Soapmaking Safety Dos and Don'ts
Like I always say, complacency killed the cat. It wasn't curiosity.
Soapmaking is a delightful craft. It's fun but it's no game. Due to the nature of the chemicals used in any of the soapmaking methods, one should at least develop respect for them. Especially lye.
But it doesn't end there. You need to worry about the seemingly little things too when you start crafting your own soap. Keyword: SEEMINGLY. These things seem like you could do away with not worry about them but if something goes wrong, they won't seem so little anymore. Trust me.
As an aspiring soapmaker, I'm sure you've bought pretty much all the materials you need to make your own soap. Note that you also NEED to have safety gear. They're not optional. They're compulsory. Have a quick look at our soapmaking safety gear checklist here to see if you're all set. Once you are, consider the following dos and don'ts when making your own soap.
Handling Lye
The most dangerous substance you'll be dealing with in soapmaking. Lye, also called caustic soda, is an alkaline substance. With a PH of 13.0, it is highly corrosive and will cause chemical burns when it comes in contact with human skin. It causes blindness and it will cause fatal, almost irreparable injuries when ingested.
• Add lye to water. Never add water to lye.
• Use plastic or stainless steel containers with lye.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and protective gloves.
• Use pure lye powder or granules.
• Label your lye containers with a red marker indicating the potential danger of what's inside.
• Dissolve lye in cold water. A good idea would be to have half of your water as ice.
• Educate other members of your house about the dangers of lye.
• Keep vinegar and milk near your work area in case of accidents. Both can be used to neutralize lye when it comes in contact with your skin. You can douse your eyes with milk in case you get some lye in your eyes.
|
• Inhale the fumes that result from mixing lye and water.
• Use containers made of aluminum, brass or bronze.
• Use your utensils which came in contact with lye for anything else other than soapmaking.
• Store your lye in places where pets and children can easily get at it.
• Panic when an accident happens. Presence of mind is the key in getting through mishaps.
|
|