#Caustic Sodium Hydroxide

[brm-chemicals]

The Role of Caustic Sodium Hydroxide in Industrial Cleaning

Introduction

Industrial cleaning is a critical aspect of maintaining equipment, ensuring operational efficiency, and adhering to health and safety standards across various industries. Sodium hydroxide, commonly known as caustic soda or lye, plays a pivotal role in industrial cleaning due to its powerful chemical properties. This article explores how sodium hydroxide is utilized in industrial cleaning, its benefits, applications, and the precautions necessary for its safe use.

Chemical Properties of Sodium Hydroxide

Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is a highly alkaline substance with a strong ability to break down organic materials and neutralize acids. Its chemical properties make it exceptionally effective for cleaning purposes.

Key Properties:

Strong Alkalinity: NaOH has a pH of around 14, making it a very strong base.

Solubility: It is highly soluble in water, and its solutions can range from low to high concentrations.

Reactivity: Sodium hydroxide reacts with fats, oils, and greases to form soap, a process known as saponification.

Applications in Industrial Cleaning

Sodium hydroxide is employed in a wide range of industrial cleaning applications due to its efficiency in removing stubborn contaminants and residues.

1. Equipment and Machinery Cleaning

Industrial equipment and machinery often accumulate tough residues such as grease, oil, and other organic materials. Sodium hydroxide solutions effectively dissolve these contaminants, ensuring that equipment operates smoothly and efficiently. This cleaning process is essential in industries like food processing, where hygiene standards are paramount.

2. Tank and Pipeline Cleaning

In industries such as petrochemicals and manufacturing, tanks and pipelines can become clogged or coated with residues that impede flow and efficiency. Caustic soda is used to clean and maintain these systems, ensuring that blockages are cleared and that materials can flow without obstruction.

3. Surface Preparation

Before the application of paints, coatings, or other surface treatments, it is crucial to have a clean and contaminant-free surface. Sodium hydroxide is used to clean and prepare surfaces by removing grease, oils, and other residues, providing a better adhesion surface for coatings.

4. Textile Industry

In the textile industry, sodium hydroxide is used in the mercerization process, which strengthens cotton fibers and improves their dye uptake. It also helps in cleaning and scouring fabrics to remove natural oils, waxes, and other impurities.

Benefits of Using Sodium Hydroxide in Industrial Cleaning

The use of sodium hydroxide in industrial cleaning offers several advantages:

Effectiveness: Its strong alkaline nature makes it highly effective at breaking down a wide range of organic materials.

Cost-Efficiency: Sodium hydroxide is relatively inexpensive and readily available, making it a cost-effective cleaning solution.

Versatility: It can be used in various concentrations and applications, providing flexibility in cleaning processes.

Speed: NaOH works quickly to dissolve and emulsify contaminants, reducing cleaning time.

Safety Considerations and Precautions

While sodium hydroxide is a powerful cleaning agent, it is also highly caustic and can pose significant risks if not handled properly. Safety measures are crucial to protect workers and the environment.

Safety Tips:

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Workers should wear appropriate PPE, including gloves, goggles, and protective clothing.

Proper Ventilation: Ensure adequate ventilation in areas where sodium hydroxide is used to avoid inhaling fumes.

Training: Workers should be trained in the proper handling and emergency procedures related to sodium hydroxide.

Storage: Store NaOH in a cool, dry place, away from acids and moisture, and in containers resistant to strong bases.

First Aid: In case of contact with skin or eyes, immediately rinse with plenty of water and seek medical attention.

Environmental Considerations

Disposing of sodium hydroxide requires careful consideration to avoid environmental damage. Neutralize NaOH solutions with a weak acid (such as vinegar) before disposal and follow local regulations for hazardous waste management.

Conclusion

Sodium hydroxide is an indispensable component in industrial cleaning, offering powerful and effective solutions for removing a wide range of contaminants. Its benefits in enhancing operational efficiency, maintaining equipment, and ensuring hygiene standards are significant. However, the caustic nature of NaOH necessitates strict adherence to safety protocols to protect workers and the environment. Understanding and leveraging the properties of sodium hydroxide can lead to more efficient and effective industrial cleaning practices.

[puddleslimewrites]

False Promises (Part 2)

Part 1

Hero never got bored or looked the least bit uninterested when Scientist talked about new ideas. Most people would zone out long before they really got into a lecture, but still had the decency to nod and comment politely. Hero didn't offer any empty pleasantries. It was funny how similar they were to Supervillain in that way.

Hero asked questions. Not as many as Supervillain and not nearly as introspective, but they made Scientist think. Not just about their work, but about themself, too.

Hero asked for their favorite color. They didn't know. No one ever cared. Questions like that left them feeling flustered and off balance. But there were ones they could answer more easily. Like why erlenmeyer flasks were shaped in such a funny way, or what caustic chemical they most preferred.

Both Hero and Supervillain were fishing for information. Scientist was more than aware there were alterior motives (there always would be). Supervillain poked and proded their mind for their thought process - the way anything and everything worked, how they planned to make and use their own creations. And Hero...

Hero wanted to know them as a person. It baffled Scientist, really, to be seen as more than what they'd done and what they could do. Hero didn't care much for science, but they cared when Scientist had something to say. They didn't preach the glories of a career in heroics, though Scientist was sure that's what they were sent for.

Scientist was useful to Supervillain. With them, they felt needed. Wanted. With Supervillain came admiration and awe at not only the power they had, but the potential they saw in Scientist and their work.

Their relationship with Hero was harder to place. At first Scientist was merely tolerant as Hero seemed content to simply observe and learn. They weren't sure when tolerance turned into...Scientist was reluctant to call it friendship. But Hero was there. They were present and attentive and there, which was more than Scientist could ever ask for.

~

A beaker crashed on the floor, but Scientist hardly cared for the danger of broken glass when there was a much more immediate threat looming in the doorway. "What- Wh-What are you doing here?"

It had been months since they'd last seen that face. They should have locked the doors, turned out the lights, pretended they'd gone home when Hero suggested it.

Supervillain cocked their head. Scientist could see the thoughtful look in their eyes as they considered what to say. "I made a misjudgment," they settled on. They spoke slowly and carefully in a measured effort to craft a regretful image.

Scientist didn't doubt they were regretful. But not for them. No, they felt remorse for the lost opportunities, for time wasted, when they realized that not only had Scientist survived, but that they'd been recruited by the heroes as well.

Too late Scientist realized that they'd backed themself into a corner. The only door into the lab was on the far side of the room and the windows were at least three stories up from the ground level. They didn't have an escape route.

Scientist should have known better.

They should have known better than to accept the help of heroes after hiding for so long; better than to choose a side that wasn't their own.

Maybe...maybe that was their plan all along. Superhero's speeches about the 'good of the people' never worked, so the heroes sent someone who could appeal to them. Someone who could get them to lower their guard and gradually change their mind. Someone who could be their friend.

Like a fool, Scientist fell for it. Just like they fell for Supervillain.

~

Tagging: @vallianttreedreamland

[causticpellets]

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Atlas pellets as a trusted supplier in the field that emphasis quality and industry compliance to deliver sodium hydroxide pellets that exceed expectations. Atlas Pellets product are manufactured to deliver optimal performance if you seeking efficient chemical reactions of effective pH regulation. Atlas Pellets is those partner whose dedicated to deliver quality, safety and the unique needs of your industry and make sure that your operation run smoothly and efficiently.

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[ltdppec]

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[fahmihefram]

Dijual Sodium Hidroksida (081993535359)

Sodium hidroksida, juga dikenal sebagai kaustik soda atau soda api, adalah senyawa kimia anorganik yang memiliki rumus kimia NaOH. Senyawa ini merupakan basa kuat yang bersifat korosif, berbentuk padatan kristal putih yang larut dalam air dengan sangat mudah. Sodium hidroksida merupakan salah satu senyawa kimia yang paling penting dalam industri karena berbagai sifat dan kegunaannya yang luas.

Dalam bentuk padatnya, sodium hidroksida terbentuk dari ion sodium (Na+) dan ion hidroksida (OH-). Senyawa ini dikenal memiliki kemampuan untuk bereaksi dengan berbagai senyawa asam dan membentuk garam serta air melalui reaksi netralisasi. Karena sifatnya yang sangat basa, sodium hidroksida juga digunakan dalam proses-proses yang memerlukan kontrol pH yang ketat, seperti dalam produksi makanan dan minuman.

Salah satu kegunaan utama sodium hidroksida adalah dalam industri pembuatan sabun. Dalam proses ini, senyawa ini bereaksi dengan lemak atau minyak (trigliserida) melalui reaksi saponifikasi, menghasilkan sabun dan gliserol. Sodium hidroksida juga digunakan dalam industri pulp dan kertas. Dalam proses pemutihan pulp, senyawa ini digunakan untuk menghilangkan lignin dari serat kayu, meningkatkan kualitas dan kecerahan kertas yang dihasilkan.

Selain itu, dalam industri kimia, sodium hidroksida digunakan dalam pembuatan berbagai senyawa kimia lainnya, termasuk deterjen, zat pewarna, dan bahan kimia farmasi. Senyawa ini juga digunakan dalam produksi biodiesel, di mana sodium hidroksida bertindak sebagai katalisator dalam reaksi transesterifikasi yang mengubah minyak nabati atau lemak hewani menjadi biodiesel. Namun, penggunaan sodium hidroksida juga memerlukan kewaspadaan ekstra. Kontak langsung dengan kulit atau mata dapat menyebabkan luka bakar serius. Oleh karena itu, dalam setiap penggunaannya, pengguna harus menggunakan perlindungan diri seperti sarung tangan karet, kacamata pelindung, dan pakaian pelindung. Sebagai senyawa kimia yang sangat kuat, sodium hidroksida menunjukkan keberagaman aplikasi industri yang mendukung banyak aspek kehidupan sehari-hari kita, namun harus digunakan dengan sangat hati-hati untuk mencegah risiko kesehatan dan lingkungan.

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[dawnsci]

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[jpitha]

You can have a little lye as a treat

“I want to make Maya her favorite food, can you help?” Limmie looks over the table in the canteen at Peggy, the only other human she knows here.

“Uh, maybe Lim, what’s her favorite food? Also, you know that most human foods…”’

“Are toxic to me, yes I know. This one doesn’t seem to bad though? It’s mostly wheat. I can eat wheat, though I shouldn’t eat too much. It’s just wheat and water, some sugar, yeast and salt.”

Peggy thinks a moment. “Some kind of bread?”

Limmie’s nod is so vigorous her ears flutter. “Yeah, something called a pretzel”

“So… that’s not all that’s involved in pretzels.” Peggy stands. “But, I think we can work something out. Come on, let’s sign out a kitchenette.”

A few days later, Limmie comes to the kitchenette that Peggy signed out. They get it for a whole day, which surprised Limmie. “It’s just bread right? Why do we need it for a whole day?”

“Well, we have to give time for the yeast to work.” Peggy is wearing an apron that says “Let’s Get Baked!” And has a cartoon of a bread loaf with bloodshot eyes. She’s getting bowls out and arranging things on the steel table in front of her. “Her favorite is German pretzels?”

“That’s right. She said that she misses them because only her Grandmother makes them right. She sounded so wistful.” Limmie washes her hands, and as she dries them, Peggy hands her a smaller apron. On the front is written “Made from Scratch!” And has a cartoon K’laxi showing their claws. Limmie looks at Peggy who is trying very hard not to laugh. She puts the apron on and flicks her ears in a grin.

Peggy spend the time showing Limmie what to do to make the dough, but she doesn’t do it. It’s for Limmie’s girlfriend, so she does the work. She mixes the flour and the water and the yeast and while is proofs, Peggy explains how the yeast works and what it’s doing. Limmie leans in close and smells the yeasty smell and is amazed that human foods can get this… complicated.

Soon enough the bread has risen and been punched down and shaped and… Peggy is putting on a large rubber apron, heavy gloves and a face shield. Limmie stands back “Uh, Peggy, what are you doing?”

“Oh, the pretzels aren’t done yet, they need a Lye bath.”

“What’s that?”

Peggy’s voice is slightly muffled from the shield. “Oh, Lye is a human word for Sodium Hydroxide, a very strong alkaline chemical. It is quite caustic to organic tissue.”

Limmie takes an unconscious step back. “But, what are you doing then? You’re going to ruin our bread!”

“No no, this is an important step. The pretzels won’t look or smell or taste right unless we dip them in lye.”

“You’re going to DIP the pretzels into a strong alkaline solution?”

Peggy turns, holding another rubber apron, gloves, and face shield. “No. You’re going to.”

“This isnt’ a joke? You’re not trying to make fun of me for not understanding human cookery? You really have to dip the pretzels in that caustic chemical?”

Peggy lifts up her face shield. Her eyes are kind. “Limmie, I would never do that to you. I promise, this will make the pretzels just like how Maya remembers them.”

Tail flicking, Limmie takes the PPE from Peggy. “How do I put this on?”

“I’ll show you, come here.”

****

“Oh gosh Limmie, these are perfect! Where did you get them?” Maya’s eyes are squeezed shut in bliss as she chews the warm pretzels. “They taste just like the ones Nana made!”

“Peggy helped me make them. She showed me exactly what to do, but I did the work.”

Maya swallows and looks at Limmie, eyes wide. “You made these? You made German Pretzels with the lye bath and everything?”

Limmie falls into Maya’s arms and snuggles down into her chest. “Of course I did. I had to wear some personal protective equipment, but Peggy showed me how to be careful and she explained we needed the lye to get it just right. I wanted to make something just for you that I knew you’d love.”

Maya squeezes Limmie and strokes her ears. “They’re wonderful hon. Thank you.”

[spontaneousmusicalnumber]

OK I gotta be careful about listening to A Court of Fey and Flowers at work

Like. It's not like I don't get my stuff done. I just look ridiculous with the amount I react. Also it's fucking dangerous

In episode 2 with Hob and Rue, overcome with emotion I was compelled to place my hand upon my chest to stem the flow of emotion welling up from my heart...

Only to remember in the nick of time that I was holding an open bottle of caustic sodium hydroxide.

Let it be known to all that I now understand Regency romance. And let it be known that I did not receive chemical burns upon this day.

[plethoraworldatlas]

Biodiversity advocates on Wednesday called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to reject a new geoengineering project spearheaded by researchers in Massachusetts that one critic said would do "nothing to solve the root causes of the climate crisis and instead puts at risk the oceans' natural capacity to absorb carbon and their role in sustaining life on Earth."

Friends of the Earth (FOE) and other groups warned that an experiment called LOC-NESS by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) carries "potentially catastrophic risks" for the Atlantic Ocean, where researchers have proposed dumping more than 60,000 gallons of sodium hydroxide near Cape Cod to test a "carbon dioxide removal approach" called Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement (OAE).

WHOI's website states that the experiment would involve the release of "nontoxic, fluorescent Rhodamine WT dye into the ocean from a research ship," with researchers tracking the dye's movement over 72 hours in order to determine whether the ocean's alkalinity could be enhanced.

If so, the scientists say, they could ultimately help to regulate atmospheric carbon.

The EPA's notice about the proposed study from last month, however, says that the project "would involve a controlled release of a sodium hydroxide solution"—which is "essentially lye, a substance known to cause chemical burns and one that must be handled with great care," according to Tom Goldtooth, co-founder and member of the board of directors of the national Climate Justice Alliance.

"Altering the chemical composition of the ocean under the guise of increasing its capacity to absorb carbon dioxide is misleading and dangerous," said Goldtooth. "An experiment centered on introducing this caustic substance into the sea should not be permitted... The geoengineering approach puts Earth's systems at risk in a faulty and false bid toward solving the climate crisis. It is what we call a false solution."

Friends of the Earth pointed out that WHOI's permit application to the EPA acknowledges that after changing the ocean's alkalinity, the researchers "have no direct way of measuring how much carbon dioxide will be removed by the experiment."

"The production of alkaline materials is extremely energy-intensive, releasing similar or even higher levels of greenhouse gasses than they remove upon being dumped into the ocean," said the group. "The researchers have declined to analyze how much carbon dioxide was released in the production, transportation, and dumping of the sodium hydroxide, making it impossible to know whether the technology even reduces greenhouse gas emissions."

[causticpellets]

Common Uses for Potassium Hydroxide Pellets You Should Know

KOH also known as potassium hydroxide is an alkaline chemical compound that has many applications in industries as well as in everyday use. Its most well-known variety is Potassium Hydroxide Pellets, which is preferred because of its characteristics that make it easy to use for different purposes. These pellets are widely used in industries including soap making industries, chemical industries, agricultural industries, and biodiesel industries.

Due to its ability to both buffer solutions and act as a catalyst, KOH is widely used in many chemical processes. Pellets is a well-established entity in the market of chemical supplies and the given Potassium Hydroxide Pellets are characterized by meeting market expectations in terms of quality and reliability.

Soap and Detergent Manufacturing

Potassium Hydroxide Pellets have a significant function as one of the raw materials in the making of liquid soaps and detergents. KOH is favoured over sodium for producing softer and soluble soaps, which only gel soap good for tender skincare and interfacial applications. It is also possible to make a variety of soaps with distinct textures and completely safe and environmentally friendly cleaning products using Potassium Hydroxide Pellets. The fact that it is so widely applicable make it a backbone raw material for manufacturers who seek effective, efficient and green cleaning solutions.

pH Regulation and Chemical Reactions

Potassium Hydroxide Pellets is in great demand in the chemical industry both as a chemical that modifies pH and as a reagent that reacts with other chemicals. KOH is also used in many chemical synthesis reactions to act as a catalyst and to regulate the pH of the solution as a stable base. It is used to deter acids due to its alkaline nature; used in making potassium fertilizers, pharmaceutical products where pH control is critical and in the production of cement and pottery. The textile industry also uses Potassium Hydroxide Pellets in fabric washing and dyeing processes, to achieve the right pH for processing. This versatility also underscores its application is virtually all industries hence a critical chemical in manufacturing industries.

The Role of KOH in Food Safety

Potassium Hydroxide Pellets are helpful in the food processing sector as it provides numerous uses and benefits that make the process safer and more efficient. These pellets are widely employed for removing the skin of fruits and vegetables in industrial food processing, as this work is done quicker and better. Also, KOH is used for thickening in food processing/ formulations; and it assists in the regulation of pH level to enhance stability and quality.

Potassium Hydroxide Pellets therefore are safe and permitted for use in the food preparation processes when prepared to the required standards as provided in the regulations. That is why they are properly used to maintain food safety while increasing food makers’ productivity, which makes such elements crucial for the contemporary economy’s food industries.

Fertilizer and Soil Conditioning

Potassium Hydroxide Pellets have various applications in agriculture, especially in fertilizers. These pellets contain potassium that is an important nutrient used to promote plant growth, increase root mass, and to develop disease resistance. Potassium is essential in enhancing productivity among crops and the general health of plants.

Apart from fertilization, Potassium Hydroxide Pellets play an important role in conditioning the soil through the following way; levelling of the PH level in the soil. It also helps in regulating the pH near plant nutrient points which in turn results to increased agricultural yield. Beneficial to sustainable farming practices, KOH pellets directly cater to environmentally conscious farming and soil sustainment.

Catalyzing Renewable Energy

Potassium Hydroxide Pellets are equally useful in biodiesel production where they act as a catalyst. In the transesterification process, the fats and oils are reacted with KOH to form biodiesel popularly known as fatty acid methyl esters and glycerol. This chemical reaction is crucial for transformation of renewable resources into clean - burning fuel.

The application of Potassium Hydroxide Pellets in biodiesel production not only increases the effectiveness of the process, but also contributes to the formation of eco-friendly fuels. Through supporting biodiesel, KOH participates in the decrease of gross emissions of greenhouse gases and the development of the usage of renewable energy sources.

Water Treatment and Purification

The Potassium Hydroxide Pellets are used in water treatment plants mainly for coagulation and neutralization steps in water treatment. Several chemical reactions and disinfection processes in water treatment require strict control of pH levels so that they do not affect the efficiency of the operation. The inclusion of Potassium Hydroxide Pellets allows operators to easily increase the pH of acidic waters to make it conducive for the use of coagulants and flocculants in sedimentation and purification processes.

In addition, Potassium Hydroxide Pellets is very useful in the generation of water free from pollutants, thus making it useful for different uses like in industries, supply of water to towns, cities and commercial uses. These special-shaped pellets do the following; Among other effects, they balance the Ph level and encourage the elimination of heavy metals and other types of pollutants, thereby enhancing the water’s fitness for consumption. It does this not only in terms of protecting the general public health but also in helping industries that rely on high quality water. Therefore, Potassium Hydroxide Pellets are critically important to anyone seeking efficient water treatment and purification processes.

Why potassium hydroxide pellets is important

Potassium Hydroxide Pellets can be widely used because it has a fertile place in a vast range of sectors. Soap and detergent, agriculture and food processing industries among others; the pellets are used to increase the functionality and quality of products being processed. Not confined to manufacturing only they provide meaningful impact thus enhancing environmental accountability especially in biodiesel production procedure and water treatment.

If you have any other questions, or if you wish to buy Potassium Hydroxide Pellets then please feel free to contact Caustic Pellets! KOH pellets are essential in the efficiency of the process – we offer you the right KOH pellets for your process.

[rumade]

Watching the How Do They Do It episode [S16/Ep18] about viscose, a synthetic fabric made from trees, and it's bonkers...

They take wood pulp from trees in Sweden and turn it into cellulose fluff and then paper, then ship to Germany where it gets dissolved in caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) and the resulting goop gets forced through nozzles to turn it into thread, neutralised with sulphuric acid, washed off with water, and spun onto reels.

And then shipped somewhere else and woven into the actual cloth... then shipped somewhere else to become clothes.

[ltdppec]

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[triflesandparsnips]

coccinelf said: This was absolutely fascinating! But as someone who has been using Marseilles soap and Alleppo soap for a decade, I'm still stuck as how in the world soap made with virgin olive oil can be that white!?!?

I'm pulling this reply out from the lavender soap shenanigan post because INFORMATION IS FUN.

As you may know, there are several different kinds of olive oil -- the Romans sorted them into five categories based on how ripe the olives were and where/how they were gathered, while these days we seem to differentiate them based on the amount of refining and the acid levels found within the finished oils. For soapmaking in particular, this site leaves out the "Extra Light/Light" olive oil given by the International Olive Council, but lists the remaining four as:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Virgin Olive Oil

Pure Olive Oil

Pomace Olive Oil

Apparently it doesn't matter a whole lot which olive oil you use when you're making soap, aside from some fun properties related to arcane words like "trace" and "unsaponifiables", but one thing it can do is affect the color -- the "lower" the oil grade, the more green the soap, pomace olive oil soap being the greenest. Which, idk, may be a valuable thing for marketing purposes -- olives are (often) green, so it makes sense to have a green soap, right? Similarly, in America at least, white eggs are often cheaper than brown eggs (except for Easter time), because brown eggs look more "natural".

Marketing is made up by brain wizards, I am pretty sure.

ANYWAY. On the matter of white soap.

When I was originally researching the lavender soap, I kept running into recipes referencing "Venetian" soap, and trying to figure out whatever the fuck it was supposed to be is what led me toward researching the whole history of European soap-- and from there coming up with some Theories as to how maybe all the different major soap producers in Europe could've backwards-engineered the Aleppo soap they were getting via trade routes.

(Important History Note: Everyone is super fucking weird when it comes to Who Is the Originator of Really Nice Soap. Everyone. I have no idea why. Nobody is fucking reliable. I'm not reliable. Trust no one.)

Figure 1. Local soap truther.

... I should also say, now, that I have tried to write the following section thrice, and tumblr has eaten it every time. Therefore, let me instead give The Short Version:

Aleppo Soap (Syria)

Four ingredients:

olive oil

laurel berry oil

water

caustic soda (sodium hydroxide lye, made from ash of... some salt-tolerant plant, probably)

Hot process, as all these ye olde soap beauties are going to be -- cures for six months to a year -- does start green, but gets turns gold as it ages. The older the soap, the thicker the gold "rind" if you cut into the soap -- but the interior, where it hasn't dried/oxidized, is still green. (This, I suspect, is where the idea of shaving down your soaps and letting them dry for ages like that came from -- to get a uniform light color.)

Nablus Soap (Palestine)

Three ingredients:

olive oil

water

caustic soda (sodium hydroxide lye, made from barilla [a salt-tolerant marine plant] ash and lime)

Mentioned in this list because it's what I've been using in my soap experiments, as the soap closest to what would likely have been carried by Renaissance-era apothecaries. Hot process -- cures for 2 to 3 months, though I also saw up to 8 months -- starts gold and then, as it dries, turns a really bright white (and seems to turn whiter the older it ages).

Venetian Soap (Italy)

No fucking clue. It gets mentioned consistently in tons of early recipes, and I've come to the conclusion that it was an umbrella term for olive-oil soaps much the way we use Castile now, but there was also a thriving soapmaking guild system in Venice for a long time, and I don't speak enough Italian to track down and read their trade bills to try and figure out the ingredients list. Additionally, they were a major trading hub between the Middle East and the rest of Europe, so like, this bring it right back around to the idea of Venetian Soap just being an umbrella term for "the really good shit."

Castile Soap (Spain)

Three ingredients:

olive oil

water

caustic soda (sodium hydroxide lye, possibly? made from another salt-loving plant?)

I would say that aside from whatever the fuck was going on in Venice (if anything), this is the closest backwards-engineered European soap. Hot process -- 6 to 9 months to cure -- and while I didn't see anybody talking about color change in particular, you can see that in most how-tos and such, gold-to-cream-to-white is a pretty standard color range.

Marseilles Soap (France)

Here we finally start seeing some weird changes, which is why I put Marseilles Soap last (even though if you ask the French, they think they're the Original Deal). According to the 1688 Edict of Colbert, which naturally I cannot find a copy of and also, did I mention that I don't speak French, the ingredients are:

olive oil

water

salt

caustic soda (sodium hydroxide lye, possibly made from glasswort [a salt-tolerant marsh plant] ash)

The water and salt are separate here, but I've also seen local seawater being mentioned again, which would mix both. They also seem to use the saltwater to rinse the cooked soap goo, rather than have it part of the manufacture? No one else mentions doing something like that, thus making it a funky outlier. It is, once again, hot process -- it can take up to 12 months to cure -- and a color change from dark green to light beige is expected as they age (and also become longer lasting and gentler on the skin).

In conclusion:

Olive-oil soap often turns white, sometimes stays green, and either way, wow chemistry is neat.

[wuxiaphoenix]

Worldbuilding: Cleaning Up an Isekai

Part of the fun of any isekai is watching the characters try to find or recreate aspects of their home world they miss. (It’s truly amazing how many Japanese isekai worlds somehow have cacao for chocolate.)

Granted, if you’re working in a pure fantasy world, you can put what you like in it. But if you’re playing it in a harder mode - time travel, say, or a fantasy world based on our own history - you have to get a bit more creative. Especially when it comes to soap.

I know it’s worldwide these days, but soap as we know it (fats and oils saponified by mixing with potassium or sodium hydroxide, AKA lye) is a European cultural thing. Historians argue over whether the Celts or ancient Romans came up with it first, or if they both did. Given during the time period in question some groups on the Italian Peninsula were either Celts or mixed, I think the point is kind of moot.

What historians can mostly agree on is that soap got established, spread during the Roman Empire, took a serious hit during the Dark Ages, and rebounded from the Renaissance on.

Note that there are people who consider the Dark Ages’ reduced amount of bathing and overall hygiene as being due to a fanatical Christian preoccupation with matters of the body as evil. This view is at best ignorant. First, a key part of Roman cleanliness was public baths... which took a serious hit when epidemic diseases like smallpox kept raging through. Second, one of the major problems for everyone in the Dark Ages was finding enough calories. In straits like that, what would you do? Devote edible fats and oils to soap, or fall back on the less effective sudsy and otherwise inedible plants for cleaning? Third - soap-making requires specialized knowledge of how much lye and water to add to which specific kinds of fats at exactly what temperature. Not to mention how to treat the fats so they won’t go rancid before they’re soap, how to protect yourself from caustic lye, and how to tell if a batch gone wrong can be rescued with a little melting and tweaking, and when it’s safer just to throw the whole thing out.

These days we have written instructions, purified fats and oils, and online lye calculators, so your average careful person can make batches of soap at home. Prior to the printing press, most or all of this had to be in someone’s head. Lose a master and an apprentice or five in a Viking raid, lose even one critical step that keeps you from burning your own skin off, blinding yourself, or searing your lungs with the fumes, and soap-making goes bye-bye. No fanatics need be involved.

Which is bad, because besides the obvious morale boost of keeping clean, simple hand soap is one of the best low-tech antiseptics available. Bar none.

So a sane isekai protagonist with any knowledge of history is likely to want some. But how do you get it, in a culture that historically doesn’t have the practice?

Three options I see. First, figure out how to make it yourself. Risky but possible, if you have a lot of time and resources to dabble with. Second, and probably more practical, find someone local who works with the ingredients in soap (fats and lye) and try to explain what you want and what you know about how it’s made. Passing it off as “a tale from a mystical far-off land” optional. Third, see if there’s any way to make friendly or at least trade contact with a culture that does make soap. And bargain!

...Yes, these are all ideas I plan to use in Colors of Another Sky. There is a lot of modern medical knowledge Jason wants the people he’s with to have. Antibiotics would be awesome. Vaccines likewise. Yet those take time and knowhow he may not have or be able to leverage out of the surprising things cultivators know.

But soap? Soap may be doable. And handwashing saves lives.

A hero’s gotta start somewhere.