Removing smoke residue from Proofgrade

OK, wow, that’s something.

What magical cloth do you use? Maybe that’s the secret?

Here I was thinking maybe the lemon scent was actually the problem. (Mine’s from OSH, not Safeway, ha.)

2 Likes

Limonene is a great solvent for cutting through all kinds of stuff, I always assumed that’s why. Also because lemons smell fabulous and if you have a tree they’re always falling from the sky.

2 Likes

Just an old face towel…

1 Like

I’ll have to try lemon juice concentrate, just in case I can lose the sensory attack of ammonia.

4 Likes

The citrus theory may have merit. Lemon juice is hands down the most powerful cleaning agent that I use on my vintage glass products (often too powerful). Similarly, look at how many forum members have reported great success removing smoke using Fast Orange wipes.

4 Likes

Time for more testing. I will try with some old face cloths, for science! I have a bit of d-limonene to try as well thanks to 3d printing supplies. My replacement forge is set to arrive today so hope I will be back in business fast.

2 Likes

I use baby wipes and they work amazingly.

but are they… lemon scented baby wipes? :wink:

I’ve tried windex and didnt quite work, it took a little off but not all.

I apparently don’t have the right kind of baby wipes. Mine do nothing. :frowning:

same

1 Like

I’m just a week into opening up and using Agni. Reading as much as I can on this amazing resource,

As far as soot residue, I suspect it is a pH effect not citrus - also that oils (and hydrophobic substances) will dissolve the (hydrophobic; carbon) soot better.

This may be of interest

(via Fire & Smoke Damage | Museum Disasters | Archaeology Salvage | Chicora Foundation)

5 Likes

That’s a bit odd. A pH of 12 is strongly alkaline.
But then a lot of oven cleaners are strongly alkaline, as well.

John :upside_down_face:

Soot is acidic, isn’t it? So the alkaline would neutralize it. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Perhaps we shouldn’t try to explain it, just in case we break the magic !
John :upside_down_face:

1 Like

Not odd. “Ammonia” (really it’s ammonium hydroxide if dissolved in water) is alkaline. Degreasers, oven cleaners are also highly alkaline, lye or sodium (or potassium) hydroxide - that is slightly different process/reaction, the fatty acid (grease) is saponified and converted to sodium salt (same as making soap) and leads to solubilization (in water).

Soot should be mostly hydrocarbons - perhaps the slight detergent in the ammonia helps take that off. I just bought a big jug (smallest I could get). Will check. Now I have to generate soot :slight_smile: So no masking tape then?

3 Likes

This is the Safeway brand…

3 Likes

You’re 100% right of course.
My use of the word ‘odd’, was perhaps not well enough explained.
I was thinking more of the traditional use of alkaline cleaners as of proven effect, and the now common use of citric acid additives (coming no doubt from the other ‘tradition’(?) of using half a lemon as a steel cleaner, which again I use, but wonder about !
It’s the citric acid thing that, to me at least, is odd.
John :upside_down_face:

1 Like

Yes, remove the mask, the air assist deposits the residue on the surface.

1 Like

Just thought I would chime in. I was cutting some 3mm (closer to 2.6mm) unfinished Baltic Birch plywood, and tried a few things to see if I could remove some smoke residue. Out of all the things I tried, I got the best results using Clorox Bleach wipes. It seemed to remove almost all the smoke, and didn’t seem to negatively affect the wood.

5 Likes