What kind of vinegar do you use for clean up?

[kuurt]

I heard that you have to neutralize the lye left on your utensils after you're done pouring your soap into molds. The lye is apparently still caustic so you either have to wait 24 hours before cleaning the utensils that you used or neutralize the lye with vinegar before washing.

And if you get lye on your skin or counter top you're suppose to neutralize it with vinegar. So I guess it's a good idea to have some vinegar around, but does it matter what kind? I imagine they're probably talking about white vinegar, but I already have apple cider vinegar so I was wondering if that will work the same.

 

[Dennis]

No vinegar. Have never used it. Doesn't mean you shouldn't. NOTE: I am not a professional!
I clean all of mine immediately with hot water in the soap pot and Dawn. Of course you are still wearing gloves.
Dawn in the pot.
Fill halfway with hot water.
Stickblend.

That pretty much takes care of the stickblender and the pot. I go over it with a scrubbie, dry and put away. Refill the pot and wash the utensils. Quick and easy.
After I pour the NAOH into the water I put the container in the other sink under running water for a few minutes. Same with the lye container after pouring into the batter. Dry and put away.

By the way, in an emergency, any soda (preferably diet, it's not sticky) will neutralize caustic. The phosphoric acid in the soda does the trick.

 

[Hazel]

Apple cider vinegar will work.

 

[FOhoarder]

Is this even true? Many people say its just an old soapers tale and nothing neutralizes lye. I keep a spray bottle of vinegar on my counter and spray everything that comes in contact with lye before I wash. I've done this from the beginning of my soaping life. I'm wondering if its all for naught. I've never actually had to put it to the test so I don't know for sure. :? What do you guys think?

 

[Dennis]

I do know after working for 30 years with NAOH 50% in multiple 3000 gallon tanks and all of the accompanying pumps, lines, valves etc. that vinegar definitely will neutralize it. That's how I learned that sodas will do the trick. Get NAOH on you and find that the vinegar is missing in the middle of the night and you do what you can when working in the field. I took my coworkers soda and dumped it on my hands. Ahhhh. Sticky regular coke.

As for spraying down my kitchen after making soap. No, I don't. I have learned to not have any lye anywhere but in the sinks except when weighing it up. I do that slowly and carefully. That's just my practice and it doesn't mean anyone else should do it.

 

[Cuckoo Bananas]

I use white vinegar and I use it to wipe down areas I've been working and my gloves if I get them messy. As for cleaning utensils and pots and pans, I usually just put them all together and leave them till the next day, that way the soap left in the pots helps with the clean up. I would prefer to clean up straight afterwards but I found the soap batter wasn't saponified enough yet and would leave an oily residue on everything and it was really hard to get that off even with really hot water. If I leave it until the next morning than it's easy peasy and no residue but I soooo hate leaving mess out!

 

[Hazel]

I clean up in a similar manner as Cuckoo Bananas. However, I put my bowls and utensils in a 35 lb container which used to have cat litter in it. I really like it because it has a snap on lid. This clears off the counter and the snap on lid means I don't have to worry about one of the animals accidently knocking the lid off.

Normally, I use white vinegar but one time I was out so I used the apple cider vinegar. :wink: