Safe handling of NaOH

Those of you who are familiar with soap making, should also be familiar with safe handling of lye and lye-water. But Those who have little or no experience with soap making (M&P excluded) should read the following instructions very carefully.

Remember, we want you to keep making your own products and enjoy your crafting a long long time.

NaOH, Sodium Hydroxide, Lye or whatever you may call it is very dangerous, corrosive, irritating to skin and eyes and most of the material we usually work with. The fact that it is applied in food (such as German pretzel) should not seduce you to ignore its aggressiveness. You should always have safety wear while working with, transporting or packing NaOH. Safety goggles, long gloves, mouth mask, closed shoes and an apron or jacket are the minimum.

Mixing NaOH and water produces irritating vapors, you should never inhale those vapors directly, try to work in a well ventilated area and turn your head away from the vapors. Water gets hot by contact with NaOH and and if you're working with higher quantities it may come to boiling. It's better to have cooled the water previously or put the water container in an ice bath to avoid overheating during the reaction of water and NaOH. 

Always add NaOH in small portions to water, never pour water over NaOH. 

Shut pets and children out during you're working with NaOH. Put your pitcher or container of lye solution in a sink so that you may not accidentally tilt or hit it.

If however, despite all preventive steps, NaOH comes in contact to you skin, keep that skin part for several minutes under running tap water and rinse the skin thoroughly. 

NaOH is very aggressive to glass as well, never store NaOH or NaOH solutions in glass containers.

Cleanse your counter completely and very meticulously from any residues of NaOH.

NaOH is very hygroscopic. Close the container firm to avoid adsorption of water and CO2 from air. 

Once more in short the Risk-phrases and Safety-phrases and precautionary-phrases according to Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) for NaOH:

H314: Causes severe skin burns and eye damage

P280: Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection 

P305+351+338: IF IN EYES: Rinse cautiously with water for several minutes. Remove contact lenses if present and easy to do – continue rinsing 

P310: Immediately call a POISON CENTER or doctor/physician (if swallowed)

R35: Causes severe burns 

S26: In case of contact with eyes, rinse immediately with plenty of water and seek medical advice

S37/39: Wear suitable gloves and eye/face protection 

S45: In case of accident or if you feel unwell seek medical advice immediately (show the label where possible) 

I wish you Happy Mixing regarding all safety and precautionary steps.