Getting over the fear of lye

[Candybee]

Someone mentioned (Old Glory) in another recent thread their initial fear of using lye in soapmaking. I know she's not alone and that most of us if not all have had to contend with that fear at least in our first batch of soap. I know I did.

 

I thought it might be interesting to talk about your first time making soap and how you overcame that fear.

 

For me, being afraid of working with lye kept me from making CP soap for almost 2 yrs. I was making M&P at the time and my excuse was I didn't have time to learn it now so I kept putting it off. But the truth was I was just afraid of handling the lye. I am really a big klutz and always have been. I trip over my own big feet, fall down stairs, drop things on my feet, walk into things, on top of things, etc, etc, etc. So I thought I was going to mess up and burn myself somehow.

 

What got me over it was when someone reminded me that lye is what we use to clean our toilets. Now I know I can clean a toilet without hurting myself and that got me thinking I might just be able to handle this. Anyway, that little tip is what gave me the courage to try.

 

Even then, when I was making my first batch I didn't realize I had been shaking all during the time I was handling it up until I finished adding my lye solution to my oils. Once I got that done I took a breath to relax and then SB'd the soap batter and poured into my mold. Done. I wasn't dead or horribly disfigured or burned. I had done it without injury. I was so proud. I was never afraid of lye after that. Well, almost never afraid. I think its good to be wary enough to always respect the lye.

[Guest OldGlory]

Exactly, Candybee! I wasted 10 years because I was terrified of handling lye. I also had 2 dogs at the time, and had to figure out how to protect them.

I eventually just closed the door to my bedroom to contain the pets, so that was a non-issue. I also bought myself a little spray bottle and filled it with vinegar, because that will neutralize lye. I was very careful about the counters and floor, and after I made soap I would mop the floor and wet wipe everything in the area.

For those who are in this situation I say: Take all the precautions and DO IT.

I have been splashed by lye, had the little tingling, then burn, applied the vinegar - and I survived, lol! Protect your eyes, wear gloves, and do not allow ANY interruptions. Make sure you understand the process, and if you can have someone there with you with the purpose to be silent and out of the way unless you need help, I think you are ready.

[Jcandleattic]

I never really had a fear of the lye. I don't know why, but I never was scared of using it or the hazards associated with it. That's not to say I didn't have a healthy respect of it or the damage it could cause but it was never a 'fear' for me. 

I dove in with my gear on and never looked back.

I just decided one day I wanted to make soap to distract me from the pain of what my brother was going through and candlemaking wasn't cutting it as a distraction. 

 

The first time I made soap however I looked like I was working an asbestos hazmat site with all of the precautionary gear I had on. I was actually more afraid of a failed batch because I didn't know what I was doing. There weren't a lot of online options to learn about soapmaking when I first started out, so I didn't realize I should have started with a 1-2lb batch and ended up making an 8lb batch for my first one (which is what the books that I had suggested for batch size - I did make up my own recipe though)  I had NO idea what trace was or how to recognize it, Everyone kept saying "It's like gravy, it'll be the consistency of gravy" Umm, I don't cook, but I bake. As soon as I saw that it was thickening up and looked like CAKE BATTER! LOL I knew what they meant. My first batch was unscented and uncolored. 

 

Here's where they lye story comes in. I didn't know you had to wait until the soap had saponified or sat for a couple of days before zap testing for lye heaviness. After I molded the soap, I touched some to my gloved hand then proceeded to lick it. OMFG!! Umm, yeah, I know what zap is because of that. LOL 

It was my husband who talked me off the ledge of that one because I was soo upset that my first batch was "lye heavy" and didn't turn out. He told me to wait until it was in bars and if it still wasn't any good I could toss it and just start over, doing it better next time. Well, a few days later, I cut it, tested for zap again, and they were great. so I let them cure out and really haven't looked back. I have been making soap off and on since then - that was over 11 years ago. I am proud to say - my soaping skills have gotten considerably better as well as my confidence level. However when it comes to lye, I am not complacent and as I said earlier - that healthy respect for the chemical has always remained in tact.  

[Guest OldGlory]

That would have been the end of my soapmaking, lol!

[Candybee]

Lordy! Just reading that made my tongue hurt! I'm so glad you did not give up making soap. You make awesome soap and have great advice.

[Jcandleattic]

Thank you Candybee. I appreciate it.  It's a passion of mine. I love it! 

[Scented]

I can't say I ever really had a fear of lye either. I was more afraid of hard oils blowing up in the microwave, I think. 

I did learn though just how much raw soap can burn and how it can get places where you might not think it is till that burn starts to kick in, which for me was in the middle of trying to learn to swirl. 

I am not the typical soaper in that I never liked to make soap. I bought stuff because I was curious and read stuff and had a partner who just said no all the time. I couldn't/wouldn't do the typical make a first batch and don't scent it or make the OMH or some such common thing. No, I had to go all out and had to have color. 

While I accumulated quite a bit of stuff before I ever made a batch, I always had an excuse not to start until I ran out of them. The member who taught me, put together a kit of first just the basics and then when I used the excuse I had no color, that arrived some 3-4 days later with a note that said, so what's your next excuse? 

I did all the reading and looked at all the stuff that was posted in the gallery and really thought it would be as easy as making candles if I didn't blow anything up ... but then that's how I learned to make candles ... not that I per se blew anything up, but I had fires caused once by my mistake and the other times by faulty equipment. 

So I was probably most apprehensive about pulling the volcano effect. I probably wasn't as strapped in as J, but I was covered and hated every minute of it, because my breath fogged my glasses or I'd get to having an itch on my back that I couldn't quite reach right after I poured the lye mixture into the oils. I had long hair at the time, that was long enough to get in the way, but short enough that I couldn't pull it back. 

I remember making that first batch and constantly thinking ... "Oh God did I (this, that or the other)" 

Because I frustrated myself so much, I came away really hating my art of making soap, but I wasn't going to let it completely making me mentally insane (though it came close.) After two batches though, I wanted to learn to make a recipe that did what I wanted it to do and that was a whole nother task that I get to go through again at some point lol. That one put me in line to sign the "I'm certifiably insane" declaration. 

I don't mind soaping now. I just don't have a lot of time or space for it, which is such a shame, because I started collecting colors just like I had started collecting FOs for candles. 

I will admit though that getting that first batch behind you makes it a whole lot easier the next time around. 

[Michdj]

I too was freakishly afraid of lye but got over it by reading tons of information online and getting the process down BEFORE I actually did the process.  Does that make sense?  Walking through all the safety precautions and pretending to make a batch so I had everything I needed in front of me. 

 

I did want to say though that in case you get lye on your skin you should rinse really, really well with cool water.  Water!    You don't want to use vinegar on a lye burn.  That will add more injury to injury in case you actually have a burn. 

[chuck_35550]

I still have a healthy respect for lye and always will, lye burns hurt. I only use Essential Depot for my lye source. Their packaging and granular type of lye is the easiest to deal with IMHO. I save all the empty bottles (just in case I buy a 50 pound bag again) and never have to worry about static charged lye sticking to everything. The worst mistake I made was buying a 50 pound bag right off the bat and not knowing how to handle so much caustic material. Most of the lye went bad and then there was the problem of disposing it properly. I finally have done away with disposable gloves and bought a great set of black latex rubber gloves that have the long cuffs to protect your forearms. Wally World carries them in the paint department and they are really flexible and fit nice and tight. Now, I handle soap without worry but I still use my double respirator and safety goggles to be safe. I can tell you that breating lye fumes don't mix well with asthma. HTH

Steve

[Candybee]

Thanks for the tip about the gloves Steve. I am going to Wally's today so I think I will check out the gloves. I buy my lye mostly from ED too. I love their packaging and 2lb containers. For lye in a jiffy I run over to my local hardware store. They have the Rooto brand in 1 lb containers. They are expensive but when you run out of lye and need some in a jiffy it will do until I can order from ED.

[puma52]

I watched a lot of videos on You Tube and just decided to try it. From watching all the different videos and purchasing an excellent soap making book, I feel I have gleaned the most wonderful information on additions to make to my soap which makes it so creamy and wonderful. The one person who shared the most about the making of soap and got my fear over using lye was Essential Soap. That Kim is a riot to watch....I have chosen to do a few things differently from what she does, but she got me over my fear of trying it. I have used gloves, not used gloves (got burned) and still survived. But... no one and nothing is allowed in my space when I am making my soap. After it has been blended and in the crock pot cooking happily can anyone enter.... I only make hot process soap...and just love making it. I cut it about 6 hrs after putting in mold but I still let it harden 4 weeks before using. I make in 5# loaves at a time and it is now the only soap I use on my skin. I just hate that I waited so long to try making it! I first purchased my supplies from Essential Depot (and still do) and used the scent Oatmeal, Milk and Honey from RE (LOVE!) As long as I can make my own soap, I will use no other and when I can no longer make I will find a wonderful soap maker and purchase from them. If anyone is sitting on the fence about trying to make soap....sit no longer! It is wonderful to make and use and sell!

Edited August 16, 2014 by puma52

[franu61]

Thanks to all of you for posting this!  I am one of those "fence sitters' and your posts are both comforting and inspiring.  I will let you know when I'm ready to jump in 

[Candybee]

When you are ready you will just know. Then you can start having fun making soap!

[puma52]

Thanks to all of you for posting this!  I am one of those "fence sitters' and your posts are both comforting and inspiring.  I will let you know when I'm ready to jump in 

Hi Franu61!

The book that I got that helped me IMMENSLEY is The Everything Soapmaking Book by Alicia Grosso. I got my book at Books A Million, but I am sure that you could also order through Amazon or your favorite place to order books from. This is an excellent book to get you started and on your way. She goes over everything you need to know... with step by step instructions, soapmaking terms, equipment you need, techniques you will use, excellent recipes to make....you CAN do it!

[Candybee]

You know I still haven't got any soapmaking books other than my M&P books. I know of a couple CP soaping books I want I just haven't gotten around to getting them yet. With money tight this year it will have to wait.