Reducing Lye %

[Peachy Clean Soap]

THIS is what I needed! Thank you so much.

Tasha'
I'm dyslexic too' ugh the struggles are real' but on a great note we have other gifts that makes up for it. Glad you asked this Q' I understand it better now' having said that I'm having to adjust my lye concentration as of late due to soda ash, out of the blue my 36% lye concentration starting showing ash' so Ive increased my lye up to "37%" to avoid soda ash' I may need to go up to 38% if my last batch is still showing signs of ash. .

 

[Louis mercy]

I agree, @SoapDaddy70. No apology needed!

I think that's why "water:lye ratio" clicks better with many soap makers. The NaOH ("lye") in the water:lye ratio always stays equal to 1. It's the water that changes in the ratio.

Lye concentration and water:lye ratio mean exactly the same thing; they just look different. I have a lot of chemistry background, and chemists usually work with concentrations rather than ratios, so that's why I normally talk about lye concentration. It's habit and training. I can give the same info as a water:lye ratio, however.

A lye solution that has a 2:1 water:lye ratio means it has 2 parts water for every 1 part solid NaOH. This means the same thing as a 33% lye concentration.

A water:lye ratio of 3:1 means 3 parts water to every 1 part solid NaOH. That's the same as a 25% lye concentration.

Sorry to chime in here..but I couldn't help but ask the gurus on here.
This thread reminds me of a soap recipe I came about it says it had 50% Naoh solution.
What does that even mean?

 

[linne1gi]

Sorry to chime in here..but I couldn't help but ask the gurus on here.
This thread reminds me of a soap recipe I came about it says it had 50% Naoh solution.
What does that even mean?

That means that your lye solution is 50% lye and 50% water.

 

[Louis mercy]

That means that your lye solution is 50% lye and 50% water.

@linne1gi tnx a bunch for clarifying this . Very much appreciated

 

[linne1gi]

@linne1gi tnx a bunch for clarifying this . Very much appreciated

You’re welcome