Topic: How on earth do I clean this glass!

[Max]

:thud:
Anybody think this bit of glass might glow brightly green under uv?

Sue...there's an inset photo of it glowing brightly with the other photos at the top.   :ooh:   :kissy:

[chopin-liszt]

 :pb: :wsh:

[antiquerose123]

You don't clean it  ............... You give it to a Friend, so they can try to clean it                  :24:   Nice Piece!!  :mrgreen:

[ahremck]

Ex-Science teacher time, Sue.

Sodium Hydroxide is Caustic Soda - one of the most common strong alkiline chemicals.  Its use lies in breaking down fats that have accumulated in drains and clothing.  As a chemical it rates in the "Brutal" category and must be treated with extreme care.

Washing Soda is Sodium Carbonate.  It is simply Sodium Hydroxide with the right amount of Carbon Dioxide combined with it.  It too is a strong alkili because dissolving in water effectively reverses the combining action and Sodium Hyroxide is realeased and so is Carbon Dioxide(but that tends to combine with water and not bubble off).. Care should be taken as it rips the oils from the hands and the skin becomes very dry.

Add more Carbon Dioxide to Sodium Carbonate and you achieve Sodium Bi-Carbonate an altogether much milder substance.  In gfact you blodd flows around in an approximately 3% solution of the stuff.  Still attacks fats & oils - feels soapy still.

I would assume that all three can attack glass - but to do that it requires time for the thing to act.  Provided you only use it and then clean it out fairly smartly I can't imagine substantial damage.  The effect in dishwaashing detergent comes from the Sodium Carbonate(for oils & fats) combined with high temperature which speeds up the chemical action.

Ross

[chopin-liszt]

Thanks, Ross 
- the one thing I couldn't get to grips with at uni was the acid-base balance in physiology - coming from a lab background, and not doing 1st year, I didn't know the difference between a strong acid and a weak one - I though strong acid was concentrated acid  :pb: - as in big winchesters locked in steel cabinets  :24: - and the course lecturer didn't make it clear that the lungs and kidneys were working together in a system - it was all just presented as disconnected blobs of info which didn't add up.

But I know alkali is bad for glass. And that Sodium bicarbonate is amazing stuff, with tons of household uses as well as the job it does in the bod. And breadmaking. (Irish OH - requires soda bread.). And clothes, 'fridge and freezer de-stinking.

Also, I cup of sodium bicarbonate, plus 1 cup of salt (sodium chloride), followed by a kettlefull of boiling water will unblock drains/plugholes. :thup: (see??.... drain cleaning  :ooh: )

(but still, if folk would just use the proper chemical name, I wouldn't get (so) confused.

[Paul S.]

I've become a convert to a combination of 'Magic Balls' and metal polish (then shaking for a while)  -  saves shoving sharp metal ends of brush cleaners into difficult corners.     Adding aluminium oxide/cerium oxide to the mix is worth trying, depending on the type of glass.     Some very old drinking glasses can be made worse by rubbing with nylon or very hard bristles (soda glass pieces possibly).

[dirk.]

Aside... Is it a vase or a pineapple centerpiece aka porte-ananas?
google
BTW Fen, here´s a very similar piece with hanging crystal drops...  
here

[Greenguy]

Hi folks,
Going to go low tech now.
Ive always found a denture cleaning tablet left in water overnight works wonders and leaves the item minty fresh !!!

[Paul S.]

..........uhmmmm, well you may clear a little superficial dirt that way, but lime scale and accummulative staining I doubt.

[Fen]

Hello all and thanks for the suggestions. I have tried bicarbonate of soda with rice and then with pearl barley (thinking that being bigger it might have more impact than the rice). I then tried a dishwashing tablet that I'd dissolved in warm water and then I tried my oxy action tablet for the washing. It's better but still has this residue that I can't get at and scrub because the neck of the glass is so narrow. It's a lustre, by the way, there are little holes around the base of the top bulb where the metal pins that hold the chandelier type glass drops will eventually hang from. I'm eyeing stronger stuff in my bathroom cabinet now - if something says 5% chlorine based bleaching agents, should I steer clear? You can sense the desparation.