Caustic Soda shine alkali mai ƙarfi tare da lalata mai ƙarfi, gabaɗaya a cikin nau'ikan flakes ko tubalan, sauƙin narkewa a cikin ruwa (exothermic lokacin narkar da cikin ruwa) kuma yana samar da maganin alkaline, kuma yana lalatar jima'i, yana da sauƙin sha tururin ruwa (deliquescent) da carbon dioxide (lalacewar) a cikin iska, kuma ana iya ƙara shi da hydrochloric acid don bincika ko ya lalace.