 

[shunt2011]

When I first started I just used cheap tablecloths from the dollar store. Now, I don't cover my counters with anything. I have some old towels that I use to rest my stickblender on or utensils. If something drips I just wipe it up. I soap in my kitchen. Just make sure you wipe it up.

 

[Carly B]

I bought a silicone pastry mat which I put on my granite counter. It's 20 x 16 and has inches and cms marked along the side. Since I make small batches, it's perfect for me. And I just take it to the sink and rinse it when I am done.

 

[TheGecko]

Will the lye and “batter” damage on contact?

The general answer is no; while lye is caustic, it's not acid. If you get it or batter on your skin, rinse with water. If you get it elsewhere, wipe it up and spray a little white vinegar to neutralize it and then clean as usual.

Do I need to drape my cabinets and floor (countertop is a given)?

No, but you do want to clean up any spills and splatters. I know from experience that dry lye will discolor linoleum if left for several days.

I have a rolling kitchen island that I use for making soap; it's a little over 3' wide and I have a 20" heavy duty plastic cutting board with groove sitting on top a rubber mat on top of it. I have spoon rest for my spatulas and a round container to set the bottom half of my blender in (the top goes on a hook). The island is a two-door, two-shelf, two-drawer cabinet with three shelves on the side and I have a shelf on the wall above so everything is at hand so I'm not cluttering up my work surface. I have a small kitchen rug under my feet.