Stainless Steel in lye?

[Mark Zizzi]

Hey y'all, Are there any issues with soaking a SS pan in a lye bath? Not sure if I've ever seen this question asked before. Been using one for boiling maple sap and it's getting grungy. It's a big turkey fryer sized pot, and it's a borrowed one so I don't want to ruin it, but it's got some pretty stubborn grunge on it. Is a lye bath ok for a SS pot? Thanks.

[Russell Ware]

Mark, I make a lot of soy milk. The machine I use has a stainless steel filter cup. When the filter holes get plugged, I just throw it in my lye bath. Next day it looks brand new.

[Mark Zizzi]

Great..thanks Russ. I thought as much but wasn't sure. That burnt on sap is some pretty stubborn stuff, holy cow. I'll have to spin it now and then..it's lying on it's side in the lye. So I don't have to worry about how long it's in there? Replacement is over 100 bucks, that's why I was a little nervous.

[Jeff Friend]

Information from PPG's and Dow's caustic soda technical literature. . .

Caustic soda does not attack 18-8 stainless steels, carbon steel, or cast iron.  I doubt that it matters much what the stainless alloy is, so your pot should be safe unless there is something else in the alloy that reacts with caustic soda.

Zinc, aluminum, magnesium, tin, brass and chromium are all attacked to some degree.

[Mark Zizzi]

Good to know, Jeff...thank you.  8-)