Lye behaving oddly

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The other day, as my lye water cooled, it formed a strange skin on the top. I've had lye lint before, but never a layer like this. It started out as a film, and turned into a delicate skin. Didn't dissolve when I mixed it, so I strained it, and the soap came out great — though I've put it to the side for examination later.

I don't masterbatch, I make it fresh each time. My lye water is just filtered water, lye, and table sugar. I add SL just before soaping.

I'd made two batches earlier that day and almost a dozen in the few days prior, all the same ingredients, tools, containers, and temperatures.

The only thing that changed was I'd opened a new bottle of lye. Could it just be a bad/old bottle I received? I haven't soaped since, but plan to later this week and am wondering if I should toss the lye.

And if so... I've never had bad lye before. How does one safely dispose of 2lbs of lye?
 

TheGecko

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The 'skin' is a result of the lye bonding with the oil residue on your container. I get the same thing when I use plastic containers.
 

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