Lye safety .... again.
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kchaystack
Supporting Member
I heard a report on the BBC World service about water cremation which uses KOH. I will start a new thread in the general area to not hijack this... but it is fascinating.
SunRiseArts
Well-Known Member
Yikes! I don't even want to think about that! Totally freaks me out .....
I have another question.
I purchase my lye fro one specific vendor, but have a bottle from another vendor that has a little bit left, maybe an ounce. The one I use now is more like pellets, the other one looks more like dust-ish.
Can I use them together on my next batch? Or not?
I have another question.
I purchase my lye fro one specific vendor, but have a bottle from another vendor that has a little bit left, maybe an ounce. The one I use now is more like pellets, the other one looks more like dust-ish.
Can I use them together on my next batch? Or not?
I don't see why not. I would have no qualms doing it.
IrishLass
IrishLass
Mix away, it won't make a difference.
SunRiseArts
Well-Known Member
Thank you. I do not like waste!
SunRiseArts
Well-Known Member
Yesterday I went to the mall and into the book store to look at books while waiting for my son. Of course I went to the soap section, and I was reading about lye.
I wish I would remember the book I had or taken a picture, but I didn't.
It was talking about injuries, and how getting burned with lye is an instant process? Is that a fact? I thought a person could get splatter, and not see the injury for several hours. But I am probably wrong.
I wish I would remember the book I had or taken a picture, but I didn't.
It was talking about injuries, and how getting burned with lye is an instant process? Is that a fact? I thought a person could get splatter, and not see the injury for several hours. But I am probably wrong.
A chemical burn from NaOH or KOH happens pretty fast, yes. But whether you feel it or not depends on the circumstances, the toughness and thickness of the skin involved, how much NaOH (or KOH) got on the skin, and on your tolerance for pain/discomfort. Like most things, context is important.
If I get a tiny droplet of NaOH on my forearm, it can take a few minutes for the NaOH to work through the surface layer of non-living skin and reach the living tissues. At that time I might feel an itch or a sting of pain, but it's possible the NaOH might be mostly gone due to reacting with the non-living skin. I might or might not end up with a small chemical burn to the living tissues.
If the same tiny droplet ends up on my face, throat, under the fingernail, or other area of delicate skin or mucous membranes, the pain and injury will be really fast and nearly impossible to ignore.
Have you ever handled zappy (lye heavy) soap, washed your hands, and noticed your fingertips felt super slick when you wash them? And after drying them off, your fingertips feel really dried out and later on they're really rough? That's from the NaOH dissolving the proteins in the non-living layer of your fingertips and essentially damaging that protective layer. Will that cause a chemical burn to your living skin? Maybe ... but maybe not if you wash quickly and thoroughly enough.
And larger splashes ... yeah, that's going to hurt and cause damage pretty fast, no matter where it lands.
If I get a tiny droplet of NaOH on my forearm, it can take a few minutes for the NaOH to work through the surface layer of non-living skin and reach the living tissues. At that time I might feel an itch or a sting of pain, but it's possible the NaOH might be mostly gone due to reacting with the non-living skin. I might or might not end up with a small chemical burn to the living tissues.
If the same tiny droplet ends up on my face, throat, under the fingernail, or other area of delicate skin or mucous membranes, the pain and injury will be really fast and nearly impossible to ignore.
Have you ever handled zappy (lye heavy) soap, washed your hands, and noticed your fingertips felt super slick when you wash them? And after drying them off, your fingertips feel really dried out and later on they're really rough? That's from the NaOH dissolving the proteins in the non-living layer of your fingertips and essentially damaging that protective layer. Will that cause a chemical burn to your living skin? Maybe ... but maybe not if you wash quickly and thoroughly enough.
And larger splashes ... yeah, that's going to hurt and cause damage pretty fast, no matter where it lands.
wetshavingproducts
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The heat burn is instantaneous. 250 degrees is a pretty stinking bad burn.
The chemical burn... in my experience, not so fast, but Deanna's already got that answered.
SunRiseArts
Well-Known Member
Thank you DeAnna and wetshavingproducts, is a very interesting topic. I have learned so many different things making soap.
SunRiseArts
Well-Known Member
I wonder what you all think of the video below. I thought could be misleading?
Also I am out of lye. I do have a jar from ace hardware. I know is ok to use, but totally freaks me out. Please convince me. :headbanging:
Is it dust or pellets? I have not even opened it to look at it. :Kitten Love:
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE_oensM9w0[/ame]
Also I am out of lye. I do have a jar from ace hardware. I know is ok to use, but totally freaks me out. Please convince me. :headbanging:
Is it dust or pellets? I have not even opened it to look at it. :Kitten Love:
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NE_oensM9w0[/ame]
First of all, she didn't rub NaOH on her skin, but soap batter. Let's think about that.
She mixed the lye water with the oils, then color and scent. Now the lye is diluted with all the other ingredients. Is it still active? Absolutely. The chemical process of saponification will continue for the next 12-72 hours. I've gotten soap batter on my skin many times while I'm in the process of pouring, swirling, etc. I only know it because I get the slight burning sensation. As soon as I'm done with the pouring and swirling I run my arm under cool water (no soap or vinegar) for a couple of minutes and all is good.
What will happen if I get the lye solution on my skin before I mix it with all the other ingredients? At this point it's not diluted with the oils, color, scent, etc so it REALLY burns. I set the lye container down, go to the sink, and rinse for several minutes under cool water. I don't use vinegar because it can cause another type of chemical burn. Once it's rinsed and all is good, I continue on mixing the lye with the oils and make soap.
As far as your container of lye goes, it doesn't really matter if it's granules or flakes. Use the same precautions you always use when mixing lye: gloves, goggles, mask, etc. I think her point was not to be overly scared of lye but respect it and use precaution.
She mixed the lye water with the oils, then color and scent. Now the lye is diluted with all the other ingredients. Is it still active? Absolutely. The chemical process of saponification will continue for the next 12-72 hours. I've gotten soap batter on my skin many times while I'm in the process of pouring, swirling, etc. I only know it because I get the slight burning sensation. As soon as I'm done with the pouring and swirling I run my arm under cool water (no soap or vinegar) for a couple of minutes and all is good.
What will happen if I get the lye solution on my skin before I mix it with all the other ingredients? At this point it's not diluted with the oils, color, scent, etc so it REALLY burns. I set the lye container down, go to the sink, and rinse for several minutes under cool water. I don't use vinegar because it can cause another type of chemical burn. Once it's rinsed and all is good, I continue on mixing the lye with the oils and make soap.
As far as your container of lye goes, it doesn't really matter if it's granules or flakes. Use the same precautions you always use when mixing lye: gloves, goggles, mask, etc. I think her point was not to be overly scared of lye but respect it and use precaution.
artemis
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I get my lye at Lowe's. I'm a hobby Soaper with little space, so that's just how I've always done it. I don't know how to convince you, though. It's just lye and it happens to come from a hardware store and it happens to also be used for plumbing problems. The lye you buy for soap can also be used for plumbing problems.
Probably depends on which one you were able to get. The one I get is teeny tiny pellets. Rub the container down with a dryer sheets and also the open mouth of the container to prevent them from sticking to the container due to static.
navigator9
Well-Known Member
From my own personal experience...if I get a lye granule or two on my skin, I brush it off, and wash my skin under the faucet. If I get soap batter on my skin, I continue pouring into the mold, and when I'm done, I wash the batter off my skin under the faucet. Soap batter causes a burning feeling, and some redness, but has never blistered or been even near a serious problem for me. Redness and discomfort, yes. I'm willing to suffer that to get my soap in the mold. That's my personal choice. Lye solution is a whole other story. In the beginning I was fearful, but I eventually lost my fear, but not a healthy respect for what I'm working with. In around ten years of making soap, (knock on wood), I've never gotten lye solution on my skin. I soap in my kitchen, so if I did, the faucet is right there, so it would literally be seconds before I could wash it off. I'm sure this would be much more severe than soap batter discomfort, but I feel comfortable with the level of risk, considering the precautions I take, and the proximity of the faucet to wash it off. Dangerous? Yes. Manageable? Yes.
I use the stuff from ace since it's actually the cheapest option for me. It is beads and can be static-y. I shake the container then wipe it and the container I am pouring it into with a dryer sheet. I had a few beads bounce before using the dryer sheets but was able to clean it up with no difficulty.
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I've used lots and lots of lye from Ace Hardware. In fact, I have 3 or 4 bottles of it right now that are just sitting there waiting for me to use. I usually buy in bulk now (50lb bucket) which I break open when I'm doing a large masterbatch. If I'm not going to use my masterbatched lye solution and need to make a one-off lye solution for a particular project, then I'll use the Ace Hardware lye because the bottles are easy to open, pour and measure in small quantities.
I would not hesitate in the least to use it.
SunRiseArts
Well-Known Member
Thank you all. I think is called rooto? Not sure. But I did opened it :Kitten Love: Looks like the one from apothecary actually.
Not my favorite because of static.
I will be using it on my next project!
Not my favorite because of static.
I will be using it on my next project!
I've used Rooto from Ace Hardware many times when I run out of my normal supply. It behaves exactly like the lye I get from ED, the Lye Guy, etc and no probs with cured soap. You should be fine!
Why don't you keep some of the bottles from Ace and refill them from your bucket. I also buy in 50# increments but mine comes in a bag, since they charge considerably for buckets. I just transfer to a 5 gallon bucket and fill several bottles in case I do not want to use my masterbatch
