As you can guess from our name, we at Comal Chemical specialize in sourcing and supplying chemicals. We are familiar with all the various chemicals used in industrial applications, including acids, bases, solvents, plasticizers, and more, and we can get you the supplies you need. In this article, we will focus on caustic soda, providing more information on what it is and how it can be used.
- What is caustic soda? The chemical name of caustic soda is NaOH, or sodium hydroxide, and it is also known as lye. This substance is a key component in many cleaning supplies, such as soap and drain cleaner, due to its ability to strip oils and other contaminants.
Applications of Caustic Soda:
- Soap Making – Lye is a key ingredient in many soaps, including soap intended for use on the skin and soaps intended for use on household surfaces. Lye is highly caustic to the skin in its raw form, but once combined with the other soap ingredients and aged properly, it will lose its sting.
- Household Cleaners – Caustic soda is also used in many cleaning products for household and industrial use. For example, it is commonly found in drain cleaners, as it is excellent for breaking down drain clogs.
- Food Production – Caustic soda is also used in the production of certain food products. For example, many home-made ramen noodle recipes call for briefly dunking the noodles in lye water to enhance the texture of the noodles, giving them their characteristic bounce and chew.