New and Terrified of Sodium Hydroxide

[tgwhitney101]

I'm brand new to soap making and really want to try making my own soap but I am terrified :shock: of sodium hydroxide. I got a book called the soap makers companion and have read up on the process but am still hesitant.

How do you set-up? where do you do it? and how do you clean up? How do you know that particals of this sodium hydroxide aren't on your floor waiting for moisture? how do you store your materials?

I'm full of questions...

 

[carebear]

Sodium Hydroxide isn't that big of a deal. Yes, it's caustic - but you have probably worked with it before because it's also sold as drain cleaner.

To make sure it stays where it should, I do my initial work with it atop a bath towel. See, the beads can jump about a bit thanks to static electricity, and can find their way to the floor, counter, etc. So spread out a towel and that way if the beads go astray they will just get on the towel. When you are done, bundle it up and toss it into the washing machine.

Store it WAY out of reach of children, with the cap on tight, just as you would drain cleaner, ammonia, etc. If you don't have a safe place to put it, don't have it.

 

[tgwhitney101]

I guess I never thought of it that way... After reading books and some websites, I got all nervous. I think I need to just give this a go!

 

[debbism]

Another great tip for the static electricity is to keep some Bounce sheets on hand - when you open the bottle of NaOH, swipe the mouth of the bottle with the sheet and swipe the vessel you are pouring into. This will prevent it from jumping.

Also, keep a big ole bottle of vinegar within arms reach just in case you get a little splash or drop on you.

I was pretty terrified at first too. Just take it slow and wear protective clothing. Once you do your first batch of soap, you will feel more at ease - just keep that healthy respect for the lye and you'll be fine.

 

[Kenaslan]

Think of it like any other chemical you have in your house.

Draino, Clorox, Paint thinner. Get the Idea. They can all hurt you if used improperly. As long as you take the proper safety precautions (PPE - Personal Protective Equipment) its no big deal. And never NEVER get over confident.

Ken
Electrical Engineer
and former Safety Engineer

 

[morena_mama]

The first batch is always the hardest. Second only to your first ruined batch.

I also do the towel thing. Everything stays on a towel while I am prepping Straight to my soap pot which is in the sink.

I think all of us were terrified the first time.

Good luck! Soaping is a lot of fun.

 

[Kenaslan]

At first only mix what you need. Also you will want to mix OUTSIDE. You might want insulated gloves, Like you would use for dishes in hot water. This is because NaOH and water is an exothermic reaction, meaning it gets hot VERY HOT. ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS add your lye to water. NEVER add water to your lye. Wear a plastic apron not a cloth apron. Eyeglasses are not enough It is imperative that you use proper chemical safety goggles. Even the fumes can damage your eyes. If you get sodium hydroxide in your eyes, you must flood them with water for 15 minutes while holding your eyelids away. Not 5 minutes, not 10 minutes, not 14 minutes. 15 minutes. This will be hard to do, but you must. The reason is that NaOH hydrolyzes and dissolves the eye tissue. After washing with for a brief time, your eyes might feel OK but they are not. The caustic material is still in your eye and doing damage.

 

[tgwhitney101]

I am what some may consider cautious in every aspect of my life which may be why I am so terrified. I also have a family including a dog to watch out for...

If I make the batch outside, can't moving it inside be dangerous? Are there different stages of danger? It sounds like the actual mixing is the most dangerous and right after when it's reacting. When can I let my guard down a little? When it's cooled could it still be dangerous?

 

[Kenaslan]

Never let your guard down. mix it in a container that you can seal with a lid AFTER it has cooled down. If you put a lid on it while it is heating it could explode from the pressure inside. If you put the lid on it when it is hot, it will cool off leaving a vacuum. Put the lid on and move it like you would a bottle of Clorox.

 

[AmyW]

Cold lye water is still lye water. I do everything in the kitchen, once I've added the lye to the water, it goes under the stove exhaust fan.

My rule is no one is allowed in the kitchen for any reason until the soap is in molds. Including the dog, but I have a very good dog that will lay where I tell her and just look at me with pathetic puppy dog eyes (she's 6 years old) until I let her up lol.

 

[carebear]

Never carry a lye solution without a lid. A good lid.

It's caustic hot or cold.

 

[carebear]

Cold lye water is still lye water. I do everything in the kitchen, once I've added the lye to the water, it goes under the stove exhaust fan.

Hmm - is that fan filter part aluminum? Many are. The fumes can corrode aluminum - so be careful.

 

[carebear]

If you get sodium hydroxide in your eyes, you must flood them with water for 15 minutes while holding your eyelids away. Not 5 minutes, not 10 minutes, not 14 minutes. 15 minutes. This will be hard to do, but you must. The reason is that NaOH hydrolyzes and dissolves the eye tissue. After washing with for a brief time, your eyes might feel OK but they are not. The caustic material is still in your eye and doing damage.

Many years ago in a previous life I was extracting carotenes from carrots with KOH (potassium hydroxide, we use it to make liquid soap). I was wearing my gloves, and got some on the tip. Used that gloved finger to push up my goggles. Got a nasty burn on my cheek right under my eye.

Rinsing for 15 minutes IS hard. But you know, I couldn't be sure it didn't go in my eye. I was just a kid then - summer job, and thank goodness the lab was full of adults cuz one had to hold my head under the water flow.

Which reminds me - think ahead of time how you can get your eye under a stream of water for 15 minutes. Kitchen sinks are often good (faucet, sprayer). Think about it BEFORE you need it. Hopefully you won't.

I didn't scar, by the way.

 

[Kenaslan]

You are very lucky. You can always tell someone that is use to chemicals. They wash their hands BEFORE using the bathroom. There are certain places that hurt more than others.

 

[FreeRabbit]

I always use protective gear but I did notice that with the proper making, care, patience, etc. it is not that bad, the soda caustic is not volcano like, it is not splashing on its own... it does get HOT and you DO NOT want to touch it, but just a little drop of soap in the making can leave a burn but it will not eat you alive.

 

[judymoody]

I lay out newspaper and spray it with a vinegar/water solution from a spray bottle until it is damp. I measure my lye over this surface and mix my lye solution. Then I fold up the paper and put it in the trash.

Lye deserves healthy respect, it does not warrant terror. As other posters have explained, many home cleaning products are equally toxic/caustic. Safety protection for the eyes and face is essential. As long as you don't become complacent over time, you should be fine.

I soap in my garage. There's a sink out there. The rest of the family knows to stay out of the area until the soap is in the mold and I've cleaned up.

 

[adoptapitbull]

It's really not such a big deal.

I don't like to use gloves because I want to be in control and gloves can slip on my small hands. Yeah, it'll sting a little if it splashes on you, but nothing worse than hot water. It's good to be aware that it can burn, however it's nothing to be afraid of. I treat it the way I do something hot. Don't intentionally touch it. If you do, rinse it with water or just wait a few seconds and the pain goes away.

I have 5 dogs who I put away when I'm working with it, just in case I would knock it on the floor or something. Other than that, I don't make any other changes.

Really, though, it's nothing to be afraid of.

 

[AmyW]

Cold lye water is still lye water. I do everything in the kitchen, once I've added the lye to the water, it goes under the stove exhaust fan.

Hmm - is that fan filter part aluminum? Many are. The fumes can corrode aluminum - so be careful.

Thanks for bringing that up. I wondered about the vent itself but I didn't think about the filter. I'll replace it. I wonder if non-aluminum is available or if I should just change it regularly. Though I saw another post that someone uses a regular fan and stands upwind... maybe I'll do that instead. That'd actually make it so I don't need to move the container at all. Thanks again carebear

 

[tgwhitney101]

Thank you everyone for all of the great tips and advice. I think I am building up the courage. I'm still not sure where to actually make the lye. I'd like to make it outside but moving it around makes me a bit worried.

 

[AmyW]

I would suggest in the sink, with a fan blowing the fumes outside (assuming you have a window or door you can point the fan towards). I'm so glad someone suggested that here.

If your head is between the fan and the container, the fan will push the fumes away from you so your main concern if stirring carefully. Then you can plug up the sink and add cold/ice water to cool the solution off if you need. No moving the container needed. Have the rest of your set up (oils, etc) next to the sink and you won't even need to step away.