Soap disaster
- Thread starter JosieKay
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sweetcreekherbs
Well-Known Member
sorry to hear it.Would you take us through what you did. Start with your recipe and lead us through your steps.
Thanks.
Curdled mix
Thanks for replying.
I buried the whole mess as it didn't improve. I think the caustic soda might have been too old. I guess it has a use by date though I couldn't find one on the container. I bought some new and tried again with the same recipe and it worked great.
Thanks again.
Thanks for replying.
I buried the whole mess as it didn't improve. I think the caustic soda might have been too old. I guess it has a use by date though I couldn't find one on the container. I bought some new and tried again with the same recipe and it worked great.
Thanks again.
donniej
Well-Known Member
If you keep it in a sealed container, I've never heard of lye going bad.
Hi Donnie J--a question though--you know how spices don't go bad but they do lose potency along the line? well, can that happen to lye? can it weaken over time? I've been so curious about that, and you seem like a guy who'd know...
donniej
Well-Known Member
I've never really had to work with old lye so this is only my opinion...
If you leave a container of lye open, or simply not well sealed, it will absorb water out of the air. This will cause it to be dilluted, possibly by a lot. I've read that it can then degrade into other chemicals but I'm not sure I belive that. I believe that if you keep it in a good, sealed container, that it will stay good indefinitely.
Acids and bases's strength is tested in what's called a titration (pronounced ty-tray-shun). Basically you take a sample of the acid or base, add a PH indicator and add the opposite to it until you trigger the indicator. I have found with my lye that it takes 29 times it's weight in vinegar (standard 5% acidity) to turn phenolthelain (turmeric is close). I'll take a sample, put it in a jar and stick it on my test shelf for a year. Check back with me then for the results
If you leave a container of lye open, or simply not well sealed, it will absorb water out of the air. This will cause it to be dilluted, possibly by a lot. I've read that it can then degrade into other chemicals but I'm not sure I belive that. I believe that if you keep it in a good, sealed container, that it will stay good indefinitely.
Acids and bases's strength is tested in what's called a titration (pronounced ty-tray-shun). Basically you take a sample of the acid or base, add a PH indicator and add the opposite to it until you trigger the indicator. I have found with my lye that it takes 29 times it's weight in vinegar (standard 5% acidity) to turn phenolthelain (turmeric is close). I'll take a sample, put it in a jar and stick it on my test shelf for a year. Check back with me then for the results
oldragbagger
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carebear said:
What soap section?
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