What's the fear with lye?

[Seifenblasen]

This may sound like blasphemy to many people, but what's the big deal of using kitchen utensils to make soap and then using it for food again?

We use lye in many of our foods: pretzels, hominy, cured olives, thousand-year eggs, lukefisk, Chinese noodles and dumplings, etc. I won't re-use plastics, but there are a few stainless steel spoons and stainless and glass containers I use for both soap and food (after washing everything off in hot water and detergent and running them through the dishwasher). Actually, I am more concern about cross-contamination from EOs and FOs than from lye.

Am I the only one that have gone rogue?

P.S. In case you wonder, my kitchen doesn't look like that woman's kitchen on You Tube! :twisted:

 

[green soap]

I am a lot more concerned with FO films than with lye. These are oily, and I find out they wash very well with soap, and I have a lot of soap.

This is concerning stainless steel utensils. When it comes to silicone pans/bowls/molds it is either soap or food. Again, the concern for me is FOs, not NaOH.

 

[AngelMomma]

P.S. In case you wonder, my kitchen doesn't look like that woman's kitchen on You Tube! :twisted:

Polar opposites!!! Nice kitchen indeed.

 

[IrishLass]

No, you are not a roguish soaping blasphemer. Or at least if you are, them I'm one, too. I feel the same way as you. All my stainless steel soaping pots/utensils pull double duty for food (after being washed well). My plastics and silicones are a different story, though. However, not because of the lye, but because of the cross-contamination/scent saturation from FOs/EOs.


IrishLass

 

[Hazel]

I guess everyone's gone rogue. I will use stainless steel for soap and food after washing in sink and then running through the dishwasher. But all silicone and plastic items are designated for soap only.

 

[Pepsi Girl]

Whew! I am so glad to see other people's post. This morning I was to afraid to reply for fear that the "Lye Police" might be reading this and come after me I say ditto to everything that has already been said!! And that includes the "nice Kitchen"!

 

[JeanieB]

Thought I was the only one

 

[Hazel]

Whew! I am so glad to see other people's post. This morning I was to afraid to reply for fear that the "Lye Police" might be reading this and come after me

No Lye Police. It's just the Preservative Police you have to worry about. :wink:

 

[Maythorn]

The title of this post is just amazing to me. Have you ever researched or heard of accidents or human error happening in even the most careful households? Doesn't seem so. I'll continue to be vigilant with lye in my kitchen and you're certainly free to do as you please, unpoliced and now hopefully a little less freaked out that you somehow were today. :wink:

I keep soap and food totaly separate, it's my policy to be on the safe side and so far so good.

 

[Pepsi Girl]

Whew! I am so glad to see other people's post. This morning I was to afraid to reply for fear that the "Lye Police" might be reading this and come after me

No Lye Police. It's just the Preservative Police you have to worry about. :wink:

Yes, I've been wondering about that what exactly is the "Preservative Police " :?:

 

[Seifenblasen]

Have you ever researched or heard of accidents or human error happening in even the most careful households? Doesn't seem so.

All I am going to say is in the past I have worked as a research chemist for an explosives manufacturer. These days I deal with hazardous materials for a living. I treat my kitchen as a lab when I make soap and I am the only one using that kitchen.

Yes, I've been wondering about that what exactly is the "Preservative Police "

I am just now feeling better that the lye police is not coming after me, but do I have to worry about the "Preservative Police"? :shock:

Thanks everyone! It is good to know other people also use stainless for soap and food. I have made some awesome bretzels dipped in lye water before baking. Will dig up that recipe and post it in the food recipe area later.

 

[Relle]

I guess everyone's gone rogue.

Not here - soap is for soap stuff and food is for food stuff, although dh said my pizza I made tasted a bit soapy one night :roll: , I think I forgot to scrap the block after soaping :shock: . All my crafty stuff over the years has had their separate lot of supplies over the household stuff.

 

[Hazel]

I stand corrected by Relle9. It is safer to use designated utensils for soap. I have very few stainless steel spoons and I use food grade lye so I don't worry about washing them and then putting them in the dishwasher. If I was using tech grade, I would keep separate stainless steel spoons. I'm more concerned about volcanoes and splashing lye solution on me. Lye shouldn't be feared but it should be respected and people should always wear PPE when working with it.

The Preservative Police - we try to emphasize the importance of preserving products which have oil and water so microorganisms don't grow in them. It's a safety issue. I don't remember exactly how it was phrased but someone posted a comment about watching out for the preservative police, or not expecting the preservative police, you're not the preservative police or something along these lines. It was just a funny comment from a long time ago.

 

[Pepsi Girl]

The Preservative Police - we try to emphasize the importance of preserving products which have oil and water so microorganisms don't grow in them. It's a safety issue. I don't remember exactly how it was phrased but someone posted a comment about watching out for the preservative police, or not expecting the preservative police, you're not the preservative police or something along these lines. It was just a funny comment from a long time ago.

Thanks Hazel I thought something like that. I'm also a quilter and we have "Quilting Police"

 

[Relle]

Hazel we don't have food grade lye here in the supermarket (you have things we don't get or would ever get ), actually never heard of it until it was mentioned on the forum a while ago. The stuff we have is found in the cleaning aisle with all the drain cleaners etc with poison written all over it. Most people here just use caustic to clean out the drains (although I noticed now it has - can be used to make soap written on the label ) and thats all they know it to be used for, so I respect it, knowing how burn't you can get and thats why everything I use to do with it is separate. I'm still getting little stings here and there when something drops on me that shouldn't - might have to get some disposible overalls , thats all I need, gloves ,glasses ,mask and overalls - looking like a mad scientist .

 

[Hazel]

I'd definitely keep separate utensils if I was using a drain cleaner product. I'm surprised you can't find food grade in Australia. I though it would be available everywhere.

 

[DragonQueenHHP]

stayin out of the lye talk just stopping to say nice kitchen

 

[Pepsi Girl]

stayin out of the lye talk just stopping to say nice kitchen

Smart girl!!!

 

[adoptapitbull]

My problem is that some of the FOs remain on my utensils, mostly my rubbery/plastic ones.

Ask me how many times I've made rice or sloppy joes that kind of tasted like flowers

 

[Hazel]

That's why I keep plastic utensils separate.