Very quick question about dual lye soap!

[toxikon]

I'm thinking about whipping up a batch of cp soap tonight and now that I have some KOH, I'm intrigued by 5% KOH/95% NaOH soaping.

Just one (potentially stupid) question, which I can't seem to find an answer to.

Can you combine the KOH and NaOH together with one container of water? Or do you need to have a KOH + water solution and a NaOH + water solution that you add to your oils separately?

Thank you thank you!

 

[kchaystack]

I just add the amount of KOH to my NaOH solution.

I masterbatch my lye, so I measure out my extra liquid to get to the concentration I want to soap at, add my MB amount and then add the KOH crystals and stir to dissolve.

 

[toxikon]

I just add the amount of KOH to my NaOH solution.

I masterbatch my lye, so I measure out my extra liquid to get to the concentration I want to soap at, add my MB amount and then add the KOH crystals and stir to dissolve.

Great, thank you! I've never worked with KOH so I just wanted to make sure I wasn't doing something disastrous.

 

[kchaystack]

Great, thank you! I've never worked with KOH so I just wanted to make sure I wasn't doing something disastrous.

nope as long as you have enough extra liquid, you are fine.

 

[DeeAnna]

What KC said. Just want to emphasize -- you need water that is equal to or more than the total combined weight of NaOH and KOH.

First time I tried this, I added the dry KOH to a 50% NaOH solution, and the KOH didn't dissolve. This got me a bit flustered, but there was no harm done. I just added the extra water needed for the KOH and all was well.

 

[toxikon]

What KC said. Just want to emphasize -- you need water that is equal to or more than the total combined weight of NaOH and KOH.

First time I tried this, I added the dry KOH to a 50% NaOH solution, and the KOH didn't dissolve. This got me a bit flustered, but there was no harm done. I just added the extra water needed for the KOH and all was well.

So if I usually use 35% Lye Concentration, will that be enough water? Assuming I'm using the Soapee calc to calculate lye amounts.

 

[DeeAnna]

Yep, that will work plenty good.

Soapee will calculate the right amount of water for your recipe.