Why does lye heat up in water?

The liquid dissolves the lye and creates a lye solution. Mixing water and lye creates an exothermic reaction that causes a dramatic temperature increase. Adding lye to room temperature water can cause the water to reach temperatures up to 200 ° F. The mixture also creates fumes, which should not be inhaled.

Can you heat up lye water?

You can safely reheat lye water when making soap, but you need to be careful. Heating it on the stove top can be dangerous and even microwaving it can cause problems. They trick is to heat it in a safe place and slowly. The best way to reheat lye solution is to use a hot water bath.

What gas is released when lye is mixed with water?

Dissolving amphoteric metals and compounds Sodium hydroxide reacts with aluminium and water to release hydrogen gas.

Does lye get hot?

Just like soaping oils, a great lye temperature for soaping is 120-130 ° F. Adding lye to water causes a exothermic reaction that causes the lye water to reach temperatures up to 200 ° F. Because the lye solution becomes so hot, it needs time to cool for soaping.

What happens when lye gets wet?

It turns out, it’s pretty bad. Lye can corrode lots of things like metal, plastic, paint, cloth, and your skin. And if you get the lye wet, it’s even more dangerous. When mixed with water, it can cause a fire.

What happens if lye is too hot?

If the lye is extremely hot, it can cause the saponification process to speed up dramatically. This is problematic if the soap design involves lots of layers, swirls or other complex techniques.

Does lye eat through plastic?

Plastic. The right kind of plastic container is the best choice for mixing and storing lye solution. The green “E” means the plastic has excellent chemical resistance to alkali, so these plastics are the ones to look for when choosing a lye storage container.

Does heat neutralize lye?

Lye is an alkali chemical- sodium hydroxide, also known as caustic soda. This means it is not an acid but a base and is counteracted by acids such as vinegar or citrus juices. When lye is mixed with water, heat is released, so the container used to mix lye in has to be able to take that heat.

How do you make cold process soap with lye?

To make cold process soap, lye is introduced to a liquid like distilled water. The liquid dissolves the lye and creates a lye solution. Mixing water and lye creates an exothermic reaction that causes a dramatic temperature increase. Adding lye to room temperature water can cause the water to reach temperatures up to 200 ° F.

Why do you never add water to lye?

Why You Never Add Water to Lye in Soap Making Caustic Soda or lye is a necessary ingredient in the soap making process.   However, it is this same ingredient that prevents most people from attempting cold process soap making.   Most lye solutions consist of lye and distilled water.

Does vinegar neutralize Lye Burns in soap?

Many soapers keep vinegar on hand, believing it neutralizes lye burns. There is some controversy in the soapmaking community about washing lye burns with vinegar rather than water. Adding vinegar (an acid) to lye (a base) creates a chemical reaction that releases more heat.

What happens if you mix lye with aluminum?

NEVER use glass or aluminum items for your soap making mixing containers or utensils. Glass can break, and aluminum does not play nicely with lye. It will cause a toxic, chemical reaction. Lye is extremely caustic and can do severe damage. When water and lye are mixed together this is known as a lye solution.

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