Lye fumes burn skin

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Had a new experience today, though I'd share so others are aware of what can happen. I'm pretty lax about safety gear, learned a lesson today I did.

I mix my lye in a container in the kitchen sink, holding the pitcher handle with one hand and stirring with the other. I was mixing away when my arms started to burn, I stopped and checked for splashes but there was none. Kept stirring but the burning got worse, thats when it hit me the the fumes were burning my arms.
I rinsed with cold water but it wasn't enough. I had to go in the bathroom to wash better and use vinegar. Grabbed my gloves and finished with the lye.

When I was ready to mix the oils and lye, I put the gloves back on and my skin started to burn again. Apparently the lye fumes got on the gloves too. Had to finish my soap with no gloves as I only have one pair.

What I learned today: Always wear gloves and preferably long sleeves. Oh and make sure you have back up gloves.
 
So glad you posted this. I prepare for war when I get ready to soap - long sleeves, gloves, always mix outside, etc. Glad to know it pays to be safe.

Hope you're OK though...
 
I used to do the same thing but I got complacent. I'm fine now, it was more of a irritation then anything. Hurt like the dickens but once I washed up, the redness went away.
I knew lye fumes are bad to breath, I just never though about what it could do to the skin.
 
I'm glad you didn't get badly hurt! I try to be careful about lye, but it's hard for me because no matter how I try to stop it from happening, batter inevitably ends up on the hems of my sleeves and works its way onto my skin. Not fun.
 

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