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Are Nitrile Gloves safefor use with Lye?


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I may have missed this; I have been reading and searching for an answer, so if I’m covering old material I’m sorry.

I’m almost ready to try and make soap… but due to sensitivities I can’t use either latex or rubber gloves. Does anyone here use, or have tried nitrile gloves? I found one site that says it is good for use with lye, but at another place on the same page says to not use them with strong acids or alkilines. Are they safe or not?

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I cannot speak for sure but I would believe they are fine at least for short periods and will act as a barrier at least until you can get to the sink. I've used them many times and they were fine. If you get soap on them (or lye solution) wash your hands with the gloves still on.

Even my RubberMaid gloves get a kind of "blister" if I get raw soap on them and leave it there. I don't think even they are impervious for long periods.

Sensitive to latex must just suck! Good luck.

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They are much much safer, at least for me. I'm allergic to latex so the nitrile and vinyl are way safer, LOL.

Actually, I use the nitrile gloves and have never had a problem with them. I don't get blisters from lye or soap like CareBear does. They seem to work just fine.

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Thank you all for your replies. I feel a lot better now... may actually start actually buying supplies and equipment this week. I cant use the vinyl (platex) gloveseither. If I start reacting to the nitrile I guess I will have to give up on the idea of makeing soap. :(

Or maybe I can try just slathering my hands in lard and if any lye splashes on them it will make soap and I can just wash my hands? That's a joke... just laugh... no need to explain to me it wouldnt really work...

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Thank you all for your replies. I feel a lot better now... may actually start actually buying supplies and equipment this week. I cant use the vinyl (platex) gloveseither.

Platex gloves and vinyl exam gloves for the medical fields aren't the same thing. We have them in out dental office for the boss, who doesn't like the nitrile. Our office is latex free, as so many folks have latex allergies these days. Check out Walmart or home depot in the painting section for latex gloves. They don't have as much stretch as nitrile, and they usually cost a lot less :)

Now all you've gotta do is get soaping!

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