DE Cleaning: Ultrasonic: Water?

[Liberty_2112]

I have an ultrasonic cleaner that I use for pen restoration. I figured I should use it for razor cleaning as well.

My question is regarding what solution to use. For pens, I just use warm water in the ultrasonic. What solutions do you guys use in your ultrasonics for cleaning razors?

I've considered:
- Barbicide
- Water with dish soap
- Water with scrubbing bubbles

Any feedback?

Thanks.

 

[cb91710]

Careful with ultrasonic cleaners. They can be damaging to plastics.

Personally, scrubbing bubbles and a toothbrush is all I use to clean any of my shaving gear.

 

[Kentos]

It will also take paint out of the numbers too. Be careful!

 

[Liberty_2112]

I meant to post this in the Double Edge Razor section. Whoops!

Thanks for the replies.

 

[rxonmymind]

It will also take paint out of the numbers too. Be careful!

This hasn't been my experience. Mine is pictured. I also have a cheap cleaner that I'm not sure really qualifies as an ultrasonic cleaner. It vibrates really well though! Got it at a estate sale for $5. A trick I learned is to use dish soap with just a tsp of window cleaner with 170 degree water and let it sit for half hour to an hour. This has had zero affect on the paint. The only time the paint would come off is if( like I did on two Toggles) you use a toothbrush on the ajustment dial right after it's been in water for an extended period of time. Don't do that! Pat dry the adjustment dial with a micro soft & let it dry and come back to that area later.
This just having cleaned 4 adjustables two days ago. I'll soon pony up for one with self adjusting heater, drain valve and timer but that's some time down the road.

 

[_JP_]

If you one that is in the $50 range, then water is the only liquid you should use in it. And a drop or two of dish soap.

 

[Kentos]

This hasn't been my experience. Mine is pictured. I also have a cheap cleaner that I'm not sure really qualifies as an ultrasonic cleaner. It vibrates really well though! Got it at a estate sale for $5. A trick I learned is to use dish soap with just a tsp of window cleaner with 170 degree water and let it sit for half hour to an hour. This has had zero affect on the paint. The only time the paint would come off is if( like I did on two Toggles) you use a toothbrush on the ajustment dial right after it's been in water for an extended period of time. Don't do that! Pat dry the adjustment dial with a micro soft & let it dry and come back to that area later.
This just having cleaned 4 adjustables two days ago. I'll soon pony up for one with self adjusting heater, drain valve and timer but that's some time down the road.

Maybe it depends on the machine? Mine doesn't really vibrate too much, more like a high pitched whine. It also shook loose the setting on the wife's diamond ring.

 

[skipnord]

I use hot water from tap, probably around 140 degrees, and bit of dish soap. Cycle for around 5 minutes. Never had any problems with painted numbers on my adjustables. On a dirty wild find, I use a tooth brush and Scrubbing Bubbles first.

 

[rxonmymind]

Wow! You have one serious ultrasonic there. Yeah, mine is a plastic job that does it very gentle. Takes longer, much longer but safe.

Maybe it depends on the machine? Mine doesn't really vibrate too much, more like a high pitched whine. It also shook loose the setting on the wife's diamond ring.

 

[Kentos]

Wow! You have one serious ultrasonic there. Yeah, mine is a plastic job that does it very gentle. Takes longer, much longer but safe.

That might be better, since the wedding ring debacle it's not used anymore .

 

[Doc226]

Maybe it depends on the machine? Mine doesn't really vibrate too much, more like a high pitched whine. It also shook loose the setting on the wife's diamond ring.

Kent, was this a CZ

That might be better, since the wedding ring debacle it's not used anymore .

Did she have it appraised? CZ?

 

[Kentos]

Kent, was this a CZ

Did she have it appraised? CZ?

LOL, no its a 1.1 GIA certified colorless.

 

[mdarnton]

Just to give you all something to think about, we violin maker/fixer people (along with art restorers, I believe) wash out dirty cracks with de-ionized water. That's a fancy kind of laboratory special-purpose water that's as pure as possible. The reason it works better is that it has a lot of greedy chemical handles that would otherwise be occupied holding minerals and stuff, and they go after dirt in cracks, instead and rip it out by the roots. It's almost like using bleach. I imagine it would have the same effect on similar stuff that cruds up razors. The low-tech, easy-to-find version is distilled water from the grocery store, and it works almost as well. Hot is better than cold.

 

[Krodor]

Just to give you all something to think about, we violin maker/fixer people (along with art restorers, I believe) wash out dirty cracks with de-ionized water. That's a fancy kind of laboratory special-purpose water that's as pure as possible. The reason it works better is that it has a lot of greedy chemical handles that would otherwise be occupied holding minerals and stuff, and they go after dirt in cracks, instead and rip it out by the roots. It's almost like using bleach. I imagine it would have the same effect on similar stuff that cruds up razors. The low-tech, easy-to-find version is distilled water from the grocery store, and it works almost as well. Hot is better than cold.

Cool. I work in semiconductor manufacturing and we go through thousands and thousands of gallons of DIW a day. Neat to know it is also used in art/instrument restores. We go through the stuff like wat-- oh, wait....