Why is lye soap bad?

Lye is a caustic substance that can certainly damage your skin if you’re exposed to it. It can cause a number of problems, such as burns, blindness, and even death when consumed. But, and this is a big but, soap that is created with lye (which is all real soap) will do absolutely no harm to your skin.

Is lye soap bad for your skin?

Lye is a caustic substance that can certainly damage your skin if you‘re exposed to it. It can cause a number of problems, such as burns, blindness, and even death when consumed. … The lye gets entirely used up during the process, which means it’s no longer present and can do no harm to your skin.

What does lye soap do to the skin?

According to Soap Making Success, the fat that is used in the lye soap (through the lard) provides moisturizing benefits. The oils help to keep the moisture in the skin when the soap is used during a bath or shower.

Why is lye dangerous?

Lye is an alkali chemical- sodium hydroxide, also known as caustic soda. … Lye can burn the skin and damage the eyes in the dry or wet form. It also releases fumes, when mixed with water, that can harm the lungs. If swallowed, lye will burn the esophagus and can cause death.

Is using lye in soap safe?

When saponification occurred, some lye was left in the soap, making it harsh on the skin. … To answer the question, yes, soap made with lye is completely safe and is not harsh when made properly, using every precaution.

Is Dove soap made with lye?

Dove. It is true that the words “lye” or “sodium hydroxide” do not appear on the Dove ingredient label. But, the first ingredients listed were sodium tallowate, sodium cocoate, and sodium palm kernelate. … Yes, Dove is made with lye!

What can I substitute for lye in soap?

Here are some good choices:
  • Goat’s Milk Soap Base.
  • Shea Butter Soap Base.
  • Glycerin Soap Base.
  • Cocoa Butter Soap Base.

Can you wash your face with lye soap?

GRANDMA’S Lye Soap is NOT harmful to skin. Soap making involves a chemical process where lye and oils are combined in exact amounts to form soap. This process is called saponification.

Is homemade lye soap antibacterial?

Lye is both a disinfectant and a cleanser. Lye is particularly suitable to kill germs and bacteria as well as cleaning the surface of food containers, room vessels, the surface of wash bowls, etc.

Can you make goats milk soap without lye?

If you have goat milk to use but you prefer soap making without lye, adding milk – no more than one tablespoon per pound of melt and pour base – is simple and easy. You can also add powdered or condensed goat milk at the same rate – one tablespoon per pound of base.

Where does lye come from naturally?

A lye is a metal hydroxide traditionally obtained by leaching wood ashes, or a strong alkali which is highly soluble in water producing caustic basic solutions. “Lye” most commonly refers to sodium hydroxide (NaOH), but historically has been used for potassium hydroxide (KOH).


What happens when you mix lye and vinegar?

Carefully stir using the stirring rod. Now what just happened the acetic acid in the vinegar reacted

What does lye do to wood?

Wood Lye is used for priming of unfinished or newly sanded interior woodwork i.e. floor, stairs, furniture and panels. The priming minimises the wood from yellowing and enhances the wood grain, creating a coloured wash effect, depending on the chosen colour. Wood Lye may be used on all types of wood.

Does organic soap have lye?

Lye isn’t organic, but it is one of the allowable non-organic ingredients included in USDA organic standards since their inception. … Lye, after all, is also known as caustic soda, and soap made from lye is what frontier women made in cauldrons that was great on clothes but murder on skin.

Can you buy lye in stores?

Lye used to be available in the supermarket but not anymore. You might be able to find it in some hardware stores often in the drain cleaning section next to the Draino. In order for that lye to be effective in soapmaking, you need to make sure that you are getting 100 percent sodium hydroxide.

What do farmers use lye for?

Where agricultural lime is too costly, spraying sodium or potassium lye solution is a cheap way to adjust soil pH. For example: To bring highly acid soils into production, spray lye then plant beans.