I noticed some build up on my glassware and switched from "high-temp" wash to regular.

I switched from using an electric dishwasher to hand washing 30 years ago. Are silicates in liquid dishwashing soap in the bottle on the kitchen counter?

 

Check the label on the bottle or MSDS from the manufacturer. They are in liquid detergents used for car washing. What brand are you using?

John

 

What brand are you using?

One time, I tried Ajax, but too much "fresh" odor. Usually the cheap store brand.

ps, I have soft water.
I live alone. A pint of liquid detergent might last for a year.

 

A bit of diatomaceous earth (swimming pool filter powder) and dish soap on a wet sponge will clean up any glass surface to perfection with ease.

I discovered this in junior high. I was going to market a glass cleaner called "Cellusoap" (one of the ingredients was hydroxyethyl cellulose).

 

Fyi: DE is pure quartz (from ancient living diatoms), harder than glass. It acts like 10,000,000 grit sandpaper. That's why it works so well.

 

One time, I tried Ajax, but too much "fresh" odor. Usually the cheap store brand.

ps, I have soft water.
I live alone. A pint of liquid detergent might last for a year.

I use laundry detergent diluted. The free and clear version. Cheaper and no odor. I also live alone and can't stand the synthetic "clean" smell.

I am doing an experiment with one of the HF-containing cleaners tonight. Will give results tomorrow afternoon.

John

 

Here's a hard-learned lesson. I received a detergent packet sample in the mail. It looked almost identical to the dishwasher detergent we use, so one day I threw it in and ran the dishwasher.

Oops. It was Gain laundry detergent. The foam was a minor problem but the scent was overwhelming. I had to run the washer twice with all the dishes still in it, and it only put a small dent in the scent. I had to wash everything by hand with a lot of scrubbing. It's taken weeks to rid of the smell completely.

I'm very impressed with whatever fragrance can stick to glass through repeated washing and still smell strong. It's an OK fragrance, but not on your dinner plate.

 

A bit of diatomaceous earth (swimming pool filter powder) and dish soap on a wet sponge will clean up any glass surface to perfection with ease.

That's a great tip. I worked with DE my whole career, almost always in filtration applications. Beer filtering, corn syrup refining, fermentation broth recovery and even to immobilize enzymes. I've toured the big World Minerals DE mine in California, which was fascinating. Never though of using it as polishing compound.

To be clear, you want to use a highly screened grade. Otherwise it could contain large particles that could make scratches.

 

Have you tried a concentrated alcohol? Obtainable at a hardware store or big box store (Home Depot). I found it works well on pine sap.

 

Have you tried a concentrated alcohol? Obtainable at a hardware store or big box store (Home Depot). I found it works well on pine sap.

Now there's an interesting idea... I did try it, and it didn't work.. but maybe this time I won't drink it, and actually rub it on the thing... see if that works.

 

It'll work better the way you've already tried it. Alcohol is a somewhat polar solvent but you need non polar. Acetone maybe. (but be careful - not cool on your paint).

Your picture really doesn't look like sap to me. A razor blade could push resin off of at least a small area. (It's not a solution, just a diagnostic tool.) But I'll bet a razor won't help with those marks.

 

It worked!!!!

​

@#12, thank you so much for your advice. A vigorous scrub with paper towels after squirting some baby oil on top of it did the trick. Then I thoroughly washed it off with dishwasher soap, and abundantly rinsed it with a hose. And lastly, I dried it with more paper towels. Now my car looks like it just came out of the dealership. Thanks again.

My car's a 2006 A4 Audi, in case you were wondering.

Thanks again to everyone who helped me out in this thread.

 

thank you so much for your advice.

I meet this problem with physicians: They always seem to go with the latest and greatest, strongest and longest, hyper-advertised and most expensive pill when, "simple" works just fine. That's why I make a point to ask about the simplest, most obvious, first thing to try, before we get out the PDR. (Physicians Desk Reference)

I devised a thing I call "the hierarchy of solvents". It starts with water and increases through hot water, soapy water, hot soapy water, and etc. Then there is water with grinding additives from jeweler's rouge to toothpaste, silica sand, aluminum oxide, carborundum, and etc. Then there are acids which increase in severity from lemon juice to vinegar to hydrofluoric and aqua regia. Then there are hydrocarbons which go from baby oil through mineral spirits, vaselina, xylol, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, etc. Then you get really exotic, like carbon disulfide, which I leave to the chemists.

In fact, it would be nice if a real chemist made a list of things normally available to average people in each category in order of aggressiveness. @GopherT @jpanhalt,@wayneh

You just met a case where simple worked.
Always try simple before you try exotic or extreme. That way, you're more likely to find the solvent before you find something that eats the substrate.

 

In fact, it would be nice if a real chemist made a list of things normally available to average people in each category in order of aggressiveness. @GopherT @jpanhalt

I suggest you could add member wayneh to that list.

 

I suggest you could add member wayneh to that list.

You can type, @wayneh as well as I can.

One problem is that I don't know who all the chemists are.
Another problem is that I don't know which category Turpentine belongs in because it comes from an organic source.

 

You can type, @wayneh as well as I can.

One problem is that I don't know who all the chemists are.
Another problem is that I don't know which category Turpentine belongs in because it comes from an organic source.

I am not being picky, No 12, but I reported my own post for the moderators to tag his name. I forgot how to do it. Typing in this tablet is not easy.

BTW, I should investigate his CV but maybe member joeyd999 would fit somehow the bill.

Ah, if you think of me, the closest to a stoichiometric calculation I could do is to follow a recipe for a vegetables soup! I admire people able to deal with mols, bases and álcalis (as much as those able to design good electronics).

 

I suggest you could add member wayneh to that list.

Say, that's an interesting idea. Why not add a Chemestry forum to this place?

After all, we already have math, physics and general science.

@WBahn, @bertus

 

Hello,

That would be an owners decision.
@jrap and @EETech Adam are the owners.

Bertus

 

the closest to a stoichiometric calculation I could do is to follow a recipe for a vegetables soup!

Ahhh... French onion soup ... but that rather belongs to the Tales From the Grill thread ...

 

I suggest you could add member wayneh to that list.

I already did that in #33.