Soap Equipment: Safety Equipment You'll Need to Get StartedSoap Equipment - Safety Gear: If you think you cannot sufficiently control your surroundings enough to keep and use soap making materiels safely, DO NOT MAKE SOAP AT HOME! The basice soap equipment is eye protection, rubber gloves, long sleeves, oven mitts, a painter's paper dust mask or filter mask, and vinegar. (For applications using a stove, a fire extinguisher is also a good idea.) Eye Protection: Make sure that the eye protection you use is resistant to impact, caustics and heat. If you wear glasses, get goggles that are large enought to wear over them. Never take chances with the health and safety of your eyes. The danger to your eyes comes form the potential of lye particles, lye solutions, raw soap, hot oils, and other liquids splashing you in the face. In methods that don't use caustics to create soap, the potential hazards are hot melted soap and steam. As long as you work mindfully, you will experience very few splashes if any. It is always a good idea to post the phone numbers of your physician, emergency room and poison control center where they can be easily seen (just in case). At the very least, caustics will cause surface irritation to the skin on your face. At the worst, you can be blinded if you splash lye solutions in your eyes. Be sure the proper soap equipment and to have an emergency plan just in case!
Regular rubber kitchen gloves provide appropriate protection for your hands and lowe arms. Make sure the gloves you buy have textured fingers so that you can keep a firm grip on your equipment. When you are finished with your project for the day make sure you clean your gloves well with soap and water. Protect your arms above the gloves with a long sleeved shirt.
If you're making soap with lye, caustic steam will rise when you combine the lye and water. Usually it is enough just to stand back and not breathe the steam, but if you are concerned take the extra precaution of wearing a mask over your mouth and nose.
Vinegar has traditionally been used as a neutralizer for lye and raw soap spills. It will help neutralize the lakali, but you should not pour vinegar onto an alkaline spill on skin. If you come in contact with lye or raw soap batter, gently wipe the spill from your skin, then flush the area with water. This is when you would douse the area with vinegar if desired. Then flush again with water and finally wash with soap and water. DON'T WAIT TO RINSE AND NEUTRALIZE A SMEAR OF RAW SOAP FROM YOUR SKIN. Do it as soon as it gets on you! It is a good idea to let your doctor know you are making soap, and ask about the best way to handle skin contact with caustics.
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