What container to store lye masterbatch and how long is it good?

[RobinRogers]

Yay! I 'm always so happy when it clicks for someone. You're going to love master-batching your lye and working based on lye concentrations.


IrishLass

I have also used this when super batching lye. I have 2 questions. What do you store your lye solution in and how long is it good?

 

[IrishLass]

I store my materbatched lye in a reclaimed, thoroughly cleaned liquid laundry detergent bottle with the no-drip pour spout on top. If stored properly and tightly covered, masterbatch lye will last indefinitely. Mine has lasted upward of two years (and counting).


IrishLass

 

[Cellador]

I bought a Rubbermaid pitcher with a "click to close" top. Pretty much identical to the one in the Soaping 101 Masterbatch video.

 

[earlene]

I have also used this when super batching lye. I have 2 questions. What do you store your lye solution in and how long is it good?

I store mine in the same bottles that Essential Depot's NaOH comes in when I buy it from them. It lasts as long as I use it. I usually use it up within 3-4 months after I make it, but I may have gone 6 months with the last master batch. I tend to make enough to fill 4 of the ED bottles.

 

[MadTeddyBear]

I store my materbatched lye in a reclaimed, thoroughly cleaned liquid laundry detergent bottle with the no-drip pour spout on top. If stored properly and tightly covered, masterbatch lye will last indefinitely. Mine has lasted upward of two years (and counting).


IrishLass

I like the word reclaimed, sounds a lot better than "stolen from the trash in the laundry room." I do this too and it works very well. I also use plastic deli/soup containers when making soap and when my masterbatch is running low I'll store the last bit in one of those and top it off with the fresh batch when using it. If you have a fixed recipe you could also use these to pre-measure out enough of your lye solution into these containers to just grab one the next time you want to make soap.

 

[cmzaha]

I like the word reclaimed, sounds a lot better than "stolen from the trash in the laundry room." I do this too and it works very well. I also use plastic deli/soup containers when making soap and when my masterbatch is running low I'll store the last bit in one of those and top it off with the fresh batch when using it. If you have a fixed recipe you could also use these to pre-measure out enough of your lye solution into these containers to just grab one the next time you want to make soap.

I store mine in well cleaned out hdpe liquid dish detergent bottle, and a carboy gallon bottle. I do not trust the lids on deli cups especially if kids are around. My containers also have child proof caps and are clearly marked with contents and a big red X. My granddaughters also know to touch nothing with red X's.

 

[IrishLass]

I also use plastic deli/soup containers when making soap and when my masterbatch is running low I'll store the last bit in one of those and top it off with the fresh batch when using it. If you have a fixed recipe you could also use these to pre-measure out enough of your lye solution into these containers to just grab one the next time you want to make soap.

I'm with Zany- I don't know that I'd trust the lids on those plastic deli cups for keeping lye solution. I've had lids like that pop off if the container accidentally gets bumped/tipped. A good air-tight, screw-down lid is the best/safest.


IrishLass

 

[earlene]

To be fair, some plastic deli/soup containers are very sturdy. It really depends on where you get them. There are a couple of restaurants where my son & DIL buy take-out in Texas (don't recall which restaurants) where those containers are exceptionally sturdy and the lids have a really good spill-proof seal. But I still wouldn't like them for lye solution storage.

I prefer a child-proof cap on all my lye containers. It just makes me feel they are extra safe.

 

[Candybee]

For now I am using a recycled gallon size plastic white vinegar bottle. I typically master batch the day before for one or two days of soaping so a gallon pretty much works for me. I know it will keep for months but I tend to use it up withing 24-36 hours.

For my soaping oils I recycled some large kitty litter plastic jugs. They hold about 16 lbs of mixed oil which is perfect for a days soaping.

Personally I tend not to masterbatch for more than a weeks worth of soapmaking as I like my oils/lye 'fresh' as it were. My master oils I have batched as many as 4 containers at a time but tend not to do more than one or two.

I just find for my needs masterbatching for the weeks worth of soaping just works best for me. I just get too tired trying to do 50 or 100 lb masterbatches. Lord that wears me out so doing a week's worth at a time works out just perfect for me.

 

[Goldy]

Wow, so I didn't know you could do this. (still learning a lot) Can someone explain to me how to do lye master batching? I usually soap between 100 and 110 degrees. But do you just use the lye solution as is or do you warm it up?

 

[DeeAnna]

You use the NaOH masterbatch at room temperature -- no need to warm it.

I usually don't soap with 50% NaOH, so I need to add water or water-based liquid to reduce the concentration. When the masterbatch NaOH mixes with the added liquid, the temperature rises somewhat. This will happen if you add the lye solution and water to the fats or if you add the water to the lye solution and then add that mixture to the fats.

If you feel like you need the soap batter to be even warmer yet, I recommend warming the fats to get the result you want, not the lye, just for safety's sake.

 

[earlene]

Can someone explain to me how to do lye master batching? I usually soap between 100 and 110 degrees. But do you just use the lye solution as is or do you warm it up?

How To in this post:
https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/making-bulk-lye-for-multiple-batches.26634/#post-253997

 

[DeeAnna]

I have another tip about lye masterbatching. Suppose you have a container ready for your masterbatch. How do you to figure out how much NaOH and water will just fit in that storage container? Here's how you can do this --

Turn on your scale, put the jug on the scale, and tare the scale so it reads zero with the jug on the scale.

Decide how full the jug should be. I don't fill my jug to the brim because a full container is hard to pour without drips and dribbles.

Fill the jug to the desired level with regular water.

Weigh the container + water. Record that weight -- this is the water weight.

Tip -- Now is a good moment to practice pouring out of the jug to make sure you can comfortably hold the full jug and pour without dribbling. If you can't do it with water, it will be a struggle when the jug is full of lye solution.

Multiply the water weight by 1.5 --

50% NaOH Masterbatch weight = Water weight X 1.5
​

Divide the masterbatch weight by 2 to get the weights of the dry NaOH and water needed to make the masterbatch solution --
Masterbatch water weight = Masterbatch weight / 2
Dry NaOH weight = Masterbatch weight / 2

Make the masterbatch solution as described by Irish Lass (see Earlene's link, above).

Remember -- 50% NaOH solution is HEAVY. It's 1.5 times as heavy as water. Think about that when you decide how much masterbatch solution you want to put in your jug. Don't overfill it to avoid drips and dribbles. And don't overfill it to keep the weight manageable.

Comment -- for those who are comfortable with math, the formulas above can certainly be simplified. I didn't so everyone can follow the process.