Teach Soap

Another question from a beginner - I'm browsing all the topics to pick up all the info I can since I'm just starting out (already hooked, just FYI...). I note several people stating categorically that glass or Pyrex shouldn't be used for soap batter. I mix my lye in plastic but melt the oils and mix the soap in a big Pyrex jug. It's great because I can microwave the oils instead of using the stovetop, and it has a pouring lip which is invaluable. I made my first batch in a saucepan and it was very awkward trying to pour it. I deliberately searched the stores for the jug because it seemed to me that Anne-Marie is using something very similar, if not identical, in her book Soapcrafting. So is it safe or not?
Robyn

IMHO> Glass, pyrex heat resistant is okay. When I worked in a lab we use beakers all the time and that was for chemicals. I also now use a Beaker for my lye/water. When I use my milk, I use a wide pyrex bowl so I have more surface to spread the lye. . I've also read that as I have the book but. i'm still using my beaker..

It's thicker then a drinking glass and I can see why it would be stated as such not to use glass because of cracks. Well, plastic gets cracks also doesn't it? Can't lye seep in the cracks of plastic? I see people do, x, y, z. so I think in the final it will still be how you feel about it.

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~~~Cheryl~~~

The problem isn't that glass can get cracked, the problem is that lye creates cracks in glass. It etches glass, which, over time, weakens it and ups the risk of breakage/spillage dramatically. You might use glass for hundreds of batches of soap without a problem, and there are plenty of people who've made the informed decision not to give up glass. I, personally, don't use glass, because plastic is just as convenient.

Irena had pyrex explode on her once. It was in the sink though, if I remember correctly.

Using glass of any kind with lye / soap batter is an "at your own risk" type deal. It may not explode, but it might. I'd rather not risk it, so I use plastic bowls. They can still be microwaved, can still melt my oils in them and mix my batter, just have 0% chance of lye covered glass shards. I get my bowls from the $1 section at target; simple plastic chip bowls.

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~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

I use plastic bowl know (I used pyrex but the bottom started getting a scratchy look ) I got mine at kroger and they have a pour spout and handles, the are perfect for 2-3# batches and I like the way they pour better then pyrex!

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Anna Rose @-}--
blog

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

Okay, thanks for the info. I'll look for plastic bowls with a spout. I do use plastic for the lye mixture.

these glass whistling tea kettles are great for mixing lye http://www.amazon.com/Medelco-12-Cup-St ... tea+kettle . I can attest u can get boil water on high without the glass cracking. I've done it hundreds of times either making tea or lye water (different kettles, of course i have one dedicated to lye only) According to my laser temp probe the stove top is around 600 degrees when its boils and that is no problem for this German-made borosilicate glass- so the 200 degree temps of lye water exothermic reaction seems to be no problem if for some reason a pyrex mixing bowl is no good enough for you but I cannot image why not. I dona wanna use plastic or microwaves but that's just me.

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Anna Rose @-}--
blog

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

Huh. Really. Ok. Well, i guess I will have to find a stainless steel container for mixing my lye. Thanx Anne and Irena.

I read years ago that lye will eventually etch Pyrex and cause it to release micro shards of glass. So even if it hasn't reached the point where it might crack or explode, it can still be dangerous. I looked at the bottom of the Pyrex measuring cup I had been using to mix my lye solution and noticed, as rosie99 mentioned, that it looked "scratchy". That was enough for me. It's just not worth the risk. Since then, I've been mixing my lye in an old stainless steel saucepan I found in a thrift store. I happen to like stainless because if I want to use the lye in a hurry instead of waiting for it to cool off, I can do so quickly in a bowl of ice water since the stainless transfers the temp better than plastic.

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

So, is it possible that lye can eat away thin plastic?