Lye Solution

[TedW]

To anyone who uses a lye solution to clean insulators, what sort of time frame and concentration do you use to get the best results? Will it harm the cement in multipart insulators?

[poorboy]

Mix about 12oz (one Red Devil can) of lye with every 2 gallons of COLD water. Do not use hot water or the mixture will emit dangerous fumes and possibly splash. Do not put the lye into the empty bucket and then and add water to it; instead, fill the bucket halfway with cold water and then add the lye. Safety gloves and goggles are always recommended during handling of strong chemicals.

When you first add the lye to the water the solution will heat up and emit a vapor. Avoid breathing the vapor! In addition, be sure to wait until the solution has cooled to room temperature before soaking your insulators.

5 gallon plastic buckets are best for the lye bath. A plastic bucket is safest as lye attacks a number of materials (wood, paint, some metals, etc) but not the plastic used in common 5 gallon paint buckets. Of special note, lye violently attacks aluminum so do NOT use an aluminum container and do not stir the mixture with an aluminum utensil. A long stainless steel or plastic spoon is recommended for stirring.

Please make sure you put a lid on it so no small children or pets will fall in or play with your insulators, and it's a good idea to label the bucket as to its dangerous lye content.

Generally after a day in the bath the paint, tar, or soot should come off easily. However, you can soak the insulators for several days for stubborn deposits.

Hopes this helps you out