UK Sodium Hydroxide issues

[Rowan]

I've recently had a problem with the caustic soda I've purchased from Boots and Robert Dyas. When I mix it with water, it turns cloudy but doesn't clear. There is also a gritty residue on the bottom of the container. They are both labelled as 98percent sodium hydroxide.

I haven't used them to soap with because of concerns about this odd reaction. Am I doing the right thing?

I have bought the same product in the past from both shops and they didn't react like this. To say I'm devastated is an understatement. I have nothing to make soap with and the worst soap withdrawal ever!!!

Has anyone else had this problem? Are there any other ideas about where to buy some more?

 

[gemsupthepoley]

I got some from B&Q. Cloudy at first then crystal clear.

no mention of % on bottle. £5 for 1kg (I think)

http://www.diy.com/departments/bq-external-caustic-soda/36329_BQ.prd

 

[biarine]

I never use boots but I use home essential it's 99% but it's ok. This month I bought sodium hydroxide from new direction aromatics UK it's cloudy too it never turn clear but this is my 3 times I bought from them I never had problem they turn clear but this one it's cloudy.

 

[DeeAnna]

What is the lye solution concentration you are making? Also, is your water unusually cold? Are you using tap/bottled/spring water or are you using distilled/deionized/reverse-osmosis water? Is the water heating up like you would normally expect after you add the lye?

 

[biarine]

Mine I used cold purified water . When the sodium reach the water it become hot like the normal one but just cloudy never become clear.

 

[Sonya-m]

I get mine either from b&q or wilkos - never had a problem with the b&q one and am yet to open my new bottle from wilkos.

Wilkos is only £1.90 for 250g so figured I have nothing to lose in trying it

 

[Rowan]

Thanks for the replies. Deanna, I'll try and summarise.

1) I used de-ionised water, the same water for each batch.
2) l mixed the water/lye using the split method, as I was going to use coconut milk for the remainder of fluid in my oils. The lye was mixed with 215.5 grams of water to 162 grams of lye. 215.5g of coconut milk was then going into my oils.
3) As my lye water didn't look and feel right, I upped the water to 431 grams (the full 38 percent on soap calc), giving a lye concentration of 27.421 percent and a water:lye ratio of 2.647:1. It still looked cloudy and very grainy at the bottom. The grainy bits never dissolved and were very solid, like small sugar crystals or bits of plastic.
4) the water heated up as normal.
5) the water was room temperature, so not particularly cold.

many TIA for your replies.

 

[The Efficacious Gentleman]

Do you add anything to your water before the lye, like salt or sugar?

 

[Susie]

Was the lye clumpy when you first poured it?

 

[Rowan]

Do you add anything to your water before the lye, like salt or sugar?

No to both questions. I usually add salt afterwards and the sugar to my oils.

 

[Rowan]

Was the lye clumpy when you first poured it?

No, there were no clumps. It was fresh and only just opened. I must admit, I'm a bit stumped.

 

[Rowan]

I got some from B&Q. Cloudy at first then crystal clear.

no mention of % on bottle. £5 for 1kg (I think)

http://www.diy.com/departments/bq-external-caustic-soda/36329_BQ.prd

I will give this a try, thanks.

 

[Rowan]

I never use boots but I use home essential it's 99% but it's ok. This month I bought sodium hydroxide from new direction aromatics UK it's cloudy too it never turn clear but this is my 3 times I bought from them I never had problem they turn clear but this one it's cloudy.

Thanks for the information. I'd love to know what's causing the cloudiness.

 

[Rowan]

I get mine either from b&q or wilkos - never had a problem with the b&q one and am yet to open my new bottle from wilkos.

Wilkos is only £1.90 for 250g so figured I have nothing to lose in trying it

Thanks Sonya, I will definetely be down B&Q tomorrow. Good luck with Wilko's.

 

[biarine]

Thanks for the information. I'd love to know what's causing the cloudiness.

Your welcome maybe because I used cold water but it turn my castile soap ok

 

[Rowan]

A quick update. I tried the same lye as before, which didn't fully dissolve and added citic acid. The water went completely clear and all the crystals at the bottom disappeared! Has anyone else had the same happen?