# Equipment question



## Christina R. (Apr 22, 2004)

I am venturing into my first goat milk soap batch. I have a couple of stainless steel pots that I use for dyeing fiber. Can I use them for the soapmaking? I don't want to mess up one hobby or the other, but also don't want extra pots for this and that. Right now I have one pot designated for dyeing fiber and one for soap. It seems I need two pits for the soap making process. I will be using a cold process recipe ( just melting the oils, adding the lye to frozen milk, etc.) Thanks!


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## MDKatie (Dec 13, 2010)

I don't see why you wouldn't be able to use the same pot for dying and for soap. I use an enameled pot for soap making, and that's where I put my frozen milk/lye. Then I use a large (2 qt) plastic measuring bowl (I love Pyrex bowls) for mixing/melting the oils, then pour that into the enameled pot. I also use the large measuring bowls for separating soap if I want to do colors or designs.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Christina,
What type of dyes are you using? If they are acid dyes (Jacquard, Lanaset, et al) you should be okay using the same SS pots.

If you're using mordants like chrome, copper, et al ... then separate pots


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Christina,
What type of dyes are you using? If they are acid dyes (Jacquard, Lanaset, et al) you should be okay using the same SS pots.

If you're using mordants like chrome, copper, et al ... then separate pots


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## IowaLez (Mar 6, 2006)

*Stainless steel is NOT porous. No matter what you cook in the pot, it will not be 'in" the steel.* If you clean the pots thoroughly, scrub well and put thru dishwasher, you will be fine. 

My SO has lifelong experience with the metal distribution business, he was the General Manager of the largest metal distribution company on the West Coast for a number of years, and grew up in the metal business. (He helped design the wheels on Cinderella's coach at Disneyland, and he was part of the design team that created all the big triangular trusses (not sure of exact word) used for things like rock concerts, AND he supplied and built the big steel guns for Disneyland's fireworks shows.) 

I have asked him repeatedly over the last 18 years, can I dye my wool, make soap in them and etc., and he says yes, it's fine. He gets irritated with me for asking stuff at this point, when I already know the answer. 

We have used our nice stainless pots for all sorts of things, plus water bath canning and cooking, although we would never use them for mixing Roundup or toxic chemicals, that would be just totally stupid. 

Lye isn't going to "coat" the pot and "poison" you, that is totally laughable. A copper mordant isn't going to make the pot toxic, like I said it can't "penetrate" into the steel, just wash the pot out very well.

The warnings in books and etc, are because of liability issues, not from any kind of "hard facts". You wouldn't ask a carpenter about bathroom tile, nor a welder about wood flooring, but that is what the situation is with this kind of information. A soaper is not a metal expert, nor is a publisher, or a website owner.

If any of you have any metal questions that need expert answers, don't hesitate to ask me to ask him about it.


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## MullersLaneFarm (Jul 23, 2004)

Thanks Lez!! You just doubled my soaping/dyeing pots!!


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