Asked by: Redha Godeker
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Is Potash the same as lye?

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They are the most chemically similar of the hydroxides.They are both a white, strong alkaline, corrosive solid or powder.Sodium Hydroxide is more commonly known as lye or causticsoda where Potassium Hydroxide is known as potash. Both areused to change fats into soap in a process calledsaponification.


Similarly, does ash contain lye?

Collect the Ash To make this type of lye, you need the whiteashes from hardwood fires. Collect ash from firesthat burned wood such as ash, hickory, or beech. Softwoods,such as pine, spruce, or fir, do not contain enoughpotassium, which is necessary for makinglye.

Similarly, what is ash lye? You see, lye (sodium hydroxide) is formed whenwood ash (which is mostly potassium carbonate) is mixed withwater. The mixed solution is extremely alkaline and if it comes incontact with your skin, it begins to absorb the oils and turns yourskin into soap.

Also asked, what is lye used for?

Sodium hydroxide, also known as caustic soda orlye, is a highly versatile substance used in avariety of manufacturing processes to make other products likepaper or aluminum, for example.

Is potash used in soap?

Potash is used widely in differentindustries so what is potash is a common question asked byboth soap makers and non soap makers. Potashis simply potassium an alkaline salt that can occursnaturally and is mined, or can be produced from plant ashes.Potash on it's own can never make solidsoap.

Related Question Answers

Severine Decke

Professional

Why is lye dangerous?

When lye is mixed with water, heat is released,so the container used to mix lye in has to be able to takethat heat. Lye can burn the skin and damage the eyes in thedry or wet form. It also releases fumes, when mixed with water,that can harm the lungs. If swallowed, lye will burn theesophagus and can cause death.

Radu Duchen

Professional

How do you make wood ash lye soap?

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

Bernardo Bux

Professional

How is lye produced?

A lye is a metal hydroxide traditionally obtainedby leaching ashes, or a strong alkali which is highly soluble inwater producing caustic basic solutions.

Prisciliana Larraitz

Explainer

What can I do with wood ash?

Unlike ashes, you can't use flames any place except in thefireplace.
  1. Use wood ashes to:
  2. De-skunk pets. A handful rubbed on Fido's coat neutralizes thelingering odor.
  3. Hide stains on paving.
  4. Enrich compost.
  5. Block garden pests.
  6. Melt ice.
  7. Control pond algae.
  8. Pump up tomatoes.

Leonardo Jakov

Explainer

Is Lye vegan?

As for the vegan-ness of lye: the 99.9%pure food grade stuff I buy is supposedly almost exclusively madeup of sodium hydroxide. Those 2 elements are presumablyvegan in and of themselves, but I cannot say for sure thatthe means by which most commercially available lye isproduced is technically vegan.

Lorenzo Baltar

Explainer

Can you buy lye at Lowes?

Lowe's hardware stores sell Roebic Crystal DrainOpener. According to the product label, it is 100 percentlye. It is available in a two-pound container and canbe found at all Lowes stores.

Adilson Fogel

Pundit

Does lye kill mold?

Household bleach is generally a solution containing 4-6%sodium hypochlorite and 0.01-0.05% sodium hydroxide. Whilebleach appears to kill mold, just the surface mold isaffected – the hidden mold underneath the surfaceremains alive and well.

Euridice Gimenezde

Pundit

Is Lye good for skin?

When saponification occurred, some lye was leftin the soap, making it harsh on the skin. It is vitallyimportant to measure carefully so that the correct amount oflye is used. To answer the question, yes, soap made withlye is completely safe and is not harsh when made properly,using every precaution.

Sullivan Arrojado

Pundit

Why is wood ash alkaline?

Wood ashes make a great addition to the compostheap, where they'll aid fertility (most of the nutrients needed byplants are contained in them to some degree). If you have a lot,don't add them all at once as they are alkaline and raisingthe pH too much will affect the bacteria and worms atwork.

Achucha Beracoechea

Pundit

Is lye sodium hydroxide?

Lye, or sodium hydroxide, is a chemicalmade from salt. Yep, ordinary salt. A system similar toelectroplating is used to change the salt tolye.

Kaneez Herrando

Pundit

What is food grade lye?

Sodium Hydroxide aka lye or caustic soda is astrong alkaline compound that is used for preparing variousfoodstuffs. German pretzels are poached in cold sodium hydroxidesolution before baking, which contributes to their uniquecrust.

Flore Benvenuti

Teacher

What is lye water made of?

Kansui (??, jian shui), also called lye water oralkaline salt, is an alkaline solution that regulates acidity inthe process of dough making. Chinese alkaline solution – Itcontains potassium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate (or bakingsoda).

Lenin Blue

Teacher

Can SOAP be made without lye?

You Can't Make Soap WithoutLye
Soap by definition is an alkali mixed with fats.When combined, a process called saponification happens, creatingsoap. In other words, without Lye, you just have abucket of chunky, fatty oils floating in water.

Milada Drozd

Teacher

How is sodium hydroxide made?

Making sodium hydroxide
Sodium hydroxide can be made (withchlorine and hydrogen) using the chloralkali process. A solution ofsodium chloride is electrolyzed and sodium hydroxideis made around the cathode, where water is reduced tohydrogen gas and hydroxide ion. The solution may splatter orboil.

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EveryThingWhat Staff Editor

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29th March, 2020

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