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Questions tagged [cleaning]

For questions about cleaning agents and methods used to remove dirt, stains, residues, and bad smells, including proper waste disposal. For particular questions about surfactants, use the [surfactants] tag.

For questions about cleaning agents and methods used to remove dirt, stains, residues, and bad smells, including proper waste disposal. For particular questions about surfactants, use the tag.

152 questions
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Ammonia for cleaning - what is the interaction between ammonia and oils?

Household ammonia is recognized as being an excellent cleaner for grease and oil. My question is, how does this work? Does ammonia merely put the oils into a suspension, like a detergent does? Or is there a more significant chemical reaction between…
Mark G B
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Strange Sticky Substance on Digital Camera

I purchased a used Canon Powershot A1100 IS camera online. When I received it in the mail it had a very strange sticky substance that looked like a thin film. It resisted attempts at cleaning. Water, water + soap, baking soda + vinegar, baking soda…
Mr. Chem Question
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Why is caustic soda (NaOH) used to clean beer bottles?

I see in many blogs in the internet that cleaning bottles with $\ce{NaOH}$ is very effective. I also realize that industries use caustic soda to clean bottles. Why is caustic soda very effective at cleaning bottles? What makes it so special from…
socre
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What are these stains on my stainless steel pans?

I've had enough of the homemaker advice of baking soda or barkeeper's friend products - their advice isn't working. I need a chemist! Please see the two photos below. This pan isn't quite as clean as I could possibly get them if I scrubbed and…
Jason Kleban
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Washing stainless steel separator from organic residue

In my lab we have a stainless steel separator for liquid products of one of our hi-pressure catalytic testing assembly. It is a steel cylinder with two short pipes and one another short pipe with a valve. The problem is, the separator cannot be…
permeakra
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What is the grey film/black sludge from mercury? How to remove it?

How to remove it? Any other simple method apart from distillation. I have a small container of mercury that I’ve collected over the past decade. I opened the container after a few years now and I noticed that there is a grey coating on the surface…
The_Vintage_Collector
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Difference between cleaning products

I have a few cleaning products and after I looked on the ingredients, they feel pretty redundant: Bath cleaner: Less than 5% anionic tensides, anionic tensides, scent. Shower cleaner: Less than 5% anionic tensides, anionic tensides, scent. Glass…
Martin Ueding
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Dichloromethane cleaning

Is it safe to drink out of a bottle that use to contain Dichloromethane? What should I use to clean a bottle of Dichloromethane? Is there any chemicals that I could use to dissolve the Dichloromethane and make it safe to drink out of? More info:…
Carl Thon
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How to Remove Copper Sulphate from a Leather Belt

I was careless when we were doing a routine footbath of our sheep in copper sulphate solution, and it splashed onto my leather belt. There are now little dark spots all over it, and I was wondering how to get the belt to go back to it's normal…
Eva
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I stained my lab workstation with Coomassie blue. How do I clean it?

I stained my work station with Coomassie blue solution during my SDS-PAGE protocol. I have been cleaning but the solution seems to can't be removed. What should I use to remove all these stains?
Aina Razali
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Homemade Fabreze mystery substance

My wife made a cleaning solution of isopropyl alchohol (1200mL), baking soda (100 mL) and distilled water(2400 mL). She first mixes baking soda with warm water till it dissolves. Then adds the isopropyl. Sometimes, a solid material will form at…
user48719
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How to clean a copper pan from black burned fat chemically?

I have several copper pans which I use daily. I don’t have the time to always clean them. Now they have a thick crust of black burned fat. When I wash it with dish soda, nothing changes. And I don’t want to use abrasive mechanics (steel sponge),…
erik
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Does sodium percarbonate break down into 'safe' compounds in water?

I'm writing this question as a wine brewer (not a chemist), so apologies if I use inaccurate terminology. I'm interested in using sodium percarbonate as a cleaning/sanitising solution for brewing equipment. It is my understanding that, when mixed…
CaptainProg
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how to remove acetone free nail polish remover from a thinkpad laptop keyboard?

I had dried spraypaint on my laptop keyboard and I tried my oxx studio brand nail polish wipes (ingredients; propylene glycol, dimethyl adipate, dimethyl glutarate, dimethyl succinate, caprylic/capric triglyceride, parfum, propylene, glycol propyl…
Lumby
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what is the relationship of Salt, White Vinegar and Water to create 1 liter of Hypochlorous Acid

What is the relationship of Salt, White Vinegar, and Water to create 1 liter of Hypochlorous Acid (for disinfecting and cleaning purposes), and how much time do I have to put it under a 9v battery induced electrolyzing process?
jeyKey
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