Home Cosmetic Science Talk Formulating Drain cleaner sodium hydroxide - ok to use?

  • Drain cleaner sodium hydroxide - ok to use?

    Posted by GeorgeBenson on April 23, 2022 at 9:05 pm

    I’m in Hawaii and I cant get sodium hydroxide delivered to me from any online shop, the only place I can find it is at the hardware store in the form of drain cleaner. Is it ok to use this as a ph adjuster cosmetics? It says pure 100% sodium hydoxide on the package.

    Sincityfire replied 2 years, 6 months ago 5 Members · 10 Replies
  • 10 Replies
  • PhilGeis

    Member
    April 23, 2022 at 9:30 pm

    No.

  • GeorgeBenson

    Member
    April 23, 2022 at 9:39 pm

    @PhilGeis care to expand? Why not?

  • PhilGeis

    Member
    April 23, 2022 at 9:45 pm

    It’s a household product held to no standard. 

  • Syl

    Member
    April 23, 2022 at 10:52 pm

    @GeorgeBenson you need to buy technical grade 99.9% pure. The kind you get a the hardware store is gray instead of the normal white color, not the same thing. It has to ship ground… I would contact the University of Hawaii, they should have a chemistry lab, find the lab manager info and contact him regarding a supplier list.

  • Camel

    Member
    April 24, 2022 at 2:00 am

    Perhaps @Graillotion can help…?

  • GeorgeBenson

    Member
    April 24, 2022 at 2:28 am

    I was actually able to find some here today at a craft store that is white and says “99% pure, meets food chemical codex specifications”. Not sure if that’s legit? 

  • Syl

    Member
    April 24, 2022 at 4:10 am

    My supplier Belle Chemical in Montana also sells food grade, he told me it was the same as the technical grade, It is used to make hominy. 
    I have come across some poor quality technical grade that would not completely dissolve in water. Hopefully, you have the good one. 

  • Syl

    Member
    April 24, 2022 at 4:14 am

    There is a higher grade that is close to 100% pure that is used by the semiconductor industry, it is very expensive and not necessary for our application. 

  • Camel

    Member
    April 24, 2022 at 4:19 am

    Syl said:

    My supplier Belle Chemical in Montana also sells food grade, he told me it was the same as the technical grade, It is used to make hominy. 
    I have come across some poor quality technical grade that would not completely dissolve in water. Hopefully, you have the good one. 

    I also order my sodium hydroxide (and potassium hydroxide) from Belle Chemical. I have had a good experience with them. Unfortunately, I don’t believe they will ship to Hawaii. 

  • Sincityfire

    Member
    April 26, 2022 at 11:08 am

    I’m not from Hawaii but I have used the 98% sodium hydroxide drain cleaner from my hardware store to make soap because it says you could on the packaging and it even came with a recipe. Now I’m not so sure if that was a prudent choice. 

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