Lye, a dangerous chemical, is an essential part of soap making. However, soap-making kits let you bypass the lye process.
Soap is one of humankind's greatest inventions. Not only does soap keep our bodies and belongings clean, but it also prevents infections and the spread of disease. Due to our reliance on and love for soap, making soap is a very popular and practical hobby. The only drawback to soap is that it is made with lye, a rather dangerous chemical. This has led many aspiring soap makers to ask if there are any options for making soap without lye.
Lye, which is also called caustic soda or caustic potash, is scientifically known as sodium hydroxide. It is an alkaline chemical and great care must be taken when handling lye. Lye reacts with certain metals (including aluminum, zinc, and tin) and removes paint; therefore, people need to be careful when storing lye. Lye burns skin, can cause severe eye damage, and can even be fatal if swallowed. Anyone working with lye should wear eye protection. Lye should never be left where children can get to it, and lye should always be clearly labeled lest anyone mistake it for water.
When lye is combined with water, it produces toxic fumes that can cause skin and eye irritation; some people are especially sensitive to these fumes. To the dismay of many soap makers, the combination of lye and water is part of the soap making process. With all of the dangers associated with lye, it is no surprise that many people think that lye should just be avoided all together and want an alternative way to make soap. Unfortunately, lye is an essential part of the soap making process.
In order to make soap, hot fat is added to a mixture of lye and water. The mixture is then stirred, and the lye and fat undergo a chemical reaction that produces soap and glycerin. No lye remains, which is why soap is not dangerous. At this stage, essential oils, dyes, and a nearly infinite number of other pleasant ingredients can be added. The soap mixture is then poured into molds and allowed to harden. The entire soap making process is fairly simple, but without lye, soap makers would just be producing a blob of scented, watery fat.
Despite the necessity of lye, there are still options for those who want to make soap but would rather not handle potentially deadly chemicals; soap making kits allow people to bypass the nasty lye process altogether. Basically, a soap making kit contains pre-made soap that can be melted and molded. Although this may sound boring, remember that people can also add essential oils, dyes, oatmeal, orange zest, cinnamon, and any thing else that strikes their fancy. The soap can also be poured into novelty-shaped molds. The resulting soaps are unique and cost a fraction of the price that similar store-bought specialty soaps cost.
Despite all of the dangers associated with lye, people have managed to use lye for thousands of years without too much trouble; people simply need to exercise a little caution and some common sense. Whether people decide to make soap from scratch or to use a soap making kit, soap making is a wonderful, extremely useful hobby.
