# Best place to order Lye



## momofmany

I've just been buying 16oz. bottles of lye from the hardware store and its time to move up....it is getting too expensive to buy it like that, so any of you have a good source for bulk lye that you would be willing to share?


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## Holly Govero

I brought the lye from The Lye Guy.. It is on website. I like his lye because it dont have any debris in it and etc.. It is a good price because if you buy 5 and u get 1 free. Good Luck.


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## linuxboy

You can try a wine supply store locally and ask them to get a 50 lb bag for you. Or have it shipped in from a supplier, like http://www.dwinesupplies.com/dws/productList.asp?sn=&catID=1&child=71

Soda beads are a technical grade, and powder is higher purity.


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## momofmany

thanks for the info. which kind do most of you use..technical or powder? I've only used the red devil for unclogging drains :help2 the beads that bounce around from static Lisa


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## Holly Govero

https://www.thelyeguy.com/store/store.php I found the website for ya.


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## momofmany

Yes, thanks Holly. I did find it. I'm just wondering what most people use and the difference between the two.


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## linuxboy

Technical is a higher purity than Red Devil lye. That stuff (Red Devil) is just bulk mass produced and dehydrated lye. Technical grade should be more than good enough for soap making.


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## Lynn_Theesfeld

I also use aaa chemicals if you want to compare price and what not (I know I will be  )


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## tmfinley

I looked in the Yellow Pages under chemicals and found a company that sold lye locally in 50 lb bags. 

Tiffany


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## hsmomof4

:yeahthat I can get 50 lb bags of NaOH and KOH here locally (well, relatively locally, since I live in the middle of nowhere) and that way I don't have to pay shipping.


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## Faye Farms

Get this! I can get lye locally but I had to have a soaper from CO call in an order for me to pick up here in Wichita. I had tried for weeks myself to get lye. I knew it was in Wichita-a mer 20 miles away but nobody would sell it to me. All the sales reps I talked to told me it wasn't available. Companies I called blew me off. I bought a bunch so it will last me a while. I'm interested to see if I can get it on my own next time. What makes this saga even more funny is I was telling my winery owning friend about my huge dragged out lye saga and the first thing she blerted out was, "Heather, I can get lye for you!". Not only do winemakers use lye but she is an engineer that does work for a factory in Wichita that actually manufactures lye! Ughhh.


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## momofmany

Well, I'm still looking. Yes, it would make more sense to buy locally! What do wine makers use lye for??? :???


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## linuxboy

We clean with it. It's a good all purpose organic solvent, especially for cleaning up phenolics. Works on stainless and plastic alike, and easier to neutralize with citric acid than using a chloride-based cleaner (which can leave residues that are detectable in the several parts per billion range, spoiling wine). My standard routine is soda beads or sterox or a carbonate/percarbonate wash, then a citric acid wash, then a light rinse. Leaves the surface in an acidic state to protect if anything lands on it.


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## NubianSoaps.com

Mine are beads also. I have three sources, so I never ran out and will be getting a pallet next month. Shop around if you are paying more than $1 a pound it's too much, never let you supplier think you can't get it somewhere else, because my one guy just kept uping his price, till I simply said no thanks, I can get it for $40 per 50 by driving south instead of north  His price for me went down. If there are others in your area, think about sharing the costs of a pallet, they are about 1/2 price what you pay even with shipping if you are buying in jars or buckets on the internet. Vicki


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## Caprine Beings

I use Boyer. Just ordered some yesterday. I used to order the boxes of 12/ 2 lb (24lbs) cans which have been running around $60.00 a box and thats not adding shipping. I ordered 40 lbs with shipping for $109.77. So the shipping kills me but a much better deal on the lye. If I had a real place of business I'd be shipping in by the truck and be a wholesaler on it. 
Tam


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## linuxboy

Tammy, if you can make it to either Yakima or Walla Walla, check out 

Yakima Valley Winery Supply
401 7th Street
Prosser, WA 99350

They have a 50 lb bag for $54

and 
Grapeland Supply
811 W. Rose St., 
Walla Walla, WA 99362

has a 50 lb bag for for $38.50.


Ask for soda beads or caustic soda. They'll know what you mean.


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## Caprine Beings

Sorry, I'm on the other side of the state. I'll keep that in mind. In the sticky "suppliers" can you post those two places? That way it there for everyone. Thanks Tam


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## linuxboy

Okay, posted that in the sticky. I thought you were in Lewiston or around there way on the border? Not exactly a short drive to Walla Walla, two hours, but I figured if you were ever in that area for anything else, you could stock up . ~$40 for a 50-lb bag of lye is a good price.


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## Caprine Beings

Yeah I am right across the river from Lewiston. No I hardly ever make it anywhere BUT if I was to go to a show in Walla Walla then I would arrange something in advance . Give me an excuse to show Tam


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## momofmany

:crazy Well, I have a headache and am cross eyed from all the internet searching for my lye. I'm not sure where you can get it for $1 a pound. Boyer is more than that and then you still have shipping and haz mat fees. AAA is more than $1 a pound too. The only wine person near by didn't sell it. The grain elevators don't have it. I was told to ask Pool supply people...they didn't have it. I'm getting tired of buying 16oz cans for 3.99 a can. NOT cost effective at all. Anybody??? Lisa


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## Lynn_Theesfeld

ok now i have to call around...I had no idea you could get 50lb bags of Lye!!!


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## Kalne

When I started I could get a 50 lb bag for $50 but now it's up to $80. I can get it around $60 if I'm going to be near KC but that doesn't happen often.


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## Faye Farms

I paid $35 for a 50 lb. bag.


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## NubianSoaps.com

One of my guys makes the soap for car washes, the pretty pink and blue ribbons of soap that come down, ask you local car washes where they get their soap from. He uses both sodium and potasium hydroxide to make it.

Another guy is some sort of scientist, Lynn he is up in Huntsville, email me and I will give you his contact info, he is a little more than $1 a pound though. He uses it to clean equipment and honestly the rest my husband knows because it was all very boring and had nothing to do with soap or goats so I dont' remember 

The other is AAA chemicals down in Pasadena, they are much cheaper, especially if you buy alot at one time. It's not at all what you think, they work out of a little garage type place, I think they boot leg in stuff...it was not a chemcial place at all. 

The other place I am getting a pallet of it from is because the guy left an invoice tapped between two of the 10 bags I bought last time...he had all his contact info on it including his costs...chaching! Vicki


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## Guest

Lisa,,, 
they service school boiler systems with lye.. clean them.... Call the local schools and find out who services the boilers in the heater rooms.. they can bring you some lye... 
Barb


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## Guest

OH no Vicki... the lye spy..... LOL


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## Whitney

That's funny Vicki!

Lisa, It will be hard (impossible?) to find it for $1/pound including shipping. Keep searching until you find somewhere local. It took me a lot of searching (and really I only found out about the place I use because another soaper generously tipped me off :lol ) but I eventually found somewhere I could pick it up. And when I say local, I mean think of cities that you go to occasionally. I drive about 45 minutes to get mine but I can usually combine it with other reasons to go to that city so the gas is not an issue.


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## a4patch

Here at Lowes it was 13.97 for 2 pounds. I did order from Boyer. He did the research and found out the pounds I could order for the lowest shipping. This was after I had called all over town. 

I will check wine supplies.

Thanks for posting this thread. Lye is the highest per pound ingredient I had. 

PSD


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## midkiffsjoy

Where??? IM in Huntsville and all I can find here is blue lye!



tmfinley said:


> I looked in the Yellow Pages under chemicals and found a company that sold lye locally in 50 lb bags.
> 
> Tiffany


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## NubianSoaps.com

Sierra Manufacturing AAron Hooper, it's on the feeder north of town on 45 north in fact the feed nearly dead ends into it. 936-291-9522


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## tmfinley

I get mine from a chemical place in Taylor, Tx.


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## mill-valley

Well, seeing as you are in Michigan...have you heard of or tried the lady who sells lye here? Just saw them talking about her on the dish forum so I've never tried her, but maybe worth a call. From what I understand, she delivers all over the state and sells it in bulk. Maybe Barb knows about her?

Darlene: 517-719-1140


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## Guest

Yep, I know about her, have never ordered from her but I hear that she does deliver and right to your door and that her prices are very reasonable
Barb


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## momofmany

Thanks, I'll give her a call. I did find some for $67.50 for 50 pounds in Saginaw....does that sound reasonable? And do you think that this Darlene is cheaper than that? Lisa


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## tmfinley

I don't know what the going price is in Michigan but a few months ago I paid $73/50lbs in central Texas.


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## momofmany

Thank you for the info on Darlene from Michigan. I called her and she is going to DELIVER it!! Yep, thats right. For ......drumroll please............................................$55.00 for 50lbs!!!!!! :biggrin Doing the happy dance here!


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## momofmany

Oops, now I need another question answered...how do all of you store your bulk lye so that it doesn't get moisture in it?? Maybe weigh out enough for each batch of soap and put it into zip lock baggies?? anyone?


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## Kalne

I transfer mine to 5 gal buckets. Not all my batches use the same amount of lye and I wouldn't want to try to get it all out of the baggie since it gets so static-y.


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## momofmany

Yeah...thats true. Didn't think about the static issue. Right now I'm using the same recipe so I would know how much lye I would need but yes, the static thing.....not good.


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## nappint

Congrats on finding your lye! I use a 5 gallon bucket too - I got a homer bucket from home depot and got a matching lid from the paint department, the lid has a gasket around the inside rim to prevent leaking and from moisture getting in. I also have a half gallon bucket with lid that I use for my lye while soaping. I keep a small plastic Dixie cup in it and refill the bucket as needed.


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## Faye Farms

I use a 5 gal. bucket with a lid that seals as well.


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## midkiffsjoy

Vicki McGaugh Tx Nubians said:


> Sierra Manufacturing AAron Hooper, it's on the feeder north of town on 45 north in fact the feed nearly dead ends into it. 936-291-9522


YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Got a 50 lb bag for $54.00!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU


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## tmfinley

I store mine in a 5 gallon bucket also. I don't use a lid. Those suckers are too difficult to work with. I double bagged it in heavy duty trash bags and just twist the top of the bags close. I live in hot humid Texas and have very little issues with clumping. Of course I don't have any little ones around that could get into it either. 

Tiffany


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## NubianSoaps.com

I keep opened bags in rubbermaid totes under my kitchen countertop area, right now I only use raw lye like that for classes and simply use a 4 cup measuring cup to pull it out of the open bag into a rubbermaid cereal container with snap top lid I use for classes also. I am making 50 pounds of lye/water weekly right now, and am going to look at a lye tank tomorrow in the hopes that I can have husband or someone else duplicate it cheaper than new. Vicki


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