Why would I make Lye with ice?
Using ice helps the lye cool faster. You can use the minimum amount of water required, then add the rest as ice cubes. We don’t recommend using ice for your entire water content, as this could lead to a false trace.
Video Recommendations:
– 100 pounds of Lye with ice
How do I reduce fumes when making Lye?
Use our Lye Tanks to prepare your Lye. Our Lye Tanks have a rubber gasket around the top of the tank. The lid fits snugly over the gasket, trapping fumes, reducing evaporation, and maintaining potency.
What’s the most efficient way to prep my lye solution?
If you’re making soap, shampoo or any other cosmetic product that uses lye, your goal should be to prepare it as few times as possible during the week. You should be making lye no more than once per day. If possible, you should make it once a week.
Making lye for use during multiple days is called master batching. This can be done in two ways.
50-50 masterbatch: Make a 50% lye solution and dilute it to the desired concentration when using it
Ready to use masterbatch: Make lye to the concentration you normally use while making soap.
Master batching will save you time, make your lye solution more consistent and reduce your exposure to lye fumes.
How can I reduce the fumes from my lye when making soap?
Make sure you’re storing or prepping your lye in a stainless steel tank with gaskets and a lid. This will keep your lye vapors in the tank when it’s cooling down.
To further limit your exposure to fumes, you can:
1. Make at End of Day: If you prep your lye at the end of the day and let it cool down overnight, the vapors will condense back into the tank as it cools and it will be ready to use in the morning.
2. Use an exhaust hood: Set your tank up under an exhaust hood to vent the fumes outside. Any kitchen exhaust hood will work.
3. Prep Lye with Ice: This reduces the amount of time your lye needs to cool and eliminates fumes
In all cases, when working with lye, be sure to use a proper respirator with Organic/Acid cartridges – a regular paint mask or respirator will not protect you. Use Nitrile gloves and protective clothing. We carry all of these.
How long can I keep lye in my tanks?
You can keep your lye in your tanks for 3-4 weeks due to the gaskets on the tanks. Do not keep your lye this long if you’re using a system that doesn’t seal your lye.
