Teach Soap

I've been using some rubber gloves that I already had around the house for soaping, but I just noticed that there are a few pinholes beginning. Need to find a new pair! What exactly should I be looking for? And where are some good places to shop for them at?

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Carrie
Wife to my Best Friend and Homeschool mom to 7 beautiful gifts

This is interesting... I find that of all my equipment I go through rubber gloves the most. I had a new pair from Christmas and already needed to repace the right hand. Guess it is my gloves that come into contact with the caustic batter the most. I do not know if using the disposable thinner gloves would be cheaper or even safer?

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

What about nitrile gloves?

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Irena
Closed minds are like faulty parachutes; they refuse to open.

I use disposable nitrile gloves. I was using the type you'd use for kitchen and bathroom cleaning etc, but I found they were harder to manipulate stuff with. I get the nitrile ones from costco/BJs etc.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

Me too, those cheap things. At times I have done it without gloves. Dumb, I know. When I taught chemistry I used to handle conc sulfuric and so on, so lye 'seems' quite benign by comparison! Actually I am more worried by the other stuff. I need to be conscious that spilling pure surfactant on myself is not a good idea, for instance.

I did one batch gloveless; got all ready, started melting my oils, then realized I had no gloves! I was kind of freaked out that I may burn myself!

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

If it seems to be eatting through my gloves going without them is not really an option for me. I will have to source a supply for the nitrile gloves here in town.

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

You can order them online too. Medical or scientific supply wholesale sites have them for really good rates. Or you could ask a local doctor, dentist or vet if you could buy a box from them.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

I use those disposable gloves too. I get them at the drug store.

Wow....not what I was expecting! I've never tried the disposable gloves and was assuming that they wouldn't be safe, as hubby told me that they seem to tear/rip easily. But I guess if they can stand up to some lye getting on them that's all that really matters, right?
Guess I will need to check into pricing, as it seems like it could get a little pricey with a new pair each batch....

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Carrie
Wife to my Best Friend and Homeschool mom to 7 beautiful gifts

I have a big pair of bright orange PVC gloves which I love. They are heavy duty and thick but I've used them so much I find them comfortable. I can always find them, they are long so I can reach in deep buckets. Try them, you may like them.

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Carrie
Wife to my Best Friend and Homeschool mom to 7 beautiful gifts

That is one advantage to the rubber gloves. The pairs I have now cover nearly up to my elbows. The disposable gloves are shorter... I have a few left over from my mother in law and I work in the medical profession but have just never bought any. I have used the ones from the family for when I unmold and cut. I guess I could tuck my sleeve into the glove for better coverage.

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Susie
Sometimes A Mistake is so much fun, You just have to do it again!

I find latex/vinyl gloves are easier to work with since their not bulky.
The bulkier I dress, the more likely I am to cause an accident.

I need the thinner layer to "feel" what I am doing.

I agree with Kat, same reason I wear nitrile! Susie, if you need gloves and can't find them locally, I can always pick some up for you at BJs and mail them to you! Same for everyone of course!

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist