Mixing lye indoors or outdoors?

[DWinMadison]

I regularly make my lye water at 50% and have zero clumping issues. I think clumping has more to do with inadequate mixing than anything else.

Oh no, don't misunderstand. I do 50/50 lye water the same way. I believe the secret is stirring the lye into the water slowly. I have started pouring my lye/water through a mesh strainer into my oils out of an abundance of caution...sort of like cracking an egg into a bowl before adding it to the mixer. My point was that this lady mixed equal weights of lye and ice, so she can do it indoors and not have the fumes to deal with. I have not tried it, but it sounds like a smart idea.

 

[MGM]

Since I've been doing 3 (small) soap batches at once lately, I masterbatch lye, but slightly differently, so I don't have to pour it back and forth. I have 3 plastic containers with proper lids, and I add water to all 3 separately and then lye to all 3. I'm still doing the measuring and such 3x instead of once, but it's quick and easy, I'm always doing the same measurements so I don't forget in between, and I don't have to pour caustic water back and forth. I do it on my glass-top stove under the vent and when it's cool, I either use it or cap and move it. I wear gloves and eye protection (though sometimes just my glasses, not full-on goggles) and pour lye into water.

 

[earlene]

Back on topic, I was watching a YouTube this morning about Soapmaker 3, but the lady doing the demo got off topic while talking about master batching and buying in bulk. She mentioned that when she master batches her lye, she does it inside using equal part of lye and ice. I'm not sure I'd to equal parts because of caking, but using ice would keep the fumes down.

When mixing at 50:50, the hot solution tends to lose a tiny bit due to evaporation, but if you weigh beforehand and afterward, you know how much water loss occurred. At that point you can add back in the evaporated water. I notice it is usually about 3-5 grams lost to evaporation, but I don't make large amounts of master batch. Some here add a specified amount up front because from their experience the evaporate is always the same. I do not use ice when masterbatching.

Can you empty out an old oil container/ You can mix it up in that, cap it, and walk indoors with it being safely contained.

I wouldn't bother trying to clean out an oil container to use it for mixing lye. The oil residue would be so much harder to clean out than a container that was used for something less difficult to clean. Any oil residue remaining would interact with the lye, compromising the desired lye concentration.

Ditto the gloves comment. But I don’t remember ever seeing someone suggesting that water be added to lye?

Neither had I before Andrew started recommending it in this thread and demonstrated in his video.

 

[RDak]

I am new to CP soaps and I have a small kitchen (not much counter space to work with). We have a room in our basement that I plan on setting up as my soap room, but I'm not sure if it's a good idea to mix the lye in the room or to go outside and do it. I have 2 kids and 4 ferrets, but they don't go anywhere near my soap making stuff. I have all the needed protective gear for mixing, but would it be safer to mix the lye outdoors then bring it downstairs to my soap room to add in the oils?

I have always mixed my lye out in the garage.

 

[lsg]

Do not add water to lye. It is the other way around. Add lye to water in a well ventilated area. That does not mean you have to do it outside. It can be an area with, or near a window, or in a well vented area. I have my soaping room in the basement; that has good air circulation. As long as I don't stand right over the mixing container and inhale the fumes, I am fine.