I am thinking about buying bulk lye in 55lb bag. How would I store it once opened for safety? Any help would be greatly apprecited. Thank you!
Storing Lye
- Thread starter shunt2011
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Genny
Well-Known Member
Once you've opened it, you may find it helpful to separate it into small plastic containers.
Thank you Genny, that's kind of what I thought.
AngelMomma
Well-Known Member
I am also thinking of buying a 50lb bag of lye. I don't want a million little containers of lye sitting around though. My husbands suggestion was for us to get one of those big Space Saver Bags. He said, "Well, they say it keeps out air, moisture etc!" Hmmm......I think I just might do it. The price difference is simply AMAZING!!!!! $57 for the 50lb bag and no shipping because its local. I do have a couple of the 2lb lye containers left though. I have a funnel that I can designate for refilling the smaller container from the bag, then reseal.
Bigmoose
Well-Known Member
Here is what I do. I get the quart size ziplock freezer bags and put 2lb + or - in each bag. I then put 4 of those into a gallon size twist tie plastic bag. Then store them in a 10 ream of paper cardboard box and label the box "LYE". I have done a few 50lb. bags this way and the last one is always as good as the first. You want to split your lye up very quickly because you would be suprised how much moisture it will asorb by the time you are done. And don't forget to wear long sleeves no matter what the temp. is and your other saftey equiptment.
Bruce
Bruce
AngelMomma
Well-Known Member
Very good tips. I think I will do all the seperating right at the first then.
I buy in the 50 lb bags. I go to Rona (Home Depot) and buy their large pails so I can put it in there and close the lid up tight in order to keep moisture out. I actually had to split it though because the 5 gallon bucket wasn't big enough so I used a pail I get from my supplier that holds my coconut oil. Works a charm...
If you're storing the lye in plastic and then in a bucket this might work for you. I keep 2lb bottles in popcorn tins that are available this time of year. The bottles take up a lot of space that plastic bags would not, so the capacity should be increased a good bit. This is stored in my garage, hot in the summer, cold in the winter. So far, after a couple of years doing this, no clumping problems. Most people chunk the tins so they are free. Repackaging a 50lb bag might work in several of these.
I pre-mix my lye (a.k.a. Master batching) so when I buy a 50# bag I weigh it out 4 pounds at a time into gallon zip lock bags (and yes I use gloves, goggles, and long sleeves). Each of those gallon zip locks goes into ANOTHER zip lock and they all go into one of the Home Depot buckets with a tight fitting lid. This bucket lives out of the way in my shed until I need to mix more lye. Then I just pull out a bag and add my liquid since the lye is already measured.
ETA: And just to be clear, I don't actually add the liquid to the lye... that would be bad.
ETA: And just to be clear, I don't actually add the liquid to the lye... that would be bad.
I don't know why but your "that would be bad" statement made me burst out laughing. Maybe because it's such an understatement. 
I also feel like a slacker with my itty bitty 2 lb containers that take me a long time to use up.
I also feel like a slacker with my itty bitty 2 lb containers that take me a long time to use up.
AngelMomma
Well-Known Member
WELLLL...... I happened to acquire two 5gal buckets, with lids! For Free, Yay! Now when I do have time to go pick up a 50lb I will have something to store it in. And Ziplocks of course. I do sooooo love saving $$$ even if its only a $6.00 bucket with lid.
I happened to acquire two 5gal buckets, with lids! For Free, Yay! Now when I do have time to go pick up a 50lb I will have something to store it in. And Ziplocks of course. I do sooooo love saving $$$ even if its only a $6.00 bucket with lid.
