First Aid and Safety Guidelines When Handling Lye

When creating soap using the hot method or the cold method, handling lye is inevitable. Lye is one of the ingredients used in making soap. It is also known by its other names, such as caustic soda and sodium hydroxide.

Lye is a very dangerous chemical. It is considered as an acid. It could cause blindness when it enters your eyes, can cause severe burns when it comes in contact with your skin, and could be fatal when swallowed. Obviously, staying conscious of the safety precautions when working with lye is necessary in order to prevent injury to yourself and to the people around you.

Here are some safety guidelines you need to observe when using and storing this essential soap making chemical.

Consult with the saponification value table and compute the amount of lye you need to use, which changes depending on the type of oil you use and its quantity. Even when using recipes, it's good practice to still double check the computation to make sure that the amount of lye you are using is sufficient (not to little, and not too much) for your recipe.

Mix your chemicals in a well-ventilated area, preferably outdoors. When lye mixes with oils, a vapor is produced which should not be inhaled.

When mixing together your lye and water, always add lye to water and never the other way around. This is because lye is acidic and has a higher ph level compared to water, and you should always add the higher ph level chemical to a lower ph level substance slowly.

Have apple cider vinegar close by all the time as a safety precaution in case you get lye on your skin or on your clothes. It has properties that can neutralize lye. Milk is another substance that can neutralize lye.

Make sure that the materials that you will use and will come in contact with lye are NOT made of iron, cast iron, plastic, aluminum and Teflon because lye will easily corrode these materials. What you should use instead are stainless steel containers.

Wear protective rubber gloves, industrial aprons or suit and goggles when working with lye. This is to prevent lye from getting into contact with your skin accidentally.

When storing lye, keep it out of reach of children and pets.

Be sure to label the container you store lye in appropriately. It should say that the chemical inside is dangerous and poisonous.

Always clean up after your done when working with chemicals like lye. Do not leave it lying around.

Create a list of the emergency numbers of agencies you can call in case an accident does occur and post them in a place where everybody can see them.

When stored, keep away from heat and moisture. Store it in a cool and dry place that is out of reach of children and pets.

Lye should be kept in an airtight container. This is because lye easily absorbs moisture, even moisture in the air.

Here are some first aid you need to know in case of accidents with lye:

1. If swallowed: Do not induce vomiting. Call for emergency help at once.

2. If it gets into your eyes: Flush you eyes with water for 20 minutes. If you are wearing contacts, first remove your contacts, and then flush your eyes with water. Immediately call for emergency help.

3. If it gets on you skin or clothes: Remove contaminated clothes. Gently wipe lye off of your skin. Pour vinegar over the affected area. Call for emergency help at once.

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