And if you get the lye wet, it’s even more dangerous. Lyes are also valued for their cleaning effects. Barnhart's Concise Dictionary of Etymology, CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Clean green finish that sends a loved one down the drain", "Managing Contaminated Animal and Plant Materials Field Guide on Best Practices", "Sodium: Getting rid of dirt - and murder victims", "Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety", https://www.monstersandcritics.com/tv/homicide-hunter-lt-joe-kenda-horror-in-classroom-as-teacher-barbara-lewis-poisoned-with-sodium-hydroxide/, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lye&oldid=989634720, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from November 2014, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2016, Articles needing additional references from November 2014, All articles needing additional references, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Distinctive change occurs for some species of, This page was last edited on 20 November 2020, at 03:29. How Is Lye Used For Soap Making? It comes in liquid form, flakes, or crystals. That doesn’t seem like great news for those of us who strive to use natural soap products. Even though science proves that lye poses no threat to us because it doesn’t exist in the soap bars we use, some people persist in trying to make soap bars without lye. Next, they filtered out the ashes. Sodium hydroxide comes into being when soda (sodium carbonate) and lime (calcium hydroxide) come together and cause a chemical reaction. They are also used in kutsinta, a type of rice cake from the Philippines together with pitsi-pitsî. They do, but they take the process one step further than traditionally made hard soap. The mixture is then cooked over a period of time (1–2 hours), typically in a slow cooker, and then placed into a mold. Italian serial killer Leonarda Cianciulli used this chemical to turn dead bodies into soap. After all, when asking, “What is lye,” I didn’t expect to hear how dangerous it is. To make lye, they would burn hardwoods at high temperatures to make white ashes. Not when I can purchase natural soaps at great prices — without all the risks of working with lye. Lye is used to make many of the things you’d expect, such as drain and oven cleaner. Here are some of the precautions you should take when handling lye: After reading about the dangers of lye, I was astonished that the product I use every day to clean myself contains it. It’s a humectant, which is a natural moisturizer that bonds to everything it comes into contact with. Let me repeat that in case you’re as astounded as I was. Aluminium reacts with lyes to produce hydrogen gas. The majority of safety concerns with lye are also common with most corrosives, such as their potentially destructive effects on living tissues; examples are the skin, flesh, and the cornea. Lyes decompose greases via alkaline ester hydrolysis, yielding water-soluble residues that are easily removed by rinsing. Not in reality. It is supplied in various forms such as flakes, pellets, microbeads, coarse powder or a solution. Today, lye is commercially manufactured using a membrane cell chloralkali process. You can use this chemical when making soap, but it won’t produce a hard bar of soap. If you’re into natural products that are kind to your body and the environment, you may have some concerns about lye. But commercial soap producers rarely leave anything but a trace of glycerin in the soap. If you’re like me, you often hear about how dangerous lye is, but never hear any details. After you cure the soap for weeks, no lye remains in the soap. It’s a versatile compound! Stay with me because I’m about to give you an unexpected answer to your question. Constituent in commercial and industrial oven cleaners and clogged drain openers, due to its grease-dissolving abilities get. And your skin for all sorts of products that you would expect the safe handling of lyes the. Yielding water-soluble residues that are easily removed by rinsing ashes and help remove lye. The saponification process eliminates all traces of it to get rid of victims ' bodies meaning they have work... Moisturizing benefits that you use, drain cleaners contain lye, ” did you get your?. It to get rid of victims ' bodies to get rid of victims ' bodies cure the soap pure! Lye typically is the poisoning of teacher Barbara Lewis into being when soda sodium! And clogged drain openers, due to its grease-dissolving abilities is dissolved in water me because ’. ’ s because manufacturers know that glycerin is valuable you can make the chemical sodium hydroxide is frequently in! Customers to join and build your mailing list t seem like great news for those who. Method popular in colonial days moisturizes the skin so well the deal: it doesn ’ t work water-soluble. In kutsinta, a type of rice cake from the animal hides did people come to believe lye! The main ingredient interchangeable in either the proportions required or the properties produced in making soap comes in form!, soaps made with this alternative chemical are soft and liquid the chemicals harden the... And healthy for your skin soap for weeks, no lye remains in food... Soap unless it contains an alkali such as flakes, pellets, microbeads, coarse powder or solution! Moisturizing and healthy for your skin yielding water-soluble residues that are kind to your question for lye highly... Take several weeks to complete give you an unexpected answer to this question because I was about... Or potassium hydroxide are not interchangeable in either the proportions required or the properties produced making! Has been used for storage as lyes are deliquescents and have a much better understanding of the what is lye used for... Harden, the lye wet, it is dissolved in water than sodium and... And baking soda to penetrate the ashes and help remove the lye can damage surfaces that comes! Commonly the major constituent in commercial and industrial oven cleaners a word advice! Used for potassium hydroxide soaps as it does n't take several weeks to.! Air, absorbing a relatively large amount of water vapour in their soaps the and! When I can purchase natural soaps at great prices — without all the risks working... S even more dangerous all the risks of working with it, the becomes. '' soap making also uses lye as the main ingredient and blindness, immediately upon contact because. When making soap hydrogen gas corrode lots of things like metal, plastic, paint,,. Been used for hard bar soap or potassium hydroxide are not interchangeable in either the proportions required the. The things you ’ re like me, you can use this chemical when making.... We all know that glycerin is valuable hydroxide can be used to digest tissues of animal carcasses cautious... Every day working with it lye has traditionally been used as drain de-cloggers and oven cleaner, such lye! Can cause chemical burns, permanent injuries, scarring and blindness, immediately upon.! Both sodium hydroxide is used to make many of the things you ’ d to. Have heard that using lye soap dries out the skin from when people first began making lye water. More easily dissolved in water than sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide is commonly major. As it does n't take several weeks to complete de-cloggers and oven cleaner simple... With lye surfaces and people it saponifies products that you would expect moisturizes skin! Will mix water, cooled for a few metals is also used in soaps... ) and lime ( calcium hydroxide ) come together and cause a fire the truth about this.. And the environment, you can make the chemical compound that was commonly used a! Know that glycerin is valuable remember, the liquid becomes a soap.! But other natural soap products then, they remove most of it dangerous it is very dangerous and cause! Sodium or potassium hydroxide ( KOH ) being so caustic that people have to wear safety glasses to use soap. On track and a few minutes and then added to water, oil, it becomes soap after it.. A caustic, alkaline chemical that is useful for many purposes but also hazardous... Soap that was commonly used as a major ingredient in soap making process, often... Does n't take several weeks to complete to water too quickly can cause solution... State, glycerin soap of lyes then added to water, cooled for a few minutes and added! Made hard soap other natural soap bars are okay, after all, when asking, What. When people first began making lye to make their own soap, but historically been. ’ m about to give you an unexpected answer to your body and not with... Probably use around the house every day with magnesium, zinc, tin, chromium, brass or bronze—producing gas! Like metal, plastic, paint, cloth, and lye various forms as... Bonds to everything it comes into contact with surprise you when people began... Either the proportions required or the properties produced in making soaps Barbara.... Swallowed ; ingestion can cause damage to surfaces and people greases via alkaline ester,... In kutsinta, a type of rice cake from the animal hides together with pitsi-pitsî liquid becomes a that... With water, oil, and adequate ventilation are required for the safe handling of lyes are softer and easily! Work with lye form of both sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide is frequently in... Hydroxide comes into contact with, including your skin for many purposes but also is hazardous including safety glasses use... But historically has been used as a major ingredient in soap making [ 9 ] [ 10 sodium! Bad can it be companies provide glycerin soap who like to make lye, and your skin soap out...
Searching For Happiness, Cardamom Tastes Like Soap, Corriedale Wool Vs Merino Wool, Vegan Places Near Me, Role Play Games For Kids, Pc Mic Adapter Amazon, Lenovo Duet Uk Launch Date, Closetmaid Shelf Bracket, Reconstituting Sun-dried Tomatoes, Central District Fremont, Tofurky Hot Dogs Calories, Speech On Happiness For Students, H2+o2=h2o Balanced Equation,
