Liquid KOH

[elmtree]

Can I use liquid KOH in liquid soap making? I bought a bottle of potassium hydroxide in liquid form. That's the only ingredient on the label.


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[Lindy]

The problem with this is that KOH in its pure form is flake. This has been mixed with water and you don't know the concentration so you won't be able to use it.

 

[bodhi]

I was hoping liquid could be used also but backed off the idea for this reason. Never could find out any accurate info about the dilution rates.

 

[Robert]

The problem with this is that KOH in its pure form is flake. This has been mixed with water and you don't know the concentration so you won't be able to use it.

Well, I would hope elmtree does know the concentration, which is presumably on the label!

NaOH is commonly sold in this form, called "liquid caustic", by mfrs. who label it as to concentration, and it's as reliable as the solid. So I would expect whoever sold the KOH to have done the same. Maybe the concentration is written in a form like molarity that elmtree is not familiar with.

Unless, of course, this is some castoff bottle whose history is not known.

 

[elmtree]

Robert, it does not list a dilution % but maybe I can find this on their website online. It is Pequa heavy duty drain cleaner. Says contains "potassium hydroxide".


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[Robert]

Robert, it does not list a dilution % but maybe I can find this on their website online. It is Pequa heavy duty drain cleaner. Says contains "potassium hydroxide".

Oh, well never mind then! Your initial post implied you'd bought a bottle labeled as KOH solution. If it's just drain cleaner, forget it, they're not even going to tell you an exact concentration if you call.

Now, if you knew it contained only KOH & water, then you could titrate it to find out its concentration, but just because KOH is the only ingredient listed, that doesn't mean that's even the only thing in there, and they don't have to tell you if it's not. In the USA, all they have to do is conform to the federal Hazardous Substances Labeling Act.

 

[DeeAnna]

The MSDS (Material safety data sheet) says the hazardous chemical in this product is potassium Hydroxide (15-20% Solution). That's no surprise, but what the other 80-85% is anyone's guess. Probably water, but without firm info, I wouldn't risk using it to make soap. Also the 15-20% KOH concentration is rather low for soap making.

MSDS: http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pdfImages/aa/aa34994c-7230-45dd-95c7-29cbe58621a7.pdf

 

[Lindy]

Well, I would hope elmtree does know the concentration, which is presumably on the label!

NaOH is commonly sold in this form, called "liquid caustic", by mfrs. who label it as to concentration, and it's as reliable as the solid. So I would expect whoever sold the KOH to have done the same. Maybe the concentration is written in a form like molarity that elmtree is not familiar with.

Unless, of course, this is some castoff bottle whose history is not known.

Robert you do know that rudeness is never acceptable right? Back it down a notch or 20 please....

 

[elmtree]

Thanks everyone for your help and advice. I've decided to not use the liquid as obviously its not clear what exactly is in the bottle. Thank you for looking up that info sheet as that was my next step! You saved me a few minutes lol I love research and playing around with chemicals as much as the next girl but I've ordered the right KOH from Amazon ; p


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[Robert]

Robert you do know that rudeness is never acceptable right? Back it down a notch or 20 please....

Who am I being construed as rude to? The makers of Pequa? I'm just saying what I know would happen if the original poster called them, even though I don't know them from Adam, just on general business principles. I don't read anything anyone's written in this thread as rude. Maybe I just have thick skin.