In the DIY community, self-sufficiency is key!

Sodium hydroxide or Lye is a chemical made from wood ash or salt. For this particular use, we are looking at how to make it with wood ash. Making Lye is one way of introducing a little more self-sufficiency into everyday life and it also makes for a great project.

While using lye can be dangerous if you take the right steps to ensure safety it can be perfectly okay, however, lye is caustic and can hurt you if you are not careful. Make sure to wear long pants, boots, a long sleeved shirt, gloves and eye protection when working with or handling Lye. Also, be prepared to dispose of whatever you wear if it becomes contaminated.

There are many different uses for lye. Typically it's used to make soap, but it also can be used as a household cleaner or to strip animal hides. We will get into those topics at a later date but today we are going to be talking about making lye.

Next Page »