# Shelf life of lye?



## FrontPorch (Mar 27, 2008)

Are you putting back lye to make soap with in your preps? Anybody know what the shelf life is? I've been wanting to make my own soap for years and I'm finally going to try it this month.


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## Trisha in WA (Sep 28, 2005)

I think it really depends on how well it is stored. If you keep it completely dry, it should last a VERY long time.
Once you get the hang of making soap, you could try making your own lye too, though I would only want to have to do that in a SHTF situation since it is a touchy material.


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## NCLee (Aug 4, 2009)

Homemade lye soap
Homemade lye
How to clarify used grease for soap

It's all here.
http://www.grandpappy.info/wsoap.htm

Lee


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## ACountryMomma (Aug 10, 2008)

great link Lee! I'm going to have to print some of that info out for future reference.


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## Guest (Dec 6, 2009)

Lye is strongly hygroscopic so you'd want to keep it tightly sealed in something waterproof. Otherwise it's shelf life is indefinite.

.....Alan.


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## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

If it's not tightly closed, it will grow into a monstrous looking white blob, destroying anything it touches... Don't ask me how I know this...


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## Jean in Virginia (Oct 5, 2008)

When I was making soap in the late 90's, I bought a 25 lb bag of lye, and filled up 1/2 gallon canning jars, using the flat lid and rings to close the jars.

I made soap recently using that old lye, and it was fine.


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## Mutti (Sep 7, 2002)

I just made a big batch of soap from lye that had to be ten years old from when we put new floors in the kitchen. Had the can sealed tightly in a Ziploc freezer bag and the soap turned out fine. Now to get a new stash. DEE


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## Betho (Dec 27, 2006)

Keep it totally dry and it will last indefinitely. I'm a soapmaker and I have a pretty good amount stored up but I do plan on teaching myself how to make a somewhat decent soap using the old methods (grease, ash & water). Mainly because if something DID happen, I have the equipment and whatnot to produce large quantities of soap which would be an excellent trade good once things calm down a bit. But then eventually the lye would run out - what then?


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