Calcium hydroxide is a highly alkaline calcium salt that finds a variety of uses in dyeing and industry. Also known as slaked lime, pickling lime, and cal, it is used for making pickles crisp, treating corn for tamales, and adjusting water pH. In dyeing it is primarily employed as an alkaline agent in indigo vats, since it will raise the pH high enough (to around pH 12) for blue indigo to convert into its soluble leuco-indigo form. Calcium hydroxide is safer to work with than other strong alkalis like lye, and for that reason is often favored for building organic-style indigo vats. However, calcium hydroxide dust can irritate the skin and eyes so gloves and eye protection should be worn when handling the dry powder. Sold in jars of 100 grams, perfect for building an organic indigo vat using the 1-2-3 method (50 grams of indigo, 100 grams of calcium hydroxide, 150 grams of fructose sugar).
Calcium hydroxide is a highly alkaline calcium salt that finds a variety of uses in dyeing and industry. Also known as slaked lime, pickling lime, and cal, it is used for making pickles crisp, treating corn for tamales, and adjusting water pH. In dyeing it is primarily employed as an alkaline agent in indigo vats, since it will raise the pH high enough (to around pH 12) for blue indigo to convert into its soluble leuco-indigo form. Calcium hydroxide is safer to work with than other strong alkalis like lye, and for that reason is often favored for building organic-style indigo vats. However, calcium hydroxide dust can irritate the skin and eyes so gloves and eye protection should be worn when handling the dry powder. Sold in jars of 100 grams, perfect for building an organic indigo vat using the 1-2-3 method (50 grams of indigo, 100 grams of calcium hydroxide, 150 grams of fructose sugar).
