Potassium hydroxide is an inorganic compound with the formula KOH. Its common name is caustic potash. Along with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), this colourless solid is a prototypical strong base. It has many industrial and niche applications. Most applications exploit its reactivity toward acids and its corrosive nature. In 2005, an estimated 700, 000 to 800, 000 tons were produced. Approximately 100 times more NaOH than KOH is produced annually. KOH is noteworthy as the precursor to most soft and liquid soaps as well as numerous potassium-containing chemicals.