Problem with Lye

[SoapSap]

Suddenly I am having a problem with dissolving my lye. When I first mix it everything goes well. The lye appears to be clear and completely dissolved. After having it set aside for cooling it developed a crystal-like film on the top of the solution. When I stir it up the film breaks up into what I am assume are shards of undissolved lye. I pour the solution through a fine mesh strainer and much of the crystals dissolve as carefully push it through with the back of a spoon.

The soap does not seem to suffer any (knock on wood). However I would sure like to know why the lye is suddenly acting this way when it never has done this before? Any ideas why? Anything I should be doing toprevent this?

 

[Obsidian]

It sounds like the lye is developing ash on top. Mine does it too, it has to do with the lye reacting to the air.
I just stir it back in and don't worry about it. Maybe you could try covering your lye container once the fumes have stopped.

 

[SoapSap]

Obsidian, thanks for the advise. I have tried o stir it back in but it does no dissolve. I am making soap again tomorrow and will cover it as you suggest.

 

[KristaY]

I agree with Obsidian, it's soda ash, and it won't dissolve when you stir back in. But it doesn't affect the outcome of the soap so I don't worry about it either. But if you're nervous about it, just keep straining as you pour the solution into the oils and it'll be fine!

 

[shunt2011]

Mine does the same and I do the same as the others. Just give it a good stir and pour it into my oils. You can strain it if you don't want to bother with it.

 

[true blue]

Interesting. My lye water will do the same thing - sometimes - and sometimes not - so I always strain it. Obsidian, I'm really curious, how does the air cause it?

After pouring my lye water in the oils, I'll fill up the container with water, and once I'm done stick blending, use that water and container to 'rinse' my blender off, changing out the water 2-3x. It seems that if I wash the container out with dish soap really well afterwards, I have less of a problem with the crusty stuff next time around. Somewhere I saw that it may have to do with the lye water saponifying any tiny bit of oils in the container. Seemed logical, but it seems if that were the case, the residue would be softer than the 'shards' SoapSap described and that I also experience. So I'm not totally sold on that explanation. I think it may contribute, but I've still had a little of it with a really clean container. I stir with a large stainless spoon - could that also contribute? It also seems that the cooler the water, the more 'shards'.

 

[Obsidian]

Interesting. My lye water will do the same thing - sometimes - and sometimes not - so I always strain it. Obsidian, I'm really curious, how does the air cause it?

Its a chemical reaction. When lye comes in contact with air, it can change into sodium carbonate aka, soda ash. Its the same ash that soap gets at times.

 

[penelopejane]

For me I stopped seeing this when I bought 2 new jugs which I use exclusively for lye and water. So there is no soap reside in the jugs.

I strain my premixed lye through muslin but mostly because it’s a habit from before I got the new lye only jugs and to stop bits of dried lye on the bottle dropping in but also because I’m a micro manager and can’t stand spots in soap. I wouldn’t push any “bits” you find though the strainer. Chuck them out - that’s the purpose of a strainer.

 

[melinda48]

Suddenly I am having a problem with dissolving my lye. When I first mix it everything goes well. The lye appears to be clear and completely dissolved. After having it set aside for cooling it developed a crystal-like film on the top of the solution. When I stir it up the film breaks up into what I am assume are shards of undissolved lye. I pour the solution through a fine mesh strainer and much of the crystals dissolve as carefully push it through with the back of a spoon.

The soap does not seem to suffer any (knock on wood). However I would sure like to know why the lye is suddenly acting this way when it never has done this before? Any ideas why? Anything I should be doing toprevent this?

Mine does the same thing. It has never had an adverse effect on my results.

 

[SoapSap]

I have since asking my question covered the mixed lye solution while waiting for the temp to drop. It worked - no soda ash! I also have since let the soda ash develop, did not strain and the soap came out just fine.

 

[KiwiMoose]

Check out this video - she has the same thing in her lye mixture:

 

[penelopejane]

Check out this video - she has the same thing in her lye mixture:

And she has lots of spots in her finished soap.

 

[penelopejane]

Some people don't mind spots in their soap.
Some people embrace them as being part of handmade soap.
But if you do mind them then there are things you can easily do to prevent them.
I, personally, don't accept that spots and soda ash are part of the process and actively try to minimise them in my soap. But that is just me. It is part of the reason why I make handmade soap.