Cloudy Masterbatch

[Cannon1227]

Last night I master batched about 70oz of 1-1 lye/distilled water. I mixed it really well and this morning it had a thin crust on top and looks cloudy. This has happened before and I dumped the solution. I’ve also have had it come out clear with know problems….

Any ideas why this happens and is it still safe to use?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Cannon1227]

I think I might have found the answer from @AliOop.

 

[cmzaha]

When you masterbatch 50/50 your lye solution will not be 100% clear, just remember to stir it really well since it does take longer to dissolve all of the lye in the 50/50 solution. I masterbatched in 2-gallon hdpe buckets, placing a dish towel over my bucket while it cooled in an ice bath, once cool enough I poured my solution into my gallon storage containers and capped it. You want your lye solution to have as little contact with the air as possible so it does not form the layer of sodium carbonate, known as soda ash on the top which you can just strain off. BTW, I do not necessarily everyone mix and pour lye solution out of 2-gallon buckets, I did it for so many years I was used to it and always poured it in the sink in case of spills.

 

[Cannon1227]

When you masterbatch 50/50 your lye solution will not be 100% clear, just remember to stir it really well since it does take longer to dissolve all of the lye in the 50/50 solution. I masterbatched in 2-gallon hdpe buckets, placing a dish towel over my bucket while it cooled in an ice bath, once cool enough I poured my solution into my gallon storage containers and capped it. You want your lye solution to have as little contact with the air as possible so it does not form the layer of sodium carbonate, known as soda ash on the top which you can just strain off. BTW, I do not necessarily everyone mix and pour lye solution out of 2-gallon buckets, I did it for so many years I was used to it and always poured it in the sink in case of spills.

Thanks for your reply. Should I just strain off the soda ash?

 

[cmzaha]

Thanks for your reply. Should I just strain off the soda ash?

You can, but it really does not hurt anything although I tended to strain my lye.

 

[AliOop]

It should be fine. Do make sure you follow @cmzaha's recommendation to keep it tightly covered when storing. I mix mine outside in a gallon jug (like the pic below) inside a bucket on the cement patio. As soon as all NaOH has dissolved, I put the cap on and barely leave the spout cracked until it cools a bit. I don't even wait for mine to cool all the way before closing the spout.

When it has cooled all the way, I pour it into a recycled laundry jug that has a nice tight cap and dripless spout. I weigh it and add any water that was lost to evaporation. Before I use it, I give the jug a few good swirls to mix everything up well. When the jug starts getting low, I transfer the solution into a smaller container so that the amount of air in the container is minimized. Although soda ash is harmless, its appearance does mean that your lye solution is no longer as strong.