Is 5kg of lye too much?

[KiwiMoose]

My little $10 tubs of (500g) lye from the hardware store are getting harder and harder to source. And the stuff from my soap supplier is hideously expensive. So I found a local chemical supplier that will sell direct - only $38.50 including tax for 5kg!
My question is, will it end up being unusable once I’m halfway through due to air exposure and storage?
I’m averaging about 1kg per month at my current usage rate, so I’ll need the lye to maintain its quality for circa 5 months.
How much do you all buy at a time and how quickly do you use it up?

 

[paradisi]

With an airtight container you'll be fine.

 

[AliOop]

I buy 50lbs from a local chemical supply store and store it in airtight containers with no light exposure. I go on kicks of making more soap, then less, so it's hard to predict how fast I'll use it. But I'm going into my second year with this last batch, and it's still fine.

I don't remember the exact calculations, but the math indicated that even if the last 10lbs (20%) or so is no good by the time I get to it, it still beats the other prices, especially with shipping costs. The supply place is about 20 minutes from me and always has it in stock, too.

 

[justsomeguy]

My little $10 tubs of (500g) lye from the hardware store are getting harder and harder to source. And the stuff from my soap supplier is hideously expensive. So I found a local chemical supplier that will sell direct - only $38.50 including tax for 5kg!

That's a great price. Do you have any of the $10 tubs laying around you can split that 5Kg out into?

My question is, will it end up being unusable once I’m halfway through due to air exposure and storage?
I’m averaging about 1kg per month at my current usage rate, so I’ll need the lye to maintain its quality for circa 5 months.
How much do you all buy at a time and how quickly do you use it up?

I buy 32 pounds at a time. But it's 16 two pound bottles. Last year I used 11 bottles

 

[Relle]

My little $10 tubs of (500g) lye from the hardware store are getting harder and harder to source.
How much do you all buy at a time and how quickly do you use it up?

Mine is $4.40 for 500g (you pay way too much). I only buy one at a time, probably get 3 3/4 batches out of one.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Mine is $4.40 for 500g (you pay way too much). I only buy one at a time, probably get 3 3/4 batches out of one.

That’s Bunnings for ya!

 

[Relle]

That’s Bunnings for ya!

Nope.

 

[KiwiMoose]

That's a great price. Do you have any of the $10 tubs laying around you can split that 5Kg out into?


I buy 32 pounds at a time. But it's 16 two pound bottles. Last year I used 11 bottles

I did think of splitting it up but then it will get even more air exposure while I do so. Not to mention risk of spillage.

 

[justsomeguy]

I did think of splitting it up but then it will get even more air exposure while I do so. Not to mention risk of spillage.

You'll need safety gear too for the split.

I think splitting it up reduces the air exposure to the whole batch over it's lifetime though

 

[KiwiMoose]

Nope.

Yep. lol. I mean I buy it from Bunnings. They were $6 before covid, then went outta stock, then jumped up to 9 bucks, and now $10 something. It’s daylight robbery!

 

[Relle]

Bunnings here - you pay too much. 500g, for $4.39

 

[dmcgee5034]

I bucked up and purchased a 10 lb jug last time - 8 months ago, and I have 1lb left. I invested in the @DeeAnna storage recommendation with a bucket, gamma lid, and container of desiccant beads. I make my MB lye with a pound of lye at a time, about enough for 3 batches, so I’ve opened the bucket about 9 times so far. I plan to continue this since things went really well so far with this scaled up lye purchase.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I bucked up and purchased a 10 lb jug last time - 8 months ago, and I have 1lb left. I invested in the @DeeAnna storage recommendation with a bucket, gamma lid, and container of desiccant beads. I make my MB lye with a pound of lye at a time, about enough for 3 batches, so I’ve opened the bucket about 9 times so far. I plan to continue this since things went really well so far with this scaled up lye purchase.

Ok - that's about equivalent to 5kg. I reckon it will last me 6 months at the most. I could possibly use a scoop to move some of it into my empty 2kg shea butter tubs so it's more manageable. I'm not a master-batcher so I'll be measuring it out for each batch.

 

[dmcgee5034]

Ok - that's about equivalent to 5kg. I reckon it will last me 6 months at the most. I could possibly use a scoop to move some of it into my empty 2kg shea butter tubs so it's more manageable. I'm not a master-batcher so I'll be measuring it out for each batch.

I think you’ll be fine then. I need to find one of these magical “local chemical stores” near me. How did you find these deals and these places, @KiwiMoose and @AliOop?

 

[AliOop]

I think you’ll be fine then. I need to find one of these magical “local chemical stores” near me. How did you find these deals and these places, @KiwiMoose and @AliOop?

I went to Google Maps and searched for “chemical supply store near me.” It brought up about 10 places, not all of which actually sold chemicals, and some were not open to the general public.

Then, I called several to get their price. The person who answered the phone at one of them actually asked me, “Do you make soap?”

When I told her that I did, she mentioned that a few soapers bought NaOH from them on a fairly regular basis. She also asked if I needed KOH in quantity. Their price was good, but their minimum quantity was way more than I could use up in a timely manner, and I don’t have room to store that much for such a long time.

 

[melinda48]

My little $10 tubs of (500g) lye from the hardware store are getting harder and harder to source. And the stuff from my soap supplier is hideously expensive. So I found a local chemical supplier that will sell direct - only $38.50 including tax for 5kg!
My question is, will it end up being unusable once I’m halfway through due to air exposure and storage?
I’m averaging about 1kg per month at my current usage rate, so I’ll need the lye to maintain its quality for circa 5 months.
How much do you all buy at a time and how quickly do you use it up?

I buy 50lbs at a time, transfer into 2lb containers with screw-on tops and never have a problem. I run through about 50lbs. In 6 months.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I went to Google Maps and searched for “chemical supply store near me.” It brought up about 10 places, not all of which actually sold chemicals, and some were not open to the general public.

I did the same - and there was only one local.