Lye static.. beads went everywhere

[big]

This was my first time making soap, and unfortunately I didn't realize that my apartment had a lot of static. When pouring the lye into a measuring cup, a bunch of it flew all over the place and landed on my stove and the floor. I poured water over it (I panicked), and tried to towel off as much of the liquid as possible (some managing to drip into the burners). I added too much lye to the measuring cup, and when pouring it back in, the same thing happened, so I did the same thing on the floors, hoping that I got it all.

Do I have anything to worry about? Some of the lye stuck to the handle of the bucket I bought (I didn't want to get that much but it's all the place had), so I placed it in a bucket away from everything.

 

[big]

Skin isn't burning, clean up seems fine, thanks for nothing you ---------

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Not overly sure what you were expecting people to say - without being there to know if you cleaned it all up, how can we say if it is okay or not?

 

[Cookie]

Just wanted to chime in and say that people give freely of their own time, at least that's what I understand, to answer questions. Because it's not a paid job there isn't going to always be someone able to respond in under an hour. There is a search box in the top left, if you're on the website, and if you search things like lye cleanup there are a number of threads that will help so you don't have to hope that someone has time to respond immediately. I personally am very thankful for the help I receive here

Here are some threads that helped me on this subject

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=50434&highlight=cleanup

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=41814&highlight=cleanup

http://www.soapmakingforum.com/showthread.php?t=17303&highlight=cleanup

 

[Susie]

Also, where I live that was 3:56 am and 4:51 am that you posted that. Not many people awake here at that hour unless they are at work(therefore not on a soapmaking forum), or getting ready for work(also not on a soapmaking forum).

That being said, you probably should have learned how to handle spilled lye BEFORE you started this hobby. I certainly made sure I knew how to clean up spills before I started it. There is no substitute for due diligence.

 

[Earthen_Step]

If your NaOH (sodium hydroxide) is in a hard plastic container -- shake it like crazy before opening it for the first time. I have had the same problem and shaking it gets rid of all the static. I shake it for at least 30 seconds when I'm opening a new container, very vigorously.

 

[big]

I read up a lot on how to clean lye on the floor, however, I never found anything to do with lye near appliances/on the counter (nor did I think static electricity would cause lye to firework all over the place.

I apologize about the bastards thing; I was proper anxious about the scattered beads on the floor and near my stove (they shot far). It's been a few hours, now, and I was afraid that my socks trailed lye, but I'm assuming lye burns are near instantaneous when coming in contact with skin so I'm a lot less nervous. Again I'm sorry, I was just stressed out.

 

[reinbeau]

Going forward you can wipe the container you're pouring into with a dryer sheet, that will cut the static. I've heard of others having issues with static, that is why I don't like the little lye beads.

 

[Susie]

Apology accepted.

Now, let's talk about lye. If it is still dry, just use a vacuum to pick up the little beads. Then dispose of the bag by whatever method your municipality recommends for it. Or pour it slowly down a sink with the cold water on full force. But a long hose on my vacuum got all of what I spilled between the cabinet and the stove, and the long flat attachment got under the stove. (cleanest that has been for a very long time)

 

[Dorymae]

It's been a few hours, now, and I was afraid that my socks trailed lye, but I'm assuming lye burns are near instantaneous when coming in contact with skin so I'm a lot less nervous. Again I'm sorry, I was just stressed out.

No, lye burns are not instantaneous. If you feel a burn right away it would be from the temperature not the lye. Lye spilled on you, or caustic soap batter first starts to itch, then burn. You will feel it, before any real damage is done so long as it is not in your eyes, nose, or mouth. Lye water burns quicker than soap batter. With lye water you will feel it within a min. Soap batter takes a few minutes. If you ever do get it on yourself, I hope this will help you not to panic. You do have time to fully rinse off. Use only cool running water to rinse.

And yes I know this first hand, just call me Grace! Lol

 

[BugSoap]

You do not say what type of stove you have, gas or electric. If you think Lye may have gotten into the stove raise the stove top and look and clean everything well. If it's a gas stove some parts may be aluminum and Lye will EAT it and you do not want a gas leak blowing up your building!
Make sure nothing else aluminum got any lye on it either!

I think Vinegar will neutralize lye, may need to look that up to be sure, then wash anything with strong vinegar solution as needed.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

...........I think Vinegar will neutralize lye, may need to look that up to be sure, then wash anything with strong vinegar solution as needed.

I would always use water to start off with, to dilute the lye. Lye and vinegar causes a hotter reaction than lye and water. Lots of water, then wipe over with a rag with vinegar solution to be totally happy that the lye is gone.

Just so people know - NEVER EVER USE VINEGAR ON A LYE SPILL ON YOU!

 

[SoapBro]

Not trying to talk lightly of lye safty but i really dont get all the precautions people take when soaping, gloves and goggles? unless you got some lye directly in your eye balls or drank the stuff i just dont see it causing any damage.. i've gotten soap batter on my hands on more then a few occasions it did nothing at all, i just rinsed it off, i even got a splash of lye water on my skin and just washed it off and nothing happened, static threw some beads on my hand 2 weeks ago, they stuck to the skin so i had to wash them off, again nothing happened..

i really think its only dangerous if left unchecked on skin for a long time or if it lands in soft tissue (aka eyes).

 

[BugSoap]

I would always use water to start off with, to dilute the lye. Lye and vinegar causes a hotter reaction than lye and water. Lots of water, then wipe over with a rag with vinegar solution to be totally happy that the lye is gone.

Just so people know - NEVER EVER USE VINEGAR ON A LYE SPILL ON YOU!

Thanks, that's something I need to remember better myself.
One of those things ya kinda know but never use so get forgetful about.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Not trying to talk lightly of lye safty but i really dont get all the precautions people take when soaping, gloves and goggles? unless you got some lye directly in your eye balls or drank the stuff i just dont see it causing any damage.. i've gotten soap batter on my hands on more then a few occasions it did nothing at all, i just rinsed it off, i even got a splash of lye water on my skin and just washed it off and nothing happened, static threw some beads on my hand 2 weeks ago, they stuck to the skin so i had to wash them off, again nothing happened..

i really think its only dangerous if left unchecked on skin for a long time or if it lands in soft tissue (aka eyes).

I misclicked like - I don't like this!

Some people HAVE gotten batter directly in the eye. A member on this very forum needed a lot of work and think she is still not 100% - I would rather wear goggles on the off chance.

While you CAN wash it off from the hands and so on, gloves can be a good idea in general - EOs and FOs, for example, can cause issues when direct on the skin. Personally, the hassle of wearing gloves is really nothing next to the benefits/potential benefits. For example, if I get some lye solution or batter on my glove, I don't have to clean it off too quickly, so if I'm moulding up a troublesome soap, I don't have to decide between risking a bad batch or a burn on the hand.

 

[shunt2011]

^^^^
100% totally agree with what TEG said. No excuse not to use caution. I for one received a terrible burn on my nostril area because of flying batter. Being careful is very important.

 

[Susie]

I have to agree with TEG also. From personal experience, I can tell you that soap batter droplets on an eyelid is nothing fun. It really and truly hurts. Not to mention what soap batter can do to an unprotected cornea. I learned from that experience that safety goggles are a really good idea.

I also use gloves from the time I pick up the lye bottle to pour it until the clean up is done. I would just rather not have to choose whether to deal with soap batter or a risk a burn.

Your safety is your choice, SoapBro. But coming on a forum thread where new soapers are trying to learn how to deal with spilled lye safely, and saying that, is not a wise choice. If this were your child reading this, how would you feel if someone said that he/she did not need goggles and gloves? Would you want to risk them? Probably not. These are other people's children, whether adults or not, they are still someone's child.

 

[BugSoap]

I misclicked like - I don't like this!

Some people HAVE gotten batter directly in the eye. A member on this very forum needed a lot of work and think she is still not 100% - I would rather wear goggles on the off chance.

While you CAN wash it off from the hands and so on, gloves can be a good idea in general - EOs and FOs, for example, can cause issues when direct on the skin. Personally, the hassle of wearing gloves is really nothing next to the benefits/potential benefits. For example, if I get some lye solution or batter on my glove, I don't have to clean it off too quickly, so if I'm moulding up a troublesome soap, I don't have to decide between risking a bad batch or a burn on the hand.

Clicked like this one.
I'll add also my thought.
If something does happen and lye gets in eyes it may be much better to just pull off gloves fast and have clean hands and take care of the eyes than to have to wash lye off hands before trying to care for the eyes. Don't want lye all over hands when needing to put hands near eyes!

I've worked with lye for allot of things and so far nothing bad has happened and maybe never will, but then it could at most anytime and we never know when.

I don't fear the Lye but I do respect it. I've used it to eat up lots of aluminum making Hydrogen, and as paint remover, also to melt silica beads to make Sodium Silicate, and to melt glass bottles, etc...
I know what it CAN do to other things, I do not really want to know what it can do to me other than reading about it!

I haven't been using Lye for much for along time, which is why I was a bit rusty about using vinegar, something I once knew for the just in case but rather forgot.

 

[boyago]

Not trying to talk lightly of lye safty but i really dont get all the precautions people take when soaping, gloves and goggles? unless you got some lye directly in your eye balls or drank the stuff i just dont see it causing any damage.. i've gotten soap batter on my hands on more then a few occasions it did nothing at all, i just rinsed it off, i even got a splash of lye water on my skin and just washed it off and nothing happened, static threw some beads on my hand 2 weeks ago, they stuck to the skin so i had to wash them off, again nothing happened..

i really think its only dangerous if left unchecked on skin for a long time or if it lands in soft tissue (aka eyes).

That's crazy talk. Yeah if you get some on your hands they won't auto ignite or drop to the floor, but lye burns are pretty crappy. If you get to a sink right away your not going to have a problem MOST of the time. Allot of the time you might not know that you got some on you, a splash to the eye can be devastating. Also the soap batter is much more dilute that the lye mix but is still pretty caustic. Here is a picture of my eye. This happened 12 hours after soaping while cleaning up. I'm fairly certain it was just cool batter that I inadvertently transferred to my eye, There is another member got hot batter in her eye and had to go to the hospital to get patched up. I'm not saying to wear a hazmat suite but at the very least wear the goggles and respect what you are doing.

 

[boyago]

I don't fear the Lye but I do respect it. I've used it to eat up lots of aluminum making Hydrogen, and as paint remover, also to melt silica beads to make Sodium Silicate, and to melt glass bottles, etc...
I know what it CAN do to other things, I do not really want to know what it can do to me other than reading about it!

Do you just run around melting stuff?