How do you lye?

[snappyllama]

I'm in full breaking-bad regalia. Almost... I'm looking fab in gloves, goggles, long sleeves, waterproof slippers (I don't wear shoes inside). I don't use a mask for soaping, but I do for bath bombs since those make me sneeze like crazy otherwise. Until the weather gets too cold for it, I mix outside off my kitchen deck. After that, I'll be mixing under my stove vent hood. Even outside, I make sure not to put myself directly above my mixing container.

I figure if I get into the habit of being safe while a newbie, I'll feel too weird to forget later on (like how it is impossible for me to put my car in drive without a seat belt - it just feels odd).

 

[lionprincess00]

Yeah, once it stops the fumes are done.

 

[PinkCupcake]

I mix in the sink, with a fan blowing directly at me. I stand at arm's length to stir, with my head turned away.

I ALWAYS wear gloves and goggles. I have some not-too-expensive goggles that fit nicely over my eyeglasses. I don't worry about long sleeves or long pants, but I do wear shoes. I figure, if I spill the lye water, the shoes will keep my feet out of it, and the gloves will protect my hands while I clean it up. I have had drops of raw soap get on my arms, but I washed it off as soon as I felt the tingle, and it was ok.

 

[cmzaha]

I make mine in a bucket in the sink, wearing nitrile gloves, regular glasses. I am fortunate to live in an extremely well ventilated, lol, my mom calls it my tree house, house so I don't much worry about fumes. I do keep my head away from the bucket for the few seconds the fume plume occurs. I have full respect for lye but do not let it intimidate me

 

[KatieShephard]

I wear my yellow rubber gloves from the grocery store, a dust mask (that I originally bought for sanding), and my shooting glasses. I was wearing glasses that I had for when we do sanding or household projects, but those are shaded and I was having problems seeing in the house! I remembered that I had glasses for when I shoot, so I figured those would be good. I enjoy my sight, skin, and lungs, so I put on my full gear. I caught a wiff of fumes a few weeks ago, and now I'm more vigilant about the mask.

I only left my lye water in my house once, when I was mixing in my sink, trying to do a full CM liquid. It stunk up my house! I'm practically a bloodhound with my sense of smell, so I just always leave my lye outside on my screened in porch on a table. I mix my lye indoors, at my kitchen table and then carry it 4 feet to the table outside until it's cooled and ready to go. I leave a paper towel over it so nothing falls into it.

 

[grumpy_owl]

Outdoors, squatting on my deck in long yoga pants, socks and my long-sleeve Satyricon T-shirt (signed by the band!). I wear thick pink rubber gloves with thin vinyl gloves underneath, and cheap mask but no goggles, and turn my head to breathe into the wind. When the solution is clear, I put the stirring spoon in a plastic bowl--three for a dollar at the dollar store--strip off the pink gloves and take its temperature.
Then I go inside and check my EOs or FOs, the oil temperature, adjust the volume on NPR, yell at the cats and generally pace until the temps are right.
I don't wear anything on my face while stick blending. Probably a dumb idea since I got splashed on my lip last week, but I can't stand all the fog and hot air building up on my skin.

 

[cmzaha]

To me, it seems like mixing outside can be more dangerous. Not only do you have to worry about a breeze but then there is the possibility or tripping or dropping the container while its brought back in the house. The furthest I have to move my lye is 3 feet and thats only if its in the sink. Whenever I use additives, I mix in the sink in case there is a reaction or volcano. Like that one time with the wine...

I am in total agreement with Obsidian on this. The further you carry your lye the more chance of spillage. By mixing in the sink I have quick access to unlimited water and a sink to contain the problem if there is one. The only time I ever had a problem was one when I was wearing heavy gloves and carrying a pitcher in from my deck. It was the last time I ever wore gloves heavier than surgical nitriles and never mix outside

 

[HerbalEarthling]

I am in total agreement with Obsidian on this. The further you carry your lye the more chance of spillage. By mixing in the sink I have quick access to unlimited water and a sink to contain the problem if there is one. The only time I ever had a problem was one when I was wearing heavy gloves and carrying a pitcher in from my deck. It was the last time I ever wore gloves heavier than surgical nitriles and never mix outside

That last bit sounds terrifying! Did you spill it?

 

[judymoody]

Gloves and goggles, HDPE pitcher with lots of head space, in the utility sink in my drafty unheated garage. I hold my breath, stir until clear and leave the area. I come back 20 minutes later.

I have heard horror stories about that one stray lye granule that ended up in somebody's eye to never go without goggles.

 

[navigator9]

Goggles always. I'm 64 and I have asthma, but I've gotten really good at holding my breath, while I stir the lye into the water. Then I walk away for about 10 minutes or so. At that point, there are usually no fumes. It's not quite crystal clear at that point, but almost. I usually make my lye solution the night before I soap, so it will be at room temp when I do. I've gotten a snoot full of lye fumes a couple of times. It's not something you'd want to do too often!

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

I would say that goggles and gloves are pretty much essential - doesn't take much away from what we do but could potentially save a lot of pain.

If you wear glasses, get goggles that fit over them.

When wearing gloves, if a soap decides to play games I can literally grab at it which I would not do with ungloved hands

 

[girlishcharm2004]

...if a soap decides to play games I can literally grab at it...

Ha, this image made me laugh!

I caught a wiff of fumes a few weeks ago, and now I'm more vigilant about the mask.

I've seen people say this a couple of times. A mask will help with lye dust (think like when you dump lye into a cup to measure and some dust rises), but a regular mask, shirt, or bandana will not prevent you from inhaling *fumes*. Not even a medical mask or a N95 mask will prevent you from inhaling fumes. You either need a gas mask or hold your breath.

I *always* wear gloves. I can't say that about anything else. Sometimes I forget the goggles (I mostly wear them for pouring the lye, but not the actual soap making process), I hold my breath for pouring lye, and I wear shorts and t-shirt for comfort. I get wayy too hot when I make soap to be all covered up like that.

 

[Saponista]

@thesoapmom If you have difficulties with goggles because you wear glasses you can get 'over goggles' that can be worn over the top, so it avoids the problem of struggling to see. I would get a pair of those. Just have a Google there are lots of different choices out there.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

For a small investment you can get a proper mask from Amazon - I'm talking half-face with fume filtration. Less than $50