Homemade Biodiesel and Safety

When making your homemade biodiesel there are several ways you can ensure your physical safety and the safety of pets and children. First of all you should not attempt to make homemade biodiesel unless you are wearing proper protective gloves, an apron, and eye protection. Keep in mind that biodiesel making involves the use of several potentially very hazardous chemicals. Methanol can be absorbed rapidly through the skin and can cause blindness and death. Sodium hydroxide can cause severe burns and death. If these two chemicals are mixed during biodiesel production they can form sodium methoxide. This is an extremely caustic chemical that can cause a fatality if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through the skin. After reading the above, you can see why it is so important that high quality protective gloves should be worn during the biodiesel making process. Make sure they are chemical and fire proof. Avoid using latex gloves that can dissolve if they come into contact with certain chemicals.