Cleaning Steel Parts for Battle Reenactment
Q: We reenact Civil War battles and need to clean the bayonets, rifles and assorted other metal parts. We came across Alconox as a source for safely cleaning these important pieces. The residues are largely rust and pine tar. What would you recommend?
A: Cleaning steel used in reenactments as you describe certainly helps in establishing the proper setting for the show. Cleaning tool steel (also called mild steel) requires a little bit of effort to ensure flash rusting does not occur during rinsing. To avoid this….
How To Clean MgF2 windows for chrome plating?
Q: How do you clean MgF2 windows for chrome plating? We would also like to use in our cleanroom on different kinds of glass types and ceramics.
A: To prepare magnesium fluoride (MgF2) for adhesion of chrome or other plating, a very clean surface is needed. Depending on what kinds of residues are expected, Alconox® Powdered Precision Cleaner and Liquinox® Critical Cleaning Liquid Detergent are great options. The choice of which detergent would be….
Advanced Cleaning Mechanisms: Metallic Parts, Bath Monitoring
We are using a bath of Alconox powder for cleaning several metallic parts. We have found that both the concentration of Alconox, along with a set duration brings about the correct end result. As the wash solution is created at the beginning of each working shift, a gradual ‘weakening’ of the process occurs. In some instances, we resort to manually replenishing the tank with a fresh mix mid-shift. Would you have any general advice?
Non-foaming vs. Low-foaming Detergent
Q. We just purchased Alcojet which is a low-foaming detergent. The one we used before was non-foaming detergent. What’s the difference between “low” and “non?” Will Alcojet cause a foaming problem?
A. Alcojet® is designed for use in automated cleaning applications that require no foam problems. Alcojet® has an anti-foam agent that becomes effective at circa 110 deg F (45 deg C). As long as you clean at …
Replace Toluene, Xylene in Cleaning
Q: We had a small fire incident in our lab when working with toluene and xylene. We are now going with safer aqueous detergents and will replace toluene and xylene as cleaning agents. What do you recommend for hydrocarbons from lab and glassware?
A: For removing hydrocarbons from lab and glassware, hot (60-80C) Alconox® Powdered Precision Cleaner or Liquinox® Critical Cleaning Liquid Detergent should do a great job, and….