lye vs "Caustic Soda"

[amanda131]

I've been buying my lye from BB and it comes in Flake form. Well I just purchased some Lye/ "Caustic Soda" from my "local" soap suplier and it's granuals. Is this all the same just different form? Is Caustic Soda just another name for Lye? I just want to make sure I'm using the same stuff. I know it will work, she makes a bagillion pounds of soap a week with it, but I'm worried about my recipes working the same.......

 

[ChrissyB]

Yes it's the same stuff, and can come in either flakes or granules.

 

[amanda131]

I love you guys and your instant answers! --------That's what I thought, but just wanted to be sure! Thank you!

 

[xyxoxy]

Caustic soda and Lye are one and the same.

The only difference I've ever heard from others is that some forms (the granules ?) can be more attracted to static making it a little more irritating to deal with... but that hasn't been my experience.

If you ever buy from a new source you only need to confirm that what you are buying is 100% Sodium Hydroxide. (There are some lye based drain cleaners that also include other metals etc which you don't want in your soap.)

 

[MagiaDellaLuna]

Caustic soda and Lye are one and the same.

The only difference I've ever heard from others is that some forms (the granules ?) can be more attracted to static making it a little more irritating to deal with... but that hasn't been my experience.

When my lye granules get "twitchy" I run a cloth soaked in fabric softener over the outside of the container before opening it. That gets rid of some (most) of the static.

 

[TheSoapyEwe]

I agree the granule ones are a pain!

 

[Bnky]

The supplier I get my lye from has sodium hydroxide and food grade sodium hydroxide. Has anyone else seen this?

 

[tincanac]

I prefer the caustic soda flakes to granules - less dust projectiles! It also seems to dissolve better, IMHO anyway!

 

[amanda131]

This is not great news to me being as how I just bought ten pounds of granuals! I was paying $10 for 2lbs of flakes and I found 5lbs of granuals for just under $10. I haven't gotten into the granuals yet but for that price difference I think I will find a way to like them!!!

 

[Rosey]

I'm pretty sure i get the granules and I haven't noticed anything as far as static or dust.

 

[MagiaDellaLuna]

I have been using the granules for years and have no problem dissolving them.

I have also used the flakes and they are definitely easier to handle.......

but if the granules are in a plastic container and start building up a static charge, wipe the outside of the container with an anti-static tumble drier sheet or a cloth soaked in fabric softener. I learned this trick many years ago from another soaper and it really reduces the static charge and prevents flyaway granules.