Care with Lye during Soap Making

Using lye (aka Caustic Soda) can be a bit daunting at first, but when treated with respect and care, soap making at home is a lot of fun.

When making soap, we insist that our students wear safety glasses, rubber gloves, long sleeves and pants, and enclosed footwear, to ensure that any accidental splashes of lye water do not get on their skin.  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

However, if you do get lye on your skin, gently wipe it from your skin and remove any contaminated clothing.  Flush skin with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes and then wash thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention.  Have a spray bottle of white vinegar handy to quickly neutralise any spills.

To take away the fear and uncertainty, we have made a short video tutorial, showing the right way to handle lye when making soap at home.  Simple, easy to follow steps to ensure your safety and that you take care with lye during soap making.