Lye mixing containers

[ackosel]

I made my first batch of soap using a CP beginner kit from Brambleberry. The Brambleberry tutorials I watched before hand showed her using glass Pyrex type containers for mixing lye, so I bought a dedicated glass Pyrex for that purpose. When I joined this forum, shortly after making my first batch, I read the introduction for new members and was surprised to see the caution about mixing lye in glass containers. I have since used plastic for lye mixing, but I'm now wondering if it really is that big of a deal? Also, does dry lye have to be measured in plastic before mixing with the liquid, or is glass okay to use?

 

[artemis]

If you search the forum for pyrex, you will find lots of opinions! I suggest searching for the quickest answers to your question.

 

[ackosel]

If you search the forum for pyrex, you will find lots of opinions! I suggest searching for the quickest answers to your question.

Thank you so much, I'll do that.

 

[dibbles]

Lots of opinions on this for sure! I am in the no glass camp. Having read enough times about shattering glass aside, there is increased risk if the lye solution container is dropped. Cleaning up a spill would be bad enough, but cleaning up a spill with broken glass in the mix makes it so much worse.

Since I measure my dry lye by weight, I just use a repurposed plastic food container - like yogurt or sour cream type containers.

 

[AliOop]

^^^ same here.

 

[ackosel]

Lots of opinions on this for sure! I am in the no glass camp. Having read enough times about shattering glass aside, there is increased risk if the lye solution container is dropped. Cleaning up a spill would be bad enough, but cleaning up a spill with broken glass in the mix makes it so much worse.

Since I measure my dry lye by weight, I just use a repurposed plastic food container - like yogurt or sour cream type containers.

Well, that makes a lot of sense! I've had glass bread pans shatter as I tried to unstack them. And a few months ago my son dropped a 1/2 gallon glass jug FULL of milk. I can't imagine trying to clean that up with the added difficulty of lye everywhere. 1/2 gallon of milk mixed with thousands of glass shards was bad enough. You convinced me, no more glass anything with soap making! Thank you!!!

If I thoroughly clean them, can I repurpose the glass bowls I've used for soap and add them to my food prep equipment?

Picture attached in case anyone wants a visual of what a broken glass lye container could look like in your kitchen... And yes, I did cry over spilled milk!

 

[dibbles]

I think cleaning the bowls and using in your kitchen would probably be okay if they haven’t been used too much for soap making and don’t show signs of wear. That said, I personally wouldn’t use them for food prep. I would repurpose for other crafty or B&B purposes.

ETA: sorry about the spilled milk - what a mess. I’d cry too.

 

[melinda48]

Lots of opinions on this for sure! I am in the no glass camp. Having read enough times about shattering glass aside, there is increased risk if the lye solution container is dropped. Cleaning up a spill would be bad enough, but cleaning up a spill with broken glass in the mix makes it so much worse.

Since I measure my dry lye by weight, I just use a repurposed plastic food container - like yogurt or sour cream type containers.

I’m with you. Enough to worry about without worrying about my glass container filled with lye breaking! Iuse the inexpensive juice pitchers (#5 plastic) that I get from the ‘Dollar Store” here in Missouri.

 

[ackosel]

I think cleaning the bowls and using in your kitchen would probably be okay if they haven’t been used too much for soap making and don’t show signs of wear. That said, I personally wouldn’t use them for food prep. I would repurpose for other crafty or B&B purposes.

ETA: sorry about the spilled milk - what a mess. I’d cry too.

Thank you. The bowls were brand new and I soaped in them twice. I'll have to see if I can come up with any alternative use for them.

I'm just glad it was spilled milk and not lye solution! I thank you for your input. Sometimes it takes someone to state the obvious before it becomes obvious to me.

 

[2lilboots]

If you clean them you can use them for food. People forget that they use lye to make pretzels.

 

[AliOop]

If you clean them you can use them for food. People forget that they use lye to make pretzels.

...and olives and bagels. And cleaning solution.

 

[dibbles]

Thank you. The bowls were brand new and I soaped in them twice. I'll have to see if I can come up with any alternative use for them.

I'm just glad it was spilled milk and not lye solution! I thank you for your input. Sometimes it takes someone to state the obvious before it becomes obvious to me.

If they were only used twice, I don’t see a problem using them for food.

 

[AliensrReal]

I do use Pyrex glass containers to hold my lye before mixing with water and I do pour my soap batter in Pyrex glass. I check for cracks before and after each use. I store my lye solution in Rubbermaid pitchers and I mix my soap and lye together in a stainless steel pot. Molten sodium hydroxide will melt glass and sodium hydroxide can melt many types of plastic. That’s why people say to use plastic with the #5 on it.

 

[Zuleika]

I'm no glass camp too. Terrified of glass shards and my wrists are weak so plastic is just so much lighter to carry compared to glass. Plastic is cheaper compared to glass or SS in my area.

 

[melinda48]

The main reason I stay in the “no glass camp” is that, should I mix in glass and it was to break, I would have a dangerous mess to clean up and I do not like having to clean up messes.

 

[hlee]

I don't use glass either.

 

[Zing]

If you clean them you can use them for food. People forget that they use lye to make pretzels.

...and olives and bagels. And cleaning solution.

And lutefisk donchaknow now?

 

[Relle]

I wouldn't use glass and risk being injured by shattered glass, I value my health, it's more important than taking that risk.

 

[Craftmakr]

Well, that makes a lot of sense! I've had glass bread pans shatter as I tried to unstack them. And a few months ago my son dropped a 1/2 gallon glass jug FULL of milk. I can't imagine trying to clean that up with the added difficulty of lye everywhere. 1/2 gallon of milk mixed with thousands of glass shards was bad enough. You convinced me, no more glass anything with soap making! Thank you!!!

If I thoroughly clean them, can I repurpose the glass bowls I've used for soap and add them to my food prep equipment?

Picture attached in case anyone wants a visual of what a broken glass lye container could look like in your kitchen... And yes, I did cry over spilled milk!

I wouldn't use glass and risk being injured by shattered glass, I value my health, it's more important than taking that risk.

I also agree. As a former science teacher, I am a fan of Pyex and other scientific grade glass, until it is compromised. As a consequence, I mix lye in heatsafe plastic... and nothing else is done in that jug. Likewise, I mix my soaps in stainless bowls or heat safe bowls. Reduce the chance of a bad spill.