Lye is a highly alkaline product that is used in various industries, including soapmaking, food, and cleaning. It is a general term for two different alkaline compounds known as sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide (KOH) . Sodium hydroxide is the most commonly used lye in soapmaking. Lye is highly soluble in water and is supplied in various forms such as flakes, pellets, microbeads, coarse powder, or a solution. It is produced commercially using a membrane cell chloralkali process. Lye made out of wood ashes is also used in the nixtamalization process of hominy corn by the tribes of the Eastern Woodlands in North America.
Lye is caustic and can cause chemical burns if it comes into contact with unprotected skin. However, the chemical reactions that occur later in the soapmaking process, called saponification, neutralize the lye in the soap while activating its cleaning power. Lye is not listed as one of the ingredients in soap, but it is used to make soap.
In summary, lye is a highly alkaline product that is used in various industries, including soapmaking, food, and cleaning. It is a general term for two different alkaline compounds known as sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide (KOH). Sodium hydroxide is the most commonly used lye in soapmaking. Lye is caustic and can cause chemical burns if it comes into contact with unprotected skin. However, the chemical reactions that occur later in the soapmaking process neutralize the lye in the soap while activating its cleaning power.
