Need some help!

[mappam564]

We moved to Ecuador about 1-1/2 years ago and it has taken me that long to find all of the ingredients needed to do CP!! I finally found LYE - BUT it is only 98%... Yesterday I made my first TEST batch and using a "normal" recipe it would NOT trace.

I finally got it to trace - okay I did something you should NEVER DO - I just kept adding "stuff" till it DID trace - so I have no idea what the recipe ended up being!! It is resting now.

How should I adjust any recipe for = this %Lye And does the fact that I am at an altitude of 8400 ft make a difference??

THANKS SO Much - I feel like SUCH a newbie!! Pam

 

[lionprincess00]

Most lye isn't 100% pure. If you post your original recipe, we can take a look at it and see what went wrong. Did you use a sick blender? Is it sodium hydroxide lye (and not potassium hydroxide)? Recipe and these questions to start...we're here to help!

 

[IrishLass]

By 98%, do you mean that the container says 98% sodium hydroxide, or do you mean that the bottle says 100% sodium hydroxide, but that the company has assayed it as having a 98% purity? I ask, because as I understand it, there's a difference. I don't mind using 100% sodium hydroxide with a 98% purity (or even a little less than that), but I would hesitate to use any sodium hydroxide that says 98% sodium hydroxide on the bottle ingredients. It would make me wonder what the other 2% of stuff was that was added to it.


IrishLass

 

[mappam564]

Okay just got the bottle =
says Sodium hydroxide 98%, 1,3,5 triazina-2,4,6 (1H,3H,5H) - Triono 1,3,5-Tricioro,90%, Sodium Chioride

This is as close as I could find ANYWHERE here! It is FLAKE form. Not like anything I have used in the USA.

I need a recipe for using things from the grocery store.

I can get:
Tallow/Lard
Olive
Sunflower

I found some "liquid" coconut oil??? not sure exactly what it is?
I also found a TINY bottle (maybe 1oz) of Castor oil at a Pharmacy

Not much to go on.

Any Ideas would be a HUGE help as I really want to get back into CP.

My husband passed away 4 months ago and I need something to DO.

THANKS SO MUCH = I KNEW I could count on you guys!!

 

[Seawolfe]

Unless you went to some laboratory, your lye wouldn't be any purer here in the US. And flake form isn't uncommon here.

Did you use a stickblender?

You really cant just add things to a recipe - then you have no idea how to fix it if its dangerous.

A good basic recipe with what you have there would be

Lard 65 %
Coconut Oil 15 %
Olive oil 15 %
Castor oil 5% (or if you dont have castor use 20% Olive oil).
5% superfat

 

[mappam564]

Thanks - I DO have a stick blender - I brought it from USA.

I can try your ingredients and see how that works.

 

[IrishLass]

Okay just got the bottle =
says Sodium hydroxide 98%, 1,3,5 triazina-2,4,6 (1H,3H,5H) - Triono 1,3,5-Tricioro,90%, Sodium Chioride

I just looked up 1,3,5 triazina-246- Wikepedia lists it as being Cyanuric acid and is used as a precursor or a component of bleaches, disinfectants and herbicides: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanuric_acid

...and the Triono 135 is otherwise known as Trichloroisocyanuric acid, which is a disinfectant and bleaching agent, and is used as a bactericide and algaecide that's mainly used for swimming pools and dyestuffs in the textile industry:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichloroisocyanuric_acid

I'm sure these are not the impurities that we might expect our 100% sodium hydroxide to have. They sound more like actual ingredients deliberately added to the lye to form some kind of industrial cleaner.

Hopefully DeeAnna can weigh in on this.


IrishLass

 

[Seawolfe]

Oh good point IL - I was just looking at that 98% NaOH. Whats that other 90%? that makes no sense.

 

[mappam564]

Thanks - I hope someone can tell me if that means I need to add more or less or increase the water etc etc.

Does anyone know if altitude makes a difference in the "resting" period or not? I am in the Andes of Ecuador.

 

[Jstar]

Oh good point IL - I was just looking at that 98% NaOH. Whats that other 90%? that makes no sense.

That other 90% has me wondering too...:think:

I personally wouldn't use it again until we can get DeeAnna in here.

What the name of the lye Pam?

 

[galaxyMLP]

This is a wee bit concerning:

According to wikipedia:

Cyanuric acid is mainly used as a precursor to N-chlorinated cyanurates, which are used to disinfect water. The dichloro derivative is prepared by direct chlorination:

[C(O)NH]3 + 2 Cl2 + 2 NaOH → [C(O)NCl]2[C(O)NH]
This species is typically converted to its sodium salt, sodium dichloro-s-triazinetrione. Further chlorination gives trichloroisocyanuric acid, [C(O)NCl]3. These N-chloro compounds serve as disinfectants and algicides for swimming pool water.[1] It stabilizes the chlorine in the pool and prevents the chlorine from being quickly consumed by sunlight.

All 3 components from that stuff that Pam bought, NaoH = sodium hydroxide, Sodium chloride is the source of the Cl-, and C(O)NH]3 is the cyanuric acid and are in that equation.

I dont think this stuff is mostly sodium hydroxide once it hits water. I think it is meant to react to be either a water treatment chemical or otherwise a cleaner of sorts.

I would not use it to make soap. You are creating a completely different chemical when that "98% sodium hydroxide" comes in contact with water.

ETA: Did you get this from a pool supply store?\

ETA2: Ok, so it needs free chlorine (Cl2) but I still think the same principle may apply

 

[mappam564]

It is "Lejia" "Sello Rojo" (used to clean toilets and sinks etc) It is the ONLY lye I can find here in Ecuador.

At first I was told I couldn't get any at all. Then I found this. I have checked everywhere I could, asked everyone I could think of.

You can't even buy baking soda here! I felt lucky to find this.

Is there a way to extract or "cleanse" it? so I can use it?

The soap has set-up and I can un-mold it from a silicone mold. I have not done so yet and have not done a "zap" test. Just made it yesterday.

 

[Jstar]

According to Google Translate, that is bleach..probably has lye mixed in it...I personally would not use that.

https://translate.google.com/#auto/en/Lejía Sello Rojo

You may have to order online..is that possible there where you are?

Are there any hardware stores there?

 

[mappam564]

Hardware store? I can look there - we do have a good one here.

I can not bring it in.

 

[Jstar]

Ok, look in the plumbing section of the hardware store..look for drain cleaners..but make sure it says 98% or 100% sodium hydroxide, preferably crystals.

I think someone here mentioned they use Rooto Brand, and I have Roebic Brand..so those both are ok...if you find another brand, and are unsure..try snapping a pic for us before you buy so you dont waste money

I also found this online..not sure if this is close to you or not..but they do distribute sodium hydroxide pellets in Ecuador

https://www.akzonobel.com/finechemicals/distributors/pellets_distributors/

 

[Susie]

DO NOT zap test that soap until/unless you are sure it is safe to go into your mouth.

 

[galaxyMLP]

I would not zap test that soap either... if you don't know what's in there, you don't want to touch it to your tounge!

 

[mappam564]

Thank you ALL soo much! I will go to the hardware store and look at that section and see if I can find another brand - something that is closer to what I need!

Very Frustrating! I really want to get back into making CP!!

 

[commoncenz]

Found these guys that supply lye in Ecuador. Hope this helps.

 

[mappam564]

THANKS - we do have Boyaca here in Cuenca - I know right where it is located! I will try there and see what I can find!

Great news - Would never even thought of looking there!!!

Amazing just how much we take for granted in USA when we just order our supplies and then make our soap LOL.....Even fragrance/essential oils are hard to find - ho hum - keep on truckin'....