question about lye and water

[Sauboon]

When mixing lye with water is the lye and water mixture suppose to turn brown? Mine did. Is something wrong? I used distilled water and lye.

 

[xraygrl]

Nope, that is not supposed to happen. My questions would be what did you use for a container, what type of utensil did you use, and are you sure you are using pure lye?

Anything aluminum will react with lye and you will get nasty results

 

[Sauboon]

my lye water turned brown

I used a plastic pitcher and a wooden spoon but I didn't put the spoon in the water. As soon as I poured the lye in the water it turned brown instantly. Should I toss the soap? I made the soap anyway

 

[dagmar88]

:? what does the ingredient list of your lye say?
Next time it would be better to use a stainless steel spoon when stirring your lye mixture.

 

[Sauboon]

why did my lye water turn brown?

It says cautic soda for the ingredients. Should I throw the soap away? I made a small batch

 

[IrishLass]

That is really bizarre. You didn't happen to add any other ingredients to your distilled water such as honey or milk did you? Adding those to your lye water can make it turn color, but if it was just lye and water, it should have turned cloudy-white and then back to clear when the lye was all dissolved.

Hmmmm...Where did you get your lye and what brand is it, and what did the actual lye look like before you poured it?

Does it say anywhere on the bottle "100% sodium hydroxide", or "100% caustic soda"? If not, then I'm guessing that your lye has other stuff in it, possibly for use as a drain cleaner? I personally would be afraid to use the soap, especially if I couldn't put a logical finger on why it turned brown.

IrishLass

 

[hhalliburton]

I personally wouldn't use it since you aren't sure what caused the lye water it to turn. What does the soap look like?

 

[Sauboon]

Maybe I did put the wooden spoon in the lye. The lye is called (U do). It says caustic soda on the back. The soap is a dark tan color.

 

[Sauboon]

Anyway thanks alot. I really appreciate you guys help

 

[dagmar88]

can't imagine a wooden spoon would give of color... It's just better not to use one cause they can splinter over time.
Getting a dark tan soap without any additives is really strange!
Maybe anyone could give you advise about whitch lye to use?

 

[oldragbagger]

I tried to google U do caustic soda to see if I could get an MSDE sheet. That would give the entire ingredient list. Nothing came up. Where did you buy it?

 

[xyxoxy]

There had to be some kind of organic matter in the pitcher or in the water or else you do not have 100% sodium hydroxide. No other explanation makes sense.

Either way I wouldn't use the soap since you do not know for sure.

Be sure your lye specifies 100% sodium hydroxide.

 

[vivcarm]

Lye is never 100% it has a suface coating to stop it absorbing water, look for 99 - 98% that is what I have read else where on this forum.

 

[artisan soaps]

..

 

[dagmar88]

Both no problem; but in this case clearly something is wrong with it.
I do not believe a wooden spoon can turn a batch of soap into a dark tan color. Period.
This soap shouldn't be used and in another topic sauboon started after this one you can read it started oozing a 'dark liquid'.
:roll:

 

[vivcarm]

Lye is never 100% it has a suface coating to stop it absorbing water, look for 99 - 98% that is what I have read else where on this forum.

I buy 100% from the hardware store ..

It has nothing else in it bar this coating, so they can call it 100% .
http://www.soapmakingforum.com/forum/vi ... hlight=lye
I knew I had read it somewhere!