lye water - how clear?

[Jola]

Is the lye water supposed to get completely clear?

I don't remember how it was with my first batch.

It's not cloudy anymore but it has lil tiny floatys in it. For lack of a better description, like sea monkeys. Are these going to form lye patches or is it ok? This is the second batch of lye water I made today. I threw the first one out because of the lil white things

[Jeana]

I get those too. I started pouring the lye through a strainer as I am adding it to the oils. I haven't had any lye pockets. I wouldn't use it like that without straining it though.

[Scented]

Did you put sugar in your water and silk?

I'd filter it to, but was just thinking that if sugar isn't completely dissolved before you add the lye, it's going to leave specks and sometimes silk does too.

[CareBear]

go ahead and filter it. or do what I do and ignore them. the soap comes out the same either way.

(if you add lye to water with undissolved sugar, the sugar bits turn amber IME)

[Jola]

Nope, it was just water and lye. I went ahead and used it since it was the second batch that turned out the same way. I'll let you know what happens with the soap.

[jbren]

You may also have some oil residue on the spoon or whatever you are mixing with, or the container itself. That'll do it too.

[Lifelace]

I get these too, they are just undissolved little lye crystals. I am completely OCD though and as the lye/water is cooling I'll stir and with my spoon break ALL the little bits up until the water is clear and nothing floats in it. They eventually will all go away but I need to break them up and stir stir stir. I don't get too many but it takes about 10-15 minutes of me stirring etc....I too would be worried about undissolved lye crystals in the finished soap. Depending on what kind of container you use they can be hard to see, but I use a clear one.

Melany

[smittenheart]

'sea monkeys' haa!! I havent thought of those in ages and the fact that we ALL get what that means is too funny..

all should be good though..

[MikeInPdx]

I ignore the sea monkeys and my soap always turns out fine.

[CareBear]

I always called 'em floaters... but sea monkeys it is from this day forth

[Jola]

lmao, glad I could dub a new soap making term so early in my soaping adventures

[Just Julia]

I get these too when I use my wooden spoon in the soap mixture at some point. Seems like the oils just really like to get into the wood pores and stay there. Then when they hit the lye water mixture the oil seems to come right out.