Hydrated Lime (Calcium Hydroxide)

Hydrated Lime (Calcium Hydroxide) – Cold-Water Pasteurization & Multi-Purpose Material

This pure hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide / Ca(OH)₂) in fine powder form is a high-quality and versatile raw material. Our lime features a light, natural gray color nuance. This is caused by the naturally occurring mineral profile in the limestone and the traditional burning process.

Why Choose Cold-Water Pasteurization (Alkaline Pasteurization)?

For growing oyster mushrooms on straw and other lignin-rich substrates, pasteurization is essential to eliminate unwanted molds and bacteria. Where traditional methods rely on hot water (up to 70 °C), cold-water pasteurization with hydrated lime offers major practical and economic advantages:

• Significant energy and cost savings: No gas, electricity, or fuel required to heat hundreds of liters of water to 70 °C. You simply work outdoors with cold tap water.

• Maximum time savings: No lengthy heating and cooling cycles. You mix the lime in the desired ratio, submerge the straw, and let the process do its work smoothly.

• Simple & Accessible: Ideal for both beginners and small-scale growers. No burners, heating coils, or specially insulated containers required; a simple mixing tub or drum is sufficient.

• Temporary alkaline protection: The elevated pH level (pH 11–12) effectively suppresses competing mold spores (such as Trichoderma), allowing the oyster mushroom mycelium to quickly colonize the substrate after draining and inoculation.

Multi-Purpose Applications

Thanks to its high purity and fine particle size, this hydrated lime is widely applicable:

• Mycology / Mushroom Cultivation: Cold-water pasteurization of straw, reed, and agricultural waste streams for oyster mushrooms.

• Crafts & Building: Excellent for making traditional lime wash, lime paint, render/kalei finishes, and breathable lime mortars.

• Gardening & Soil: Fast-acting pH increaser for acidic soils to improve soil structure and optimize nutrient uptake.

• pH Regulation & Neutralization: For neutralizing acidic fluids and water treatment.

Product Specifications

• Chemical name: Calcium hydroxide / Slaked lime

• Formula: Ca(OH)₂

• Appearance: Fine powder with a light gray nuance

• Properties: Strongly alkaline, rapidly soluble/emulsifiable in water