Can you buy lye in stores?

Pure lye is available in some hardware stores and farm supply stores or can be ordered from some chemical suppliers or soap making suppliers. Because lye is a reactive chemical it is shipped in small quantities and often only by surface transportation.

Does Walmart carry sodium hydroxide?

Belle Chemical Sodium Hydroxide, Pure – Food Grade (Caustic Soda, Lye) (1 Pound Jar) – Walmart.com.

How much does lye cost?

Price Discounts when Organization Members Buy Lye to Make Soap
Quantity Price per Lb Total Price
1.25 lbs $6.39 $7.98
2.50 lbs $6.39 $15.97
3.75 lbs $6.39 $23.96
5.00 lbs $6.39 $31.95

What is a substitute for lye?

Baked Baking Soda!

A common home alternative to lye when making pretzels or bagels is to use a baking soda solution.

Can you make your own lye?

To make lye in the kitchen, boil the ashes from a hardwood fire (soft woods are too resinous to mix with fat) in a little soft water, rainwater is best, for about half an hour. Allow the ashes to settle to the bottom of the pan and then skim the liquid lye off the top.

Is baking soda same as lye?

Originally Answered: Is baking soda same as lye? No. baking soda is sodium (hence the “soda” in the name) bicarbonate (NaHCO3), while lye (also known as “caustic soda”) is sodium hydroxide (NaOH).

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.

Can you use baking soda instead of lye to make soap?

It is certainly possible to make an acceptable cold process soap using baking soda or washing soda, but lather performance suffers compared to the same soap formula without them. This supports the conventional wisdom that they are better used in a hot process soap (after the cook) or in a rebatched soap.

Why is lye used in pretzels?

Lye is a strong alkali that can be dangerous if misused, but it’s lye that enhances the Maillard reaction on the outside of the dough. This reaction gives each pretzel a chewy crust, mahogany color, glossy sheen, and that unmistakable pretzel flavor typical of a German soft pretzel.

How do you make Boerseep?

Making boerseep involves science, art and more than a little muscle. It begins with collecting rainwater, then adding lye and tallow, and then stirring (and stirring and stirring) by hand until the mixture is creamy and the fat and lye have finally dissolved.

Is lye harmful to humans?

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. … You see, the lye used to create soap reacts with other chemicals, which results in the formation of soap.

What is lye used for in gardening?

Lye is a strongly alkaline so it could be used to reduce the acidity of the soil instead of using the usual agricultural limestone. However, lye is so strong that you run the danger of killing plants or making an area so alkaline that plants don’t want to grow there or irritating your skin.

What is Boerseep made of?

Boerseep is a traditional South African soap recipe, based on rendered animal fat, usually beef tallow. It has great conditioning properties and are suitable for all types of skin and general cleaning.

Can I use Boerseep on my face?

Because it is so pure, it is suitable for sensitive skins to use as bath soap; face soap; shaving cream as well as shampoo. It moisturizes the skin and relieves eczema, sores and such skin irritations. Therefore, it is recommended to wash your clothes and bedding with soap bar if you have a skin problem.

How do you use Boerseep?

Boerseep – Traditional Laundry Soap for Stubborn Stains, 200g
  1. Wet soap and stained fabric.
  2. Firmly rub soap into stains, do not yet rinse the material.
  3. Leave fabric for a while.
  4. Wash and rinse fabric, best by machine.