Danger?

[MommaD]

I am DYING to make some CP soap. I am just terrified of the lye. I have two small children, and I worry that I would spill a drop, and they would find it hours later. Those two are like bloodhounds!! LOL.

Also, when you are making this, should you were goggles, gloves, apron, the whole nine yards?

What extra precautions do you take? Do you mix certain parts outdoors? Is one type LESS dangerous than another? Such as HP and CP or CPHP? (Hope I got those abbreviations right) Is there anything that you have to do differently if you make it in your kitchen as opposed to a workshop, to keep it from contaminating things?

I understand that you have to have a healthy respect for ANYTHING that you do, or it could hurt you, but it just seems scary to me.

[MichelleOH]

Take all the precautions you can. I don't want to scare you but Lye is nothing to mess with. Take it from me I have had a bad experience with it. I wear goggles, gloves and a mask when I'm mixing it. I also work in an area in my basement that my children cannot get into.

Don't be afraid...try it and You'll be hooked.:smiley2:

[Beth-VT]

My advice is to make it only when you have a couple hours of UNINTERRUPTED time. Meaning the children aren't around at all, especially when your learning.

Lye can be very dangerous if not treated with the respect it deserves. Read read read, so you are sure and comfortable with the process you decide to use. You can mix your lye water outdoors to help with ventilation and safety. Never mix your lye water with the children around. And always add your lye to the water, not the water to the lye!! Yes, you should always wear full protection for you eyes/face/hands and all exposed skin. Lye water WILL burn, no doubt about it. Don't do it barefoot, don't do it in shorts . OH...and be sure and keep you containers and lye water CLEARLY marked, so someone doesn't accidentally use it for something else maybe thinking it's water.

When you're done, rinse/wash your lye containers throuroughly, and wipe up your area to get any spills and you should be fine.

Another reason to do it when the kids aren't around, is that soap doesn't care about interruptions. It won't care if a child has an 'accident' and needs your attention for a few minutes. You can't just walk away and come back to it later. When it decides to trace, you need to be ready. Choose a time when kids are out with DH, or on a playdate, etc. Once you've several batches under your belt and are more comfortable with the process, you'll better learn what you can do and when. HTH.

[SheilaW]

Even though my kids are teens I still only make soap early in the morning when they are still asleep. Everything I use ( rubbermaid pitcher, glass containers etc. ) are clearly marked in bright red ink with the skull sign and caution words. I store the lye in the garage on the highest shelf ( it's along the roof line and I need a ladder to get to it ) in the back so there is no way the grandkids could get to it. The whole lye thing scares me too and not for myself so much but that is the one thing I'm super careful of when making cp.

[cindym]

Also be careful with lye around your pets. I was scared to death in the beginning tooo, after the first go around , using all precautions I have become comfortable with the process but i respect lye.

[blandfarm]

DITTO to the previous replies.

The only thing i would add would be this (if someone said this, sorry). Get a large bottle of vinegar for any room that the lye may be in. If by some chance, you accidentally get lye on you. IMMEDIATELY rinse it with the vinegar. Whenever you are working with lye, keep the bottle out and the lid off. I also keep the water running, just in case. You cannot be careful enough with lye!!!!!!

The vinegar will nuetralize the reaction that occurs between lye and whatever it contacts. Simple chemistry. Lye is alkaline. Vinegar is acidic. They balance each other.

One thing that i have found to make mixing the lye easier is a fan. I mix the lye on a counter between an open window and a gently blowing fan. This helps to keep the fumes from rising up into my face.

I might consider investing in a padlock to place on the outside of area where you will be keeping the lye.

Also, when you are working with the lye, put any animals outside. My little weiner dog is as curious as they come.A few weeks ago, while working with some lye, i turned around to find him under my feet. Praise God I did not drop it on either one of us.

HTH< terri

[MommaD]

This is exactly the kind of input that I was looking for. THanks all!!!

[sudsnwicks]

It's best to try this when no one is around, not just children. Because you're much less likely to spill something if no one is walking around and bumping into you.

Goggles and gloves are a must. If you have an apron you can wear that too, if not just make sure you aren't wearing nice or new clothes.

As long as proper precautions are taken, it is no more dangerous than frying a fish (think of all the hot oil jumping up at you).

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

[lindsaycb]

I like to mix up my lye solution late at night when the kids are chilling & close to knodding off...then the next day I melt my oils & soap. Usually in the morning is their zoning time at the tv and I'm good to make a few batches.