All Questions
Tagged with everyday-chemistry cleaning
56 questions
2
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1
answer
42
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Which agent is best for cleaning epoxyfloor from carbon black powder?
I have a question regarding carbon black powder. Which detergent/agent is best for removing carbon black powder from epoxy floors? large amounts of Carbon Black powder has leaked after production, all ...
4
votes
2
answers
782
views
I left scented candles in a polypropylene container. How do I remove the smell?
I left scented candles in a polypropylene container, for many weeks.
How do I remove the smell?
I've tried:
Hand wash with Dish Soap (a few times)
Hand wipe with Isopropyl Alcohol (a few times)
...
- 73
-3
votes
2
answers
96
views
Sodium hypochlorite bleach and chromium mop handle [closed]
I have been using sodium hypochlorite bleach as a cleaning method in my house. During a two week period when I was at home I left the mop handle in the bucket with bleach in it. I did not know it was ...
- 9
0
votes
0
answers
2k
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Chemistry behind cleaning with vinegar vs citric acid; do they work differently? Should I prepare the same pH solutions to compare them?
I noticed a pack of "Mysterious Citric Acid" while out shopping so I picked it up to see what the big deal was. Several palates of the stuff had just arrived at a local outlet store. I ...
- 5,997
2
votes
0
answers
118
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Is cleaning silverware with tinfoil and salt dangerous?
Premise: I'm not a chemist and I've already had a look at this and this but they don't fully answer my question.
I have read that you can clean silverware using tinfoil, salt and water, though from ...
user133482
4
votes
0
answers
80
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Why do vessels get a better shine when tea-leaves are soaked overnight in it before washing?
The other day I dumped consumed tea leaves into a brass utensil because I needed the tea-pan urgently. The vessel with the tea leaves didn't get around for cleaning until the next day. Ergo, the tea ...
- 904
6
votes
3
answers
3k
views
Are acids effective in removing soap scum?
In my experience, most of the commercial products intended for removing soap scum from bathroom surfaces are ineffective. No matter how long you leave it on or how hard you scrub, the soap scum doesn'...
- 922
1
vote
1
answer
206
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Getting magnesium chloride gunk off a wood shelf
I have a situation. Some magnesium bath salts got left on a wood shelf in my bathroom in a bag that was not closed. Being hydroscopic, it sucked up a ton of water, and then spilled onto the wood. ...
- 189
1
vote
1
answer
123
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Could mixing naphtha-based cleaner and industrial floor cleaner produce hazardous substances?
I work in a car dealership, and the guy who cleans the workshop uses an industrial floor scrubber / vac on the floor tiles. On particularly stubborn oil / soot marks, he uses naphtha-based brake ...
- 21
-2
votes
1
answer
459
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How does soap help in cleaning clothes and rinsing off oil and grease?
When we say that we agitate clothes so that grease particles get separate out from clothes as ionic part of hydrocarbon chains of soap is attached to water and non polar part of chain is dissolved in ...
0
votes
0
answers
182
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Does burning plastic completely disintegrate it? Accidentally melted some plastic in a BBQ, wondering if pyrolytic cleaning is an option
I accidentally barbecued some plastic today, making quite a mess. It's a cushion for a lawn chair, so I imagine probably some sort of plastic or polyurethane.
Rather than cleaning melted plastic ...
- 137
1
vote
0
answers
91
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Solvent + Photopolymer Waste Disposal
I have a 3L jug of SLA printer-related waste that's been sitting under my desk for a while now and I'd really like to finally figure out how to get rid of it. It contains:
Ethanol (primarily) and ...
- 1,162
4
votes
2
answers
8k
views
Isopropyl Alcohol Vs Acetone for Dissolving Organic Contaminants on PCB
Acetone is widely used in labs as a solvent to clean vials and tubes as it is a good solvent for organic materials. Isopropyl alcohol is used as a rubbing alcohol for cleaning contaminants on the body ...
- 201
8
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0
answers
298
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DIY hand sanitiser solution forms spongy substance
I am trying to make my own hand sanitiser since it’s sold out everywhere. The formula I use is 1 part aloe vera gel in 2 parts 100% isopropyl alcohol. The problem is when mixing the two, the solution ...
- 197
1
vote
0
answers
533
views
Why is my washing powder not to be used for pre-wash?
Apologies but I can't find a more suitable stack exchange website to ask this question. I feel the technical answer is chemical in nature so I landed here.
For at least the past two years (and on-...
- 119
3
votes
1
answer
1k
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Is propanol 1-2 diol 178 the same as propylene glycol?
I clean vinyl records in an ultrasonic vinyl record cleaning machine the manual states it uses propanol 1-2 diol 178 as a surfactant. I think this is the same chemical as propylene glycol. Is it?
7
votes
2
answers
5k
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Does the main washing effect of soap come from foam?
I am curious if the main cleaning effect of soap comes from its foam (or, maybe, it is just a by-product).
Here are some points, that might clarify what I mean:
Does foam sort of "carry" dirt and ...
user77247
1
vote
0
answers
201
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What neutralizes the active ingredients (napthalene and/or paradichlorobenzene) in moth balls? [closed]
Question: What is effective in removing residual moth ball smell from inside a car?
Issue: We used moth balls in our car to rid it of mice. (Never do this; it does not work.) We removed the moth ...
- 21
6
votes
3
answers
21k
views
Aluminium foil on windows: what is the residue, and how to remove it?
I put aluminium foil on some windows' glass pane wetted with plain tap water, as a typical trick to stop sunlight. After 5 days, I removed the foil to find some kind of whitish pattern on the glass. ...
- 171
1
vote
1
answer
131
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Function of 'organic' vs regular pipe cleaner
Recently, I needed to buy some pipe cleaner, as sometimes even with care hair and other detritus gets lodged so deep down the shower drain that it is not possible to get it out. I always try to avoid/...
- 23
-1
votes
1
answer
335
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Is *rinsing* (after washing) with cold water is as efficient as rinsing with hot water?
Let say I have, a dishwashing soap, plenty of cold water (5 °C) and only have 2 L of hot water (60 °C) to clean a t-shirt with oil stains. Should I use the 2 L to wash the t-shirt and then the cold ...
- 439
-1
votes
1
answer
63
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Are detergents more efficient if poured into more water?
Let's say, I am washing my cloths "by hand". My steps would be:
I take a basin of about 20L
I pour into it some water
I pour my detergent (the required amount, about a spoon) and a bit of bleach
...
- 99
3
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Safely lowering bleach pH without chlorine gas?
According to Eurekalert, by lowering the pH of household bleach (e.g., by adding vinegar or citric acid), we can increase $\text{[HOCl]}$ and consequently greatly improve the disinfecting capabilities ...
- 1,566
6
votes
2
answers
8k
views
For what reasons, is isopropyl alcohol widely used as a cleaning solvent?
I have worked in electronics and aeronautics industry 30 years ago, and I have always wondered, what were the specific properties of isopropyl alcohol, which make it used instead of other alcohols ...
- 187
4
votes
1
answer
23k
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How to remove formaldehyde (smell) from clothes/jeans?
Bought several jeans, then to discover they have a really nauseating smell, that is not removed by washing. Reckon it's formaldehyde, from what I can read. Anyway, assuming you have jeans with ...
- 149
3
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Rust removal ended with black oxide on the metal?
I have tried to remove common red iron rust from a small piece of metal that looks like steel.
I submerged it into hot water with a bit of citric acid, and let it sit overnight. In the morning I ...
- 219
6
votes
2
answers
503
views
How can I make a better whiteboard cleaning solution?
I just started work as a lab assistant in a chem lab. The whiteboard the instructor uses for classes gets very dirty very quickly. The woman who started at the same time as I did spent over 3 hours ...
- 231
4
votes
2
answers
4k
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Dangers of expired bleach?
I have some unopened Clorox bleach bought over a year ago (at $8.25~\%\ \ce{NaOCl}$) and read on Wikipedia that bleach naturally decomposes according to
$$\ce{3 NaOCl (aq) -> NaClO3 (aq) + 2 NaCl(...
- 1,566
0
votes
2
answers
3k
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Rotten meat odor in plastic
I've been struggling for a few days with the cleaning of a fridge that was left off for a few weeks with raw chiken meat in the freezer compartment. When I found it, the meat had turned liquid with ...
- 103
-1
votes
3
answers
80k
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Repairing acetone damage and discoloration to plastic
I used acetone on the back of my monitor to get rid of old stickers from LED strips. However it severely damaged my monitor. Anyway to undo this or repair it?
- 19
0
votes
1
answer
306
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Cleaning with sodium bicarbonate
I have a small metal, most likely silver, cross. It is an old object and has turned dark. In order to clean it, my mother told me to boil it for a few minutes in water containing sodium bicarbonate.
...
- 1,033
3
votes
1
answer
3k
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Disrupting the chemistry of oobleck so that it behaves like a newtonian fluid
Oobleck (a mixture of cornstarch and water) is a non-newtonian fluid, so it acts like a solid when under pressure, and like a liquid otherwise. My question is this, is there anything you could mix in ...
3
votes
1
answer
3k
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How to remove paraffin wax drop from cam lense glass?
When I put a my cellphone on a table for charging, some drops of paraffin wax were laying there which I couldn't see. After some time during charging, heat melted the paraffin wax and it stuck on the ...
1
vote
3
answers
26k
views
Why hot water is more effective than cold water in cleaning
Today while washing curtains, my mother dipped them in hot water(containing detergent) for an hour and then washed them.When i asked her that why she done that,her answer was simple(it will make the ...
- 1,417
-1
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2
answers
1k
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What happens to potassium bitartrate (cream of tartar) at temperatures exceeding 1000°F?
What happens to potassium bitartrate (cream of tartar) at temperatures in excess of $\pu{1000\!^\circ F}$? For example, if it is placed on an oven bottom and then run through a self clean cycle.
- 1
2
votes
0
answers
1k
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Crusty white armpit stain that can't be removed by washing
Some of my t-shirts (the ones that are 100% cotton) started developing this strange armpit stain:
it makes the fabric feel brittle and crusty around it;
it can't be washed off with water and ...
- 587
23
votes
2
answers
10k
views
Vinegar and baking soda: Cleaning agent or neutralized sludge?
I've seen it suggested countless times that combining vinegar and baking soda is a great home cleaning solution, but this always seemed like nonsense to me.
I recognize that baking soda, a base, can ...
- 389
-1
votes
1
answer
8k
views
What could happen when mixing bleach with other cleaning residue?
I have a wall covered in mold. I have used various cleaning wipes attempting to clean it, including a vinegar mixture. I now want to spray the wall with a bleach cleaner. I am concerned for fumes from ...
- 99
3
votes
1
answer
986
views
Will washing child seat belt straps with baking soda and hydrogen peroxide make them unsafe to use?
My friend is afraid to use the child seat for her next child. She was told washing them with the solution weakened the fabric, The straps weren't submerged, but they did get throughly wet.
- 31
1
vote
1
answer
3k
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How to dissolve the build-up from a paraffin based oil?
I have a CNC lathes that use "oil" for cutting fluid during the machining of mostly metal materials. Typically a heavy paraffinic based cutting oil (petroleum distillate) is used during machining. ...
- 11
2
votes
1
answer
5k
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Isopropyl alcohol to clean germs on countertops
My wife recently found some website recommending mixing 91% isopropyl alcohol, white vinegar, water, and corn starch and using it to wipe down countertops. This would be where we put our raw chicken ...
- 129
3
votes
1
answer
3k
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Cleaning stains with hydrogen peroxide and bleach
A while back, I discovered that if you have a stain on a white shirt, you can remove it by putting hydrogen peroxide on the stain, then adding some bleach to it. I have used this for getting out wine,...
- 171
18
votes
1
answer
5k
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How many times can we recycle one sheet of paper?
Its really interesting to see the process of recycling of paper (as shown in picture below) but at the same time I was thinking like for how many times can one sheet of paper can be recycled ?
- 1,491
2
votes
1
answer
334
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Water in the ultrasonication bath
Why something jelly forms in the water if it is kept in in a ultrasonication bath for long periods?
When water is exposed to ultrasonication for say a month, some jelly substances form in the ...
- 91
2
votes
0
answers
2k
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Why does the black powder that comes off aluminum pans behave the way it does?
When I wet an aluminum pot or cookie sheet and then dry it with a towel, it creates dark gray marks on the towel. This happens more if the aluminum is a little rough. It seems that there's a fine ...
- 119
2
votes
1
answer
149
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Is triclosan harmful?
I keep hearing about this product known as triclosan, and that it is used in sanitizing soap. And I also heard that it is harmful, and causes some sort of muscle problems.
However some people aren't ...
- 3,050
6
votes
1
answer
182
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Definitive Guide To Removing Stains From Baby Clothes
I'd like someone to explain, scientifically, what makes some baby clothes' stains so hard to remove, and what the right way to treat the stains is, chemistry-wise. A lot of internet sites have ...
- 61
3
votes
1
answer
180
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Why isn't washing up liquid dry
Washing up liquid is wet and it is added to water. Why does it not come in a half size package and you add the water yourself? In the same way washing powder is?
- 395
7
votes
1
answer
106k
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Chemicals to clean natural stones
I picked up some stones from a hiking trip. What can I use to thoroughly clean the mud and other hard deposits on the surface of the stones? I have only washed them with plain water.
- 73
5
votes
1
answer
383
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Simple and cheap anti-graffiti layer based non-paint solvent
I have this issue with a group of people intentionally damaging a bench. So far, they would paint curses over the bench with permanent marker. However after I removed the curses with ethanol, they ...
- 2,538