I've been cleaning up some smoke damaged razors. What seems to work best on the soot is a product called Simple Green. Problem is that it's rather expensive considering the volume of it that I'll be needing. The active ingredient appears to be polyethyleneglycol. I'm wondering just how similar that would be to antifreeze. I know that if you have a head gasket leak, and antifreeze gets into your cylinders, it breaks down the oil and leaves your cylinder walls nice clean and shiny (and almost totally lubrication-free). Does anybody know how this might react to nickel and gold plating?
Antifreeze as cleaner?
- Thread starter amishmotorboat
- Start date
I wouldn't try it. Antifreeze leaves a sticky residue after it dries. My company used to use the regular Simple Green which was great but now we use the "Eco Freindly" Simple Green, which doesn't clean half as good. But since Antifreeze is essentially a poison I wouldn't handle it anymore than need be. As far as the effects on your razors, i don't know. I hear it eats paint though
Not sure about polyethylene glycol, but you can get propylene glycol, e.g. http://www.chemistrystore.com/cart.cgi?group=49922&child=49939. You'll have to do the research to see if it'll work for you.
You might also try Purple Power, a degreaser readily available at Walmart and elsewhere. It's a very potent detergent (wear gloves, even when diluted) and relatively cheap for a gallon jug. It will strip multiple layers of 40 year old Testors enamel from styrene model kits without harming the plastic. I've had the Men from UNCLE soaking for over a year now - haven't had time to rescue them - the enamel has long fallen off but the plastic is fine. It might be worth a shot on your razors...you can kiss black lettering and any paint on the tips of super speeds goodbye, but right now that's the least of your worries!
The cleaning ingredient in Simple Green that's working for you is 2-Butoxyethanol which is a butyl ether of ethylene glycol, not a polyethylene glycol. It's a serious solvent that's actually been used to clean up major oil spills.
Glycol ethers are contained in many cleaning products. Unfortunately they're not required to be listed on the ingredients list, so it's hard to tell which cleaners have them.
In any case, be careful when you use them. They're considered toxic hazards with acute or prolonged exposure. Concentrations of 5% + are not considered safe. Simple Green is 4% concentration.
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/glycolet.html
- Peter
Glycol ethers are contained in many cleaning products. Unfortunately they're not required to be listed on the ingredients list, so it's hard to tell which cleaners have them.
In any case, be careful when you use them. They're considered toxic hazards with acute or prolonged exposure. Concentrations of 5% + are not considered safe. Simple Green is 4% concentration.
http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/glycolet.html
- Peter
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Haven't looked at the jug in a while but I believe PP has that magic ingredient.
- Thread starter
- #7
I hadn't thought of urinating on my razors, but I guess it's worth a shot.
this is, of course, a joke.
To put OUT the fire? I agree, it's better than nothing. But now? 
Of course, you could just soak them in gasoline or brake fluid, in case you have no leftover antifreeze.
Soak in gas, light on fire, extinguish. That'll disinfect it.
Actually he just suffered through a house fire and is trying to clean his wonderful razor collection that was badly smoke damaged. I don't think gasoline is a good idea.
- Peter
- Peter
- Thread starter
- #12
Jokes are ok.
I was going to say that they have already been adequately disinfected by a similar method.
"Humor is the only test of gravity, and gravity of humor; for a subject which will not bear raillery is suspicious, and a jest which will not bear serious examination is false wit." -Aristotle
I was going to say that they have already been adequately disinfected by a similar method.
"Humor is the only test of gravity, and gravity of humor; for a subject which will not bear raillery is suspicious, and a jest which will not bear serious examination is false wit." -Aristotle
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Maybe the best thing to do is to just bite the bullet, spend a little more money, and get the thing that you know is safe and will work? I mean, why risk further trauma? 
Bite the bullet get the Simple Green in a Gal and follow the dilution directions. It will get it done.
+1
Given the number of razors he has to clean, the cost of the gallon jug, properly diluted, will give him plenty of cleaning power.
-- Chet
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