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Compounds and Cleaning · Compound · Sodium hydroxide, soap and drains

Lye

Sodium hydroxide, a powerful caustic base for cold-process soap and clearing stubborn drains. It demands full protective gear every time.

INDEFINITEMULTI-USEHazardousWorks without power

Quick facts

pH in water
~13 to 14
Form
Beads or flakes
Hazard class
Highly caustic
Shelf life
Indefinite
Storage
  • HDPE
  • airtight
  • dry
What to avoid
  • Moisture
  • acids
  • aluminum

See everything lye must never touch

What it's good for

Soap-making

Cold-process bar soap

Drains

Clears grease clogs

Saponify

Turns fat into soap

Caution

Caustic; full PPE

In water it turns intensely alkaline, hot enough to feel, turning fat into soap and dissolving organic clogs.

Good to know

Heat and a million-fold pH. Drop lye into water and two things happen at once: it dissolves with a surge of heat, and the solution climbs to about pH 13, which on the logarithmic pH scale is roughly a million times more alkaline than tap water. That ferocity is the point of soap-making, where lye splits oil into soap and glycerin. Always add lye to water; reversed, the sudden heat can boil and erupt the caustic liquid out. If you run out, you can causticize a weaker lye yourself from washing soda and pickling lime (Recipe 19.3).

Handling and safety

Full PPE every time

Lye causes severe burns; wear goggles, gloves, and long sleeves.

Lye into water, always

Add lye to water, never water to lye, to avoid a dangerous eruption.

It heats as it dissolves

Mixing releases heat and fumes; work in good ventilation.

Soap must cure

Fresh soap is caustic; it is safe only after a 4 to 6 week cure.

Eight jobs it does

  • Soap making with tallow or oils
  • Cure hominy, pretzels, and olives
  • Drain cleaning for clogs
  • Strip paint and old finish
  • Clean ovens and smoker grates
  • Biodiesel from waste oil
  • Dehair hides for tanning
  • Neutralize acidic soil (with care)

If it goes bad Pulls moisture and turns to caustic paste. Still corrosive, just unworkable.

Recipes for lye

Questions this answers

Tap a question for the short answer.

What is lye used for?

Lye makes cold-process soap from tallow or oils and clears grease clogs in drains. It also cures hominy, pretzels, and olives, strips paint, cleans ovens and smoker grates, makes biodiesel from waste oil, dehairs hides for tanning, and neutralizes acidic soil. It is highly caustic, so wear full protective gear.

How long does lye last in storage?

Lye lasts indefinitely when kept dry. If it goes bad, it has pulled in moisture and turned into a caustic paste. At that point it is still corrosive, only unworkable.

How do I store lye?

Store lye in HDPE, airtight and dry, and keep it away from moisture, acids, and aluminum. It pulls water from its surroundings and turns into a caustic paste, so a dry, tightly closed container is what keeps it usable.

Keep going

Read nextCalcium HydroxideA strong alkaline base, also called slaked lime. It preserves eggs, raises low soil pH, sanitizes with whitewash, and binds simple mortar and plaster.Compounds and Cleaning · Compound

Related to this

Compounds and Cleaning · Formula Drain and Pipe Clearing Solution Sodium hydroxide is one of the most effective degreasing agents available, dissolving organic blockages that baking soda and vinegar can't reach. Hazardous Compounds and Cleaning · Formula DIY Lye from Washing Soda & Pickling Lime When commercial lye runs out, two dry powders and water still make a real caustic soda solution, the strong alkali behind soap and heavy cleaning. Hazardous Compounds and Cleaning · Formula Drain Maintenance and Grease Clog Treatment Most household drain clogs are organic: grease, soap scum, hair, and food residue layered over time. Hazardous Hygiene and Sanitation · Formula Cold Process Bar Soap Soap is the product of a simple chemical reaction between fat and lye that humans have used for thousands of years. Hazardous
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