Chemistry and Household Cleaning

Fixing and making things, what tools to get and what skills to learn, ...
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Jin+Guice
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Chemistry and Household Cleaning

Post by Jin+Guice »

I remember a section in the book outlining making your own cleaning supplies out of a few basic ingredients. I mostly use water, soap, vinegar and lemon essential oil. I'm seeking a more advanced way to do this and a better understanding of what I'm doing. Also, none of these combos work great on glass.

Is there any easy way to research, or does anyone know the chemistry behind making household cleaners and which surfaces/ materials to use them on?

Hristo Botev
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Re: Chemistry and Household Cleaning

Post by Hristo Botev »

Don't you add rubbing alcohol to the glass cleaner? I'm only about a month or so into making my own household cleaners, but I found wikihow supremely helpful: https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Vinegar- ... g-Solution

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Alphaville
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Re: Chemistry and Household Cleaning

Post by Alphaville »

i don't use soap for household cleaning as it leave residue especially in hard water. i prefer detergent as a base instead (sls).

for vinegar cleaner 2.5% dilution in distilled water works well/leaves no residue. with regular water ymmv.

i use orange oil for heavy grease/gunk/bicycle. mostly in diluted form.

chenda
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Re: Chemistry and Household Cleaning

Post by chenda »

Has Covid changed anyone's products ?

I've use a lot of antibacterial wipes over the past year. The ones which apparently will stay in landfill for another few million years or so...

Gilberto de Piento
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Re: Chemistry and Household Cleaning

Post by Gilberto de Piento »

Here's what's in Windex https://www.whatsinsidescjohnson.com/us ... ss-cleaner:

Water Water
2-Hexoxyethanol Cleaning Agent
Isopropanolamine Cleaning Agent
Isopropanolamine Cleaning Agent
Ammonium Hydroxide Cleaning Agent
Lauryl Dimethyl Amine Oxide Wetting Agent
Sodium Dodecylbenzene Sulfonate Wetting Agent
Fragrance Fragrance
Liquitint® Sky Blue Dye Dye

I use DIY cleaners / hippie cleaners such as 7th generation and I find they work but are not as powerful.

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Alphaville
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Re: Chemistry and Household Cleaning

Post by Alphaville »

chenda wrote:
Wed Mar 31, 2021 8:49 am
Has Covid changed anyone's products ?

I've use a lot of antibacterial wipes over the past year. The ones which apparently will stay in landfill for another few million years or so...
oh i forgot to mention i make a mild dilution of chlorine bleach for disinfectant and just been using more this past year.

i can't remember % off the top of my head but usually there are instructions in the label (bleach is sold at multiple concentrations usu. in the single digits)

theanimal
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Re: Chemistry and Household Cleaning

Post by theanimal »

Alphaville wrote:
Wed Mar 31, 2021 8:45 am
i use orange oil for heavy grease/gunk/bicycle. mostly in diluted form.
Orange oil? As in something like this? https://www.homedepot.com/p/Eco-Clean-3 ... /306067752

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Alphaville
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Re: Chemistry and Household Cleaning

Post by Alphaville »

theanimal wrote:
Wed Mar 31, 2021 2:33 pm
Orange oil? As in something like this? https://www.homedepot.com/p/Eco-Clean-3 ... /306067752
yup. i use the citra solv brand. small bottle lasts me seemingly forever.

handle carefully around certain plastics.

Frita
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Re: Chemistry and Household Cleaning

Post by Frita »

Alphaville wrote:
Wed Mar 31, 2021 2:57 pm
yup. i use the citra solv brand. small bottle lasts me seemingly forever.

handle carefully around certain plastics.
+1 for this orange oil stuff It degunks kitchen grease and ceiling fan blades fast. My spouse uses it to remove the remnants of wax off of skis (after scraping).

Jin+Guice
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Re: Chemistry and Household Cleaning

Post by Jin+Guice »

Going to be studying this again, here are the notes from the book:
Early Retirement Extreme wrote: Most household cleaners comprise simple staple ingredients which you can mix yourself, but which are sold in fancy bottles with expensive advertising campaigns to an ignorant public at 10 times the cost. Since their basic ingredients are the same, their effectiveness is too.

The staples are ammonia, baking soda, borax, chlorine, soap, and clear vinegar. Just remember never combine chlorine and ammonia. Otherwise, learn how to put the rest together, instead of relying on companies to supply them to you with additives at a higher cost. This only requires searching the web for "homemade X" or "DIY X" every time you need X.

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