Any soap you ever make will involve using Sodium Hydroxide, aka Lye, aka Caustic Soda (yep, drain cleaner) or Potassium Hydroxide aka Potash Lye or just Potash. If there isn’t any Sodium or Potassium Hydroxide involved it won’t be soap. The good news is that your finished soap does NOT contain Sodium or Potassium Hydroxide. The chemical process means that the Sodium or Potassium Hydroxide combines with the fats you use, making saponified fats and glycerine. Glycerine is actually good for your skin.
Local Hardware Shop
You can buy Sodium Hydroxide as Caustic Soda in many local Hardware Shops. The problem is that those are often not pure but contain additives.
This is possibly to prevent its use in drugs or explosives.
If you can find pure Sodium Hydroxide in you local shop by all means use it, but be very sure it’s pure or your recipes won’t work.
Specialist Soap Ingredients Supplier or Chemical Supplier
If you want to make sure you get 100% Sodium Hydroxide buy it from a specialist Soap Ingredients Supplier or a Chemicals Supplier for schools, industry and the food industry.
You can find plenty if you just google them. Some of my favourite ones are:
- The Soapery– free delivery and reasonable prices
- The Soapmakers Store– reasonable prices, minimum order of £50
- The Soap Kitchen– reasonable prices, good choice
- Just a Soap– for your basic supplies
Food Grade???
Who would eat this stuff? Have a look at your pretzel ingredients and you will find you are probably eating it. Yep, it’s a fact.
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