Lye Substitute??

[hmlove1218]

When I last looked for lye, Ace Hardware's website said that my local store carried bottles of it. Well, apparently sometime between a month ago and yesterday they stopped carrying it. I went in there yesterday just to price a bottle and the guy in there informed me that they could no longer sell it but that they had a substitute that would work for soap making. He handed me a little bar and I naturally flipped it over and looked at the ingredients. First word was "soap." That made me put the bar back down and I left the store and I just ordered my lye offline, but I was wondering if anyone else has heard of a lye substitute. I can't remember the name of the product or I'd post a link so every one could see what I'm talking about.

 

[Seawolfe]

That is so freaky - he tried to sell you soap for making soap instead of lye? Thats like those "make soap without lye" ads
I just bought 2 bottles of 100% lye from my local Ace last night. It was the last 2 on the shelf, I hope they get more in.

 

[hmlove1218]

I hope they do for you as well. I thought it was really weird too. Once I run out of what I just ordered I'll check at the lowes that's about 30 minutes away and see if they still carry any.

 

[Marilyna]

Check all your local grocery stores, too. I buy mine at a store called Brookshire's. Do you have those in Mississippi?

And it's cheap. $2.49 a lb. Not as cheap as buying it in 50# bags, but pretty good.

 

[hmlove1218]

I dunno if there's one somewhere else in Mississippi, but the only grocery stores my town has are walmart, piggly wiggly, and save-a-lot and none carry lye. I have a home dept too but I've never seen pure lye in there either

 

[dixiedragon]

was he trying to sell you melt-and-pour?

 

[hmlove1218]

No, it said it was used for "something and laundry"

 

[new12soap]

Probably "Grandma's Old Fashioned Lye Soap", I have seen that in hardware stores.

IME because of the meth problem, store clerks have been told to say "No" when asked if they carry lye. Ask for drain cleaners, then read the labels and get one that says 100% sodium hydroxide. I think a lot of clerks don't know that's the same thing!

 

[hmlove1218]

Probably "Grandma's Old Fashioned Lye Soap", I have seen that in hardware stores.

IME because of the meth problem, store clerks have been told to say "No" when asked if they carry lye. Ask for drain cleaners, then read the labels and get one that says 100% sodium hydroxide. I think a lot of clerks don't know that's the same thing!

Definitely should have done that LOL

 

[Susie]

I bought my first lye from Lowe's. The online directory showed they had it. I went into there and the manager of the dept. did not know that it was 100% NaOH. He actually told me they had no lye. I showed him where it said 100% Lye. LOL.

 

[Kansas Farm Girl]

I have been into some Ace and True Value stores that carry drain cleaners that are not lye, and they don't have any lye at all, then other stores do carry it. I used to find it at both Lowes and Home Depot. Haven't looked there recently because the cost was too high for me. None of the grocery stores I have carry it in any form/name.

 

[hmlove1218]

Wow.. it's that kind of thing that makes you not want to believe anything they tell you LOL

 

[clhigh29]

I ran to Lowes because I ran out of lye, and they had it in the plumbing area, not where they have the cleaning agents. The clerk looked it up on his computer and located it for me. But HOLY COW, I don't want to run out of lye ever again. It cost $15 for about two lbs! Maybe it's just Massachusetts, or maybe because nobody else sells it, but they're awful proud of it.

 

[bjannr]

We just had an Ace Hardware store open near us. I stopped in Friday and pickrd up two 2 lb containers of lye. It was in the plumbing section. I did not think the price was tok bad. 3.49 per bottle.

 

[pamielynn]

I ran to Lowes because I ran out of lye, and they had it in the plumbing area, not where they have the cleaning agents. The clerk looked it up on his computer and located it for me. But HOLY COW, I don't want to run out of lye ever again. It cost $15 for about two lbs! Maybe it's just Massachusetts, or maybe because nobody else sells it, but they're awful proud of it.

Totally off topic, but where in Mass are you? I'm from Salem - even though I'm being forced to live in Texas now.

 

[clhigh29]

I'm in Needham,and visit Salem every Halloween. I must start getting out there more often to visit the Peabody Essex museum. Sorry you had to leave, but from your tone, it sounds like you're planning to return.

 

[pamielynn]

I'm in Needham,and visit Salem every Halloween. I must start getting out there more often to visit the Peabody Essex museum. Sorry you had to leave, but from your tone, it sounds like you're planning to return.

I "plan" to return every day, ha ha! I love the PEM, even though it's not the same as it was when I was younger. I love Needham, too; such a beautiful area. It's always nice to meet another New Englander, as we have no "north east" people down here in the south. Not many "Yankees" running around down here. We've asked our friends to start watching "Wahlburgers" so they'll understand us better, ha ha.