Finding lye

[Rob_W]

Hi all!
I've been having a hard time finding lye crystals at the local stores and I was wondering where everyone was getting theirs from. Online?

Thanks!

Rob

 

[Dan Farmer]

Ace hardware stores in my area carry Rooto drain cleaner.

 

[W. Hilditch]

Hardware store.

Hilditch

 

[Shawn R]

I get mine at Lowes. The plumbing department, not with the general cleaning section.

 

[Dan Farmer]

I get mine at Lowes. The plumbing department, not with the general cleaning section.

I read that online somewhere but when I went to Lowes, I couldn't tell which brand was the pure lye. Can you help with that? I can get it at Ace as well, but with more driving.

 

[Doug D.]

http://www.castironcollector.com/lyebath.php talks about brands and how to choose.

 

[Dan Farmer]

Thanks for the link, Doug.

To sum it up then,
"Rooto™ Household Drain Opener": Ace Hardware
"Roebic™ Crystal Drain Opener": Lowe's

I need to move my tank indoors for the winter soon, and want to double the amount of liquid in it, so I guess I'll be going to Lowes for some Roebic.

 

[W. Hilditch]

Red Devil LYE Drain Opener comes in an 18 oz plastic jar and is 100% lye crystals.

Hilditch

 

[Jeffrey R.]

I have placed a few orders with this company with no issues.

http://www.essentialdepot.com/category/sodium-hydroxide-components.html

 

[CJMunnich]

I've been looking on the labels for the highest concentration of sodium hydroxide.

 

[Dan Farmer]

Red Devil LYE Drain Opener comes in an 18 oz plastic jar and is 100% lye crystals.

Hilditch

Where do you find Red Devil drain opener these days?

 

[Doug D.]

You don't. It's no longer being sold.

Also noted at: http://www.castironcollector.com/lyebath.php

 

[Dan Farmer]

You don't. It's no longer being sold.

Also noted at: http://www.castironcollector.com/lyebath.php

Exactly.

 

[W. Hilditch]

On my shelf in the basement. Sorry all.

Hilditch

 

[Dan Farmer]

On my shelf in the basement. Sorry all.

Hilditch

Smart thinking of you to have stocked up! From what I can find, it has been off market since at least 2003. :mrgreen:

 

[J. Fisher]

Like Shawn, I found mine at Lowe's in the plumbing section. The Lowe's employees in the general cleaning section gave me a flat no when I asked them about it. They weren't aware they sold 100% lye, so don't give up if you call and ask.

I think I actually found the product using my phone in the store on Lowes.com. It searched using my location and gave me an aisle and section number where it was located in the store I was in. Pretty neat.

 

[KevM]

tractor supply has Roebic Heavy Duty Crystal Drain Opener contains 100% Sodium Hydroxide (lye, caustic soda) in 2lb bottles. its the only place I can find it. the big box stores do not have 100% lye.

 

[Dan Farmer]

tractor supply has Roebic Heavy Duty Crystal Drain Opener contains 100% Sodium Hydroxide (lye, caustic soda) in 2lb bottles. its the only place I can find it. the big box stores do not have 100% lye.

I found that in Lowes today, too. $7-something for 2 lbs. Except that I do not want 2 lbs, nor do I want to weigh that stuff to get 1 lb. I'll be going to Ace tomorrow for a 1 lb tin of their stuff.

 

[Steve MacDow]

I order it from Amazon.

 

[RickC]

I bought mine from Amazon, it had great reviews from soap makers etc. Listed as: "Sodium Hydroxide Food Grade (FCC) (Lye, Caustic Soda) 99% Pure 3lb"

But if I had read ALL of the reviews... It was delivered in two regular zip-lock bags, wrapped tight with paper and squeezed into a small USPS flat rate mailing box. Already a little nervous about using lye the first time, the plastic bags did not instill confidence. I'm sure different vendors there package differently though.

I'll be buying next year's lye from the place Jeffrey R. mentioned above.