Lye

Lye is a caustic base, either sodium hydroxide (soda lye) or potassium hydroxide (potash lye). It's most commonly used for making soap by mixing lye with animal fat, but can also be used to cure and tenderize foods in small amounts.

Sodium hydroxide can additionally be used in the production of paper, and water treatment.

Potassium hydroxide can additionally be used in the production of saltpeter.

Materials needed

• A salt-tolerant plant as glassworts, saltworts, or kelp
• Fire
• Water
• Limewater

Crafting instructions

Soda lye is much easier to produce compared to potash lye, but which you can make is dependent on your location.

Soda Ash Lye

First, burn any 'halophyte' (salt tolerant) plant such as glassworts, saltworts, or kelp, leach the ashes, and boil the resulting liquid to produce soda ash (sodium carbonate). Add the resulting soda ash to limewater for a final product of lye (sodium hydroxide).

Wood Ash Lye

Start by burning wood, and leaching the ash. Boil off the resulting water to create potash. When mixed with limewater, it produces lye (potassium hydroxide). While easier to create, this method is much less favorable to the soda ash method, as the resulting lye is of lower quality and yeild.

Uses

Lye is a powerful base, particularly useful in the production of soap.

Dependencies

• Lye
  • Soap

See also

• Soap