Lye
Lye, strong alkali used in soap-making and cleaning. Originally the name was given to potassium carbonate (K2CO3), which was obtained by soaking wood ash in water. It now most often refers to sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution.
Additional topics
21st Century Webster's Family Encyclopedia21st Century Webster's Family Encyclopedia - Liliuokalani, Lydia Kamekeha to Lyon