A Guide to Caustic Chemicals Used in Soap Making | Brenntag
Today, the process of making soap most commonly involves reacting an organic acid with an alkaline chemical like potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide.Industrially, the caustic soda base used most often is sodium hydroxide, which is also called lye. The main difference between potassium and sodium soaps is consistency — usually, potassium makes a softer, more water-soluble soap than sodium.