Sodium Hydroxide, What is it, What do you do with it and where do you buy it ?
BlueRidge said
Jan 20, 2017
It's great stuff and works great in many different applications.
It does a great job cleaning concrete with a small surfactant or a degreaser added.
I add it to sodium percarbonate mixture for stripping cedar siding and wood decks with an oil finish.
It is some nasty stuff! If you get the beads/flakes on your hands don't get them wet. Wipe it off before you rinse, and rinse well. This stuff burns fast! Gloves are a really good idea around Sodium Hydroxide also known as caustic soda and lye.
Sodium hydroxide is a strong alkalide.
Strong alkalis will disolve most things organic, including skin fat and flesh. Generally an alkali burn is going to occur faster and go deeper than an acid burn, as alkalis react with fats/oils in your skin and flesh, turning them into soap (hence the soapy feeling if you get them on your skin), whereas most acids won't react or penetrate fatty acids, unless it gets in your eyes, a quick wash in a cheap weak acid such as vinegar or citric acid solution will neutralize the alkali.
Philip McCullough said
Jan 20, 2017
I haven't used it much but the little bit that I bought came from the local ACE hardware store on plumbing isle 100% LYE in a 1lb container for like $6-7$.
Jeff Wible said
Jan 21, 2017
And it is 100% compatible with Sodium Hypochlorite. A mixture of SH/SH will clean VERY well,..whether it be concrete or siding,..just different amounts for each surface. In cooler temps I will add some to my regular house wash mix,..gives it a nice boost,..and I will also add it if I come across some really dirty bug poopy, siding.
I DS it onto gray decks. And will direct apply it to strip semi-transparent stains.
*Yes, although I think buying 50 Lbs. at a time is more economical,..buying the Rooto brand from Ace or from Amazon is very convenient,..and it also stays nice and dry in the 1 LB. sealed container until it's ready for use.
When buying 50 Lbs. I prefer the flakes,..they dissolve easier than the beads,..the beads when first opened are fine,..but they collect moisture over time and tend to clump more,...and the flakes also mix easier due to the air gaps the flakes have,..compared to the small uniform beads.
Always add the NAOH to water,..NOT water to NAOH. Adding water second can cause the NAOH to super heat and stick together instantly.
*It is also used to stabilize Sodium Hypochlorite allowing for longer shelf life. NAOH increases the PH,..which I think is why it becomes more stable and slows down the decomposition.
Jeff
Liberty SoftWash said
Jan 21, 2017
We use it on hood cleaning jobs.
Dave said
Jan 21, 2017
We use it on really bad grease build up dumpster pads
waxman18324 said
Jan 21, 2017
Agreed with all of the above. I've used it on heavy oil stains during a gas station cleaning or heavy grease. As I witnessed last night it is used in KEC(Hood Cleaning). I get it from my local distributor. Bob from Pressure Tek has it (beads) if you're doing some small decks and concrete.
As everyone has mentioned here and in person it can be nasty. PPE + some (common sense) is mandatory.
Hank
Pinky said
Jan 22, 2017
I use it for decks and pour some down my sinks when they get clogged.
-- Edited by Pinky on Sunday 22nd of January 2017 09:01:45 AM
Liberty SoftWash said
Jan 22, 2017
waxman18324 wrote:
Agreed with all of the above. I've used it on heavy oil stains during a gas station cleaning or heavy grease. As I witnessed last night it is used in KEC(Hood Cleaning). I get it from my local distributor. Bob from Pressure Tek has it (beads) if you're doing some small decks and concrete.
As everyone has mentioned here and in person it can be nasty. PPE + some (common sense) is mandatory.
Hank
Yes PPE! Right Hank.
Pinky said
Jan 22, 2017
When I was in Va. I got my chems from
Roxxon Corp Chemical Cleaning 5056 Swope Rd. Dayton, VA 22821 - Rockingham County (540) 879-2468 Small very personable company. Wild Bill is the son. You won't find a nicer guy. I mean that. There isn't a nicer person out there. They delivered to me in Fairfax. Plus I went to them when they didn't have a load scheduled right away. If anyone in the Va. area calls them tell Bill hi for me. I haven't talked to him in a while. Down here I use Brainerd 1600 S. Wilson Avenue Dunn NC. 910-980-1088
P.S. What is PPE?
-- Edited by Pinky on Sunday 22nd of January 2017 12:23:06 PM
Maverick Contracting said
Jan 22, 2017
When working with any water based chems either SH mix or paint/stain stripper aka S-hydroxide I keep a 5 gal pail of clean water and rag near by to wash immediately if get anything on me or my ground guys
Safety setups are a must before they start even mixing a batch of "sauce"
Mr Pink, PPE is personal protection equipment
-- Edited by Maverick Contracting on Sunday 22nd of January 2017 12:46:01 PM
-- Edited by Maverick Contracting on Sunday 22nd of January 2017 12:46:36 PM
BlueRidge said
Jan 22, 2017
Pinky wrote:
When I was in Va. I got my chems from
Roxxon Corp Chemical Cleaning 5056 Swope Rd. Dayton, VA 22821 - Rockingham County (540) 879-2468 Small very personable company. Wild Bill is the son. You won't find a nicer guy. I mean that. There isn't a nicer person out there. They delivered to me in Fairfax. Plus I went to them when they didn't have a load scheduled right away. If anyone in the Va. area calls them tell Bill hi for me. I haven't talked to him in a while. Down here I use Brainerd 1600 S. Wilson Avenue Dunn NC. 910-980-1088
P.S. What is PPE?
-- Edited by Pinky on Sunday 22nd of January 2017 12:23:06 PM
You saw and talked to Bill when you came up here to help strip the Cyprus sided house.
Steve Salley said
Jan 23, 2017
PPE equals Personal Protection Equipment ie gloves, eye protection, hearing protection, and steel toes shoes, etc etc depending on the work you are doing.
Maverick Contracting said
Jan 23, 2017
Steve Salley wrote:
PPE equals Personal Protection Equipment ie gloves, eye protection, hearing protection, and steel toes shoes, etc etc depending on the work you are doing.
Sodium Hydroxide, What is it, What do you do with it and where do you buy it ?
It's great stuff and works great in many different applications.
It does a great job cleaning concrete with a small surfactant or a degreaser added.
I add it to sodium percarbonate mixture for stripping cedar siding and wood decks with an oil finish.
It is some nasty stuff! If you get the beads/flakes on your hands don't get them wet. Wipe it off before you rinse, and rinse well. This stuff burns fast! Gloves are a really good idea around Sodium Hydroxide also known as caustic soda and lye.
Sodium hydroxide is a strong alkalide.
Strong alkalis will disolve most things organic, including skin fat and flesh. Generally an alkali burn is going to occur faster and go deeper than an acid burn, as alkalis react with fats/oils in your skin and flesh, turning them into soap (hence the soapy feeling if you get them on your skin), whereas most acids won't react or penetrate fatty acids, unless it gets in your eyes, a quick wash in a cheap weak acid such as vinegar or citric acid solution will neutralize the alkali.
I DS it onto gray decks. And will direct apply it to strip semi-transparent stains.
*Yes, although I think buying 50 Lbs. at a time is more economical,..buying the Rooto brand from Ace or from Amazon is very convenient,..and it also stays nice and dry in the 1 LB. sealed container until it's ready for use.
When buying 50 Lbs. I prefer the flakes,..they dissolve easier than the beads,..the beads when first opened are fine,..but they collect moisture over time and tend to clump more,...and the flakes also mix easier due to the air gaps the flakes have,..compared to the small uniform beads.
Always add the NAOH to water,..NOT water to NAOH. Adding water second can cause the NAOH to super heat and stick together instantly.
*It is also used to stabilize Sodium Hypochlorite allowing for longer shelf life. NAOH increases the PH,..which I think is why it becomes more stable and slows down the decomposition.
Jeff
As everyone has mentioned here and in person it can be nasty. PPE + some (common sense) is mandatory.
Hank
I use it for decks and pour some down my sinks when they get clogged.
-- Edited by Pinky on Sunday 22nd of January 2017 09:01:45 AM
Yes PPE! Right Hank.
When I was in Va. I got my chems from
Roxxon Corp Chemical Cleaning 5056 Swope Rd. Dayton, VA 22821 - Rockingham County
(540) 879-2468
Small very personable company. Wild Bill is the son. You won't find a nicer guy. I mean that. There isn't a nicer person out there. They delivered to me in Fairfax. Plus I went to them when they didn't have a load scheduled right away. If anyone in the Va. area calls them tell Bill hi for me. I haven't talked to him in a while.
Down here I use Brainerd 1600 S. Wilson Avenue Dunn NC. 910-980-1088
P.S. What is PPE?
-- Edited by Pinky on Sunday 22nd of January 2017 12:23:06 PM
When working with any water based chems either SH mix or paint/stain stripper aka S-hydroxide I keep a 5 gal pail of clean water and rag near by to wash immediately if get anything on me or my ground guys
Safety setups are a must before they start even mixing a batch of "sauce"
Mr Pink, PPE is personal protection equipment
-- Edited by Maverick Contracting on Sunday 22nd of January 2017 12:46:01 PM
-- Edited by Maverick Contracting on Sunday 22nd of January 2017 12:46:36 PM
You saw and talked to Bill when you came up here to help strip the Cyprus sided house.
Yeah something like this
I wear none of those...lol