Teach Soap

Grrr - have had it with hardware store lye for the following reasons (warning: venting ahead )

1. Frackin' child proof lids. Being of a certain age, the "children" of my friends range from 22 yrs - 35 yrs and up. We are not close enough to said kids to ever worry about the presence of grandkids (hmmm, if there are any - I don't run with a very fertile bunch I guess). In short - childproof anything is simply overkill in our house. I CAN'T GET THE THINGS OPEN!!!! Either the child proof cap senses my child-like, immature streak and responds accordingly, OR I AM STUPID!!! There was one instance when I thought I would have to wait for The Boyfriend to come home and open the container AND HE IS YOUNGER THAN ME so you'd think as the oldest person in the house I should be the one to open them for HIM. (I keep a stash of "adult" lids for prescription bottles so I only have to deal with child proof lids once).

Now, he hears me struggling with the thing and merely wanders over, grabs it from me, and opens it. I am a big girl now and want a lye container that I can open without an epic struggle.

2. The bits of lye bouncing out of the container I am pouring into...the static that makes them cling to the container I am pouring it out of, despite using a dryer sheet to wipe it down. I THINK that the static also makes the particles clump together (I have NO lye issues with any of my soaps so don't think its water - all of my soaps have cured into zap-less, fine soaps - any problems were NOT lye related). When we are advised to measure down to half a gram - one wonders what is the point if you can't corral every particle of lye you just carefully weighed.

So - do any of you use lye in pellet form? If so, is it easier to work with in terms of static - or do those tend to stick due to static as well? My next lye purchase is going to be in a container I CAN OPEN and hopefully will be less prone to static electricity.

Thanks in advance and hope the rant wasn't too much.

That's why I use lye in flakes. I can't stand the beads or pellets. I change the lids on my script bottles too or I have the pharmacist change them over for me.

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

Pellet form has static too. I was instructed to wipe out my lye contain with a fabric softener sheet before I pour the lye in... it helped me SO much!! BB has flake form lye that isn't supposed to static cling to everything! Not sure where you can get lye with a lid that is easier to open, the easy to open one I had was from a hardware store in Canada.

My husband says that child proof containers are really only adult proof, kids open them no problem. He is a medical professional. Yeah... they get me too! Darn lids!

_________________
~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

I absolutely loved the 2lb of BB's flaked lye. I just wish it wasn't so expensive and so far to ship

_________________
~~Heather~~
Mad [soaping] Scientist

OK - investigating the flake form more - that seems to be readily available in a variety of places.

To clarify - what is the hardware store lye form called? Granular?

FLAKES it is! I can get it in bags that LOOK to be non-childproofed!

_________________
Linda
I know the voices in my head aren't real, but they sure have some great ideas!

Check your local restaurant supply stores or pool supply stores. They might have lye in bags.

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