Bummed about my lye explosion

[Raha]

Dear Soap Makers,
Today I write for your support. I always try to be so careful when dealing with lye--as I have read a few horror stories. Well, I made a big mistake today...while making my green tea soap, I poured hot green tea in with lye...I feel so horrible for making such a big mistake...the lye bubbled up like a volcano and I stepped back and then the whole glass jug exploded. I am so so so grateful that I didn't get hurt (except for a minor burn on my thumb). I just finished cleaning the minimum and plan in a half hour or so to continue the mass clean up.
Anyways, thank you for your support and just let me share my frustrations...
Gratefully yours,
Raha

 

[rubyslippers]

Oh my gosh Raha. Bad enough to have lye volcano and explode but to have glass flying doubles the nightmare. So glad you did not suffer severe injuries.

 

[Jezzy]

Glad you are ok! I have done this too

A mistake I am sure I won't make again! You live and learn!!

 

[honor435]

did you add your tea to the lye? gotta always add lye to liquid. glad your ok, I dont use glass, I use hard plastic container from hardware store, its worked for over 150 batches.

 

[loveit_latherit]

Thank God you are OK!!!! Throughout every step while making soap you must be careful. It's sometimes difficult because you are thinking of a thousand things not to forget or zoning out because you may have done it so many times. I caught my finger in the stick blender a few weeks ago myself! Please exercise caution throughout the whole process. Good luck to you I know you are probably still rattled!

 

[GAJenny]

OMG! I would have about peed my pants! :? Thats why I havent started with CP yet, I'm a big weenie and I'm worried that something like that will happend. I'm glad you werent hurt badly.

 

[Raha]

Yeah *sigh* just finished making the batches I started 10+ hours ago. What a loooong day. Thank you all for your kind words and concern--it makes me feel better to hear the words and experiences of other soap makers. Such hard work. I hope the whole world supports handmade soap!
Grateful,
Raha

 

[carebear]

oh no! well you can be the poster child for Lye Rules

- add lye to your liquid
- don't use hot liquid
- NEVER IN GLASS

 

[Deda]

oh no! well you can be the poster child for Lye Rules

- add lye to your liquid
- don't use hot liquid
- NEVER IN GLASS

Amen.

Glad you're ok. Scary.

 

[Raha]

Totally!!!

(with the exception of adding liquid to lye) Here in Jordan they sell these heavy flakes in the form of lye. I find that pouring liquid to lye actually is better to avoid splashing!)

 

[carebear]

Raha, that intensifies the reaction and is a very unsafe way to combine the two. ALWAYS add lye to your liquid.

 

[April]

I am happy to learn you are well. I hope your thumb is repairing.

Thank you for sharing your "lessons learned" and reminding all your fellow soapers to stay focused.

Take good care,

 

[Raksava*]

oh no, glad you are ok raha!

question though-
i use glass container to mix the small batch lye water, but the size is only about ... 6-8 oz of lye water in a 4 cup pyrex measuring cup. is it really THAT unsafe? the only plastic lye container i have is like 100 oz. far too big for those tiny batches.

 

[carebear]

no glass for lye. not pyrex, either. we have seen too many stories of pyrex shattering. lye is not nice to it and it etches the glass, plus the pyrex these days isn't made like the old stuff and doesn't like sudden shifts in temperature.

I use those tall Ziploc containers with a lid ( http://www.ziploc.com/Products/Pages/Tw ... ame=Medium ) to mix my lye most of the time - sometimes I use a rubbermaid pitcher if I'm working with something that foams way up (cold tea, beer, etc.)

 

[Bubbles Galore]

Dearie me Raha. So glad you're ok. :wink:

 

[Raha]

Thank you all for your well wishes. Carebear, I take your words to heart and will try a different way. My thumb is burnt but it's okay! A lesson well learned.
Grateful,
Raha

 

[gekko62]

Totally!!!

(with the exception of adding liquid to lye) Here in Jordan they sell these heavy flakes in the form of lye. I find that pouring liquid to lye actually is better to avoid splashing!)

Raha,if yr worried about splashing use a spoon & sprinkle the lye closer to the surface. Or tilt the jug slightly & pour flakes down the side.I use a tall 2L (plastic!)jug for lye mixing,even sm amts,don't have probs with splashes,even heavy koh flakes. Glad yr ok.

 

[Tiristia]

WOW I feel bad for missing this one . I'm very happy you didn't get hurt bad! The rest of the stuff is just stuff and in the BIG scheme of your life don't really matter that much. But your safety is paramount.

That includes the safety of your loved ones. I'm always crazy careful because my Leila baby is right under my feet the whole time. So I have to make certain I don't drip anything she might sniff or lick off the floor.

I know I should put the dog gate back up to keep her out of the kitchen but she would sit on the other side and whine or bark at me the whole time. :cry:

 

[zajanatural]

Using glass is very dangerous, and you should always pour the lye into the liquid, no matter the size of the lye flakes. Your glass container experienced thermal shock, which caused it to shatter. I am really glad you were not hurt! That must have been scary!

Pyrex is also very breakable now, since they sold out and the new company that owns them now uses soda glass instead of borosilicate, which is what the original pyrex products were made it. I would not trust pyrex or any other type of glass with lye. It may not shatter the first few rounds, but the lye will eventually break it down and it will most likely explode.

 

[shar40]

How scary is that? I'm so glad you're ok.