Lye and possible overheating adventure!

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kryse13

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I think this is batch #6 which is technically 2 different soaps in one mold. Had my recipe ready, oils ready, new wooden mold I made was all freezer papered up and ready to go... then it all went wrong... *insert dramatic music*

I threw out my old water/lye container from the last batch and needed to look for a new one. My mother suggested that I use this sturdy peanut container. Looked good enough. I looked at the recycle number on the bottom and it said 1. I remember reading somewhere about the numbers and how certain numbers are ok to use with lye water. I momentarily remembered #1 was one of them (mostly, I didn't want to delay my soap making any longer and actually look it up, so I convinced myself that this was right.) I've had the itch to make a batch of soap for 3 weeks now and was unable to do so because of Christmas and time restraints with work.

Gagged up (gloves, mask, glasses, smock) and measured out my water and lye. Carefully contained my lye for transport (a walk up the stairs to the outside garage). It super cold out here in slippers and no jacket. I begun to add the lye to the water. Mixing rapidly. I then noticed the container getting shorter... I put it on the cold concrete and noticed it started melting sideways. I hold on to the container and desperately look for something to control my soon to be unleashed evil. Nothing. I managed to balance the melting peanut container in my small lye container. I RAN to the door, flung it open, ran to the utility room sink. In the sink was a pail and a plastic basin. Grabbed the plastic basin and dumped everything out, accidently sent a bleach bottle flying (luckily it landed in the sink). Sprinted to the lye mixture and noticed it was already starting to run all over the concrete and out the garage door. Grabbed the containers (lucky I had my gloves on) and placed it in the plastic basin. Evil contained.

My dad always calls me 'the mad scientist' when I am making my concoctions, now I see why.

There was a cloth in the garage right next to my lye mess. I used that to block the flow of lye water to the outside world. Which is out the front of the garage to the driveway where the animals roam (2 dogs and a cat). I have contained the mess, now for cleanup. Time to call in the HAZMAT team! "MOM" I yelled, "I need vinegar".

I filled a bucket full of cold water and brought it outside with a mass of rags. Started wiping up the lye water, which actually had become a kind of gel. All the rags went into the bucket of water. Vinegar was spread all over the concrete and worked in the best that I could. I later went back and touched it with my exposed hand and there was no burning whatsoever. I will need to wait till spring until I can clean this thoroughly.

The new lye basin was taken inside the utility room and put in the sink. I pondered how much water I needed to run to flush this lye out to make it safe. Would I need vinegar? I was also washing laundry at the time. Water should be good enough. Filled the basin and let it run over to dilute the lye. Then left the water running for quite some time after just in case. At this time I wondered why I smelt bleach. I looked in the sink next to me (there is 2 sinks) and the bleach container is flipped over from my frantic attempt at grabbing a container for the lye. ok, need more running water. I hoped that lye and bleach mixed together, even in diluted amounts, did not make some kind of gas that would kill me in 2 minutes. Yes, I freak out about these things on a regular basis. I won't allow ammonia in the house if there is bleach being used. I don't care if there both in sealed containers.

Now looking at my mess. This is what I saw...
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I love how the peanut container ended up looking like a triangle. And what happened to the rags? They have a gel like feel (gloved feel) to them where I sopped up the lye water. Interesting.

Ok so now that is all cleaned up, I have made more lye water in a sour cream container which I knew wouldn't melt.

Mixed my soap, split it into 3 batches to add color. My colors were, yellow brown, yellow and brown. I wanted to make a pie colored soap. Apple and lemon to go with my FO's. That went well. Got my mom to help me with stirring as the 'mad scientist' went to work. Colors turned out beautiful. Just like I wanted. Then I had this idea that instead of using the oven to CPOP I would use the heat from the wood furnace. Nice and warm, not too hot, or so I thought.

Keep in mind that I used sugar in the recipe. I did not think about sugar and overheating and burning. Well I gave it a thought but decided to go with it anyway. My colors were very nice. After an hour of being on the furnace the soap developed oily spots on top. I have read about this and it wasn't a mass amount of oil so I believed everything was OK. Left it there for another hour. Checked the tops and this is what I saw...
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DARK DARK BROWN! I knew it was going to turn dark but there should be a bit of color variation.

I decided that this was overheating (never experienced by me before) and moved the mold to the outside garage to cool. Once cool I put it back in the basement where it has sat till this morning. I am assuming that I will not be able to cut it today and that I may have to tmrw. DARN! I really wanted to see the mess I made. I will be sure to post pix when I finally do cut it.
 
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This is how it is 14 hours later...

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The color has come back somewhat. and my swirly top is aweful, but I know it will take a while before I get the hang of it.

It is still oily on top. I put plastic wrap on top hoping to prevent ash once (if) the oil gets absorbed back in
 
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Just out of curiosity why don't you mix your lye in a container in the sink? Anytime you transport lye in an open container you are waiting for an accident to happen. You can trip, and now you have a critical accident. I never move my lye except from the sink to counter or to pour my 50/50 solution in my carboy container. The oil you see is likely to be fo that heated up and seperated. You just will not know how it is until you pull from the mold and cut. This is why I do not insulate. I have a lot of recipes that are heater uppers. Rubbermaid pitchers make very reliable lye containers that do not melt. I have been using the same 2 for 6 yrs
 
Untill we get an exaust fan in the basement I need to take my mixing outside. I put a lid on and am careful when walking, fully aware of the danger I pose from walking with lye water. Is the fumes less of a danger than I thought?

I am currently looking for a pitcher.
 
Untill we get an exaust fan in the basement I need to take my mixing outside. I put a lid on and am careful when walking, fully aware of the danger I pose from walking with lye water. Is the fumes less of a danger than I thought?

I am currently looking for a pitcher.

You can get one at any dollar store.

Next time as soon as you see oily spots on the top, remove your soap from heat. Don't let it sit another hour.

Your soap should be ready to cut as soon as it's at room temperature. No need to wait an extra day.
 
Is the fumes less of a danger than I thought?

I am currently looking for a pitcher.

the fumes are dangerous. a well ventilated area is a must when doing your mixture. my batches are small, so the fumes are not that bad. but if you're doing big batches, you will have a lot of fumes that you don't want to inhale.
 
Next time as soon as you see oily spots on the top, remove your soap from heat. Don't let it sit another hour.

Your soap should be ready to cut as soon as it's at room temperature. No need to wait an extra day.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind next time I try to have an oily adventure. I mostly had to wait the extra day because of work and there wasn't enough time to do it today.

Well, hopefully I learn from these mistakes :p
 
I mix two gallons of lye solution at a time in my sink with no problem with fumes. Just keep your head back so you do not get the fumes in your face. A mask can also be worn. Keeping away from inhaling the fumes is much easier than a severe 3rd chemical burn. If your area is super tiny that could be a problem with a large of lye, but for smaller batches there is not that many fumes.
 
I mix two gallons of lye solution at a time in my sink with no problem with fumes. Just keep your head back so you do not get the fumes in your face. A mask can also be worn. Keeping away from inhaling the fumes is much easier than a severe 3rd chemical burn. If your area is super tiny that could be a problem with a large of lye, but for smaller batches there is not that many fumes.

I've accidently inhaled the fumes already and couldn't stop caughing. I would realy like to take your advise and have all the mixing done in the basement because of the danger of just that one time that I trip and fall and 3rd degree burns. My batches are usually 3-4 lbs. I am not sure how bad the fumes are for you. And if those fumes from my batch get circulated through the house will it affect everyone else? We have a cat. The house is pretty big. 3 floors. But I would be doing this mixing close to the furnace.

I will research more and see how bad the fumes are.
 
For those wondering about the fumes - imagine what lye does to your skin, or even look up pictures or read stories.

Now imagine that happening to your lungs and throat.

Indeed. Don't want to be a scare-monger, but the fumes are essentially steamy lye solution.

Whether or not it's more dangerous, I can't tell you. But then I carry my lye solution from the balcony back in to the kitchen, but carefully..............
 
Me and my family have had a discussion, there will not be a fan installed in the basement and I am not to mix lye in the basement. So our solution is to mix the lye, after it cools put a lid on it. Then, get a 5 gallon bucket with a sturdy lid and put it in the bucket. So incase I trip and fall the lye will still be contained.
 
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