Questions tagged [chemicals]
The chemicals tag has no usage guidance.
59
questions
2
votes
1
answer
79
views
How would I create my own Paste Wax?
I really like SC Johnson Paste Wax for protecting my cast iron tool surfaces (such as table saws and planers). However it has been discontinued. There are other brands of paste wax but they tend to be ...
- 131
1
vote
1
answer
65
views
What is this green stuff on the fountain?
If it matters, I'm west-coast USA.
I have this water fountain:
I'd like to clean it to remove this green stuff on it, but I don't know what it is. I'd also like to remove the white around where the ...
- 179
0
votes
3
answers
78
views
Best ways to prevent the house from termites
I'm thinking if I encircle the building with a rubber pipe which has holes in it.
Then I can connect the rubber pipe with a pot which has manual pump.
Then I can pour the anti termite liquid into the ...
- 225
17
votes
5
answers
6k
views
Is my stainless steel kitchen sink really chemically dangerous?
My stainless steel kitchen sink arrived with the P65 warning for Nickel and Chromium. Will these chemicals leach into the water over time? Are they present on the surface? Can they be absorbed in my ...
- 179
1
vote
1
answer
387
views
How to remove moisture absorber (Damprid) spill on drive way?
I spilled Damprid (calcium chloride) on a concrete driveway and it's making a stain due to the chemical staying on concrete and absorbing moisture. I sprayed water on the affected area and wiped away ...
0
votes
3
answers
81
views
How can I remove a long narrow strip of over-growth (weeds, grass, etc.)? [closed]
I have a long patch of over-growth in my back yard along my driveway. It is about 2 feet wide and runs the entire length of my back yard, around 100 feet. Half of it is right next to my detached ...
- 1
0
votes
0
answers
30
views
Steel cleaner safe for plumbing threads
The area around the fittings on this radiator was pretty dirty with residue pipe dope, not been cleaned timely. As a result, it kinda solidified and collected some additional gunk. I cleaned it ...
- 7,357
5
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Can I drill through chemical anchor resin?
In order to hang a TV wall mount* onto a hollow clay bricks wall, I decided to use chemical anchors to ensure the mount will endure with the TV weight.
(* originally came with 3 50mm Fischer wall ...
- 153
-1
votes
1
answer
2k
views
How to remove black burn marks from burnt white plastic?
A sheet of white hard plastic maybe 2 cms thick now has black burn marks on, and probably deep within it, from one of its edges being burnt off. Is there any chemical compound that will remove the ...
- 109
0
votes
1
answer
99
views
Ash/soot test after a fire
Pardon me if this is not a correct community to ask this question.
My town was affected by the recent Marshall wildfire in CO.
Some streets are gone, it's surreal here. Our street is saved, but there ...
- 281
1
vote
2
answers
178
views
I recently moved into a house and it looks like a chemical has been used on the stainless steel drain and left marks. Is it possible to clean it off?
Markings around stainless steel sink
- 11
1
vote
3
answers
582
views
Can chemicals soak into a steel sink and cause health issues?
I wonder…I have a 20 years old stainless kitchen sink in good condition.
Somebody poured Green Gobbler into the sink. Green Gobbler is a drain clog dissolver (supposed to be kitchen sink safe and non-...
- 11
1
vote
2
answers
153
views
Removing bugspray from painted surface
My wife spilled bugspray over this window ledge, which is wood covered with a layer of primer and two layers of interior semi-gloss.
It seems impossible so far to remove the bugspray. The paint feels ...
- 7,357
2
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Is there a way to rejuvenate an old bottle of Gorilla glue?
I have a fairly large (2 oz) bottle of "Original Gorilla Glue" which has been sitting on the shelf. I used it once or twice occasionally, but now it has gotten somewhat hard and crystallized ...
- 181
0
votes
3
answers
141
views
How to handle carpet offgassing?
I moved into a new apartment and the carpet is offgassing VOCs. I'm quite sensitive to chemical smells and it irritates my nose and throat constantly. The carpet is around 1 year old, so it will ...
- 101
0
votes
0
answers
65
views
Using air humidifier wick cleaned with home detergent - Any health concerns?
I have been using humidifier with rotating wick, and used to clean it with domestos detergent.
This detergent as said by manufacturer contains:
Non-ionic surfactants <5% - particular type not ...
- 101
1
vote
1
answer
68
views
LoBase layer of paint resists chemical stripping
I fell in love with this vintage door at a local antique shop (100% solid wood, including the panels) and decided to use it for my bathroom. As it is easily 100 years old, it had many layers of paint. ...
- 7,357
0
votes
1
answer
9k
views
White spirit vs. meths vs. IPA for cleaning/preparing surfaces
White spirit (aka mineral spirits or mineral turps in the US), methylated spirits (aka denatured alcohol in the US), and isopropyl alcohol are each used for preparing surfaces, or removing oily ...
- 175
2
votes
0
answers
103
views
Chemical Injection Valve for Static Inline Mix Chamber
I have well water. The water is acidic and needs Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) solution added to adjust the pH. The system has a Pulsa Feeder static inline mixing chamber, part no STM100-PVC. The NaOH is ...
- 21
0
votes
0
answers
1k
views
How to know if neutralizer is needed after chemical paint stripping?
I just used Klean Strip paint stripper to remove some old paint from an exposed piece of wood near my stairs. The wood is pretty clean (grain visible and almost no traces of paint left) but I do plan ...
- 7,357
0
votes
1
answer
823
views
What's the right way to mix and use boric acid spray for fleas?
My fleas were begging for it, so I let them have it.. sort of
After an hour of trying to figure out why my sprayer won't spray properly I have realized boric acid is not soluble in water. Or is it ?
...
- 121
1
vote
2
answers
904
views
What Household Items can be used to Clean Motherboards [closed]
I have a motherboard that require deep cleaning (its not just the dust we are talking about). I have seen over the youtube that people are using WD-40 and brake fluid to washaway the contaminants from ...
- 121
1
vote
1
answer
250
views
Is this flowerpot insert made from asbestos?
I own three flowerpots with strange white inserts. I haven't bought them in fact they were already part of the 1970 built house when I moved in.
I've heard of asbestos flowerpots but couldn't find ...
- 13
1
vote
1
answer
305
views
Are there screws made of materials that should not be exposed to heat, smoke or propane?
I've been assembling a propane barbeque grill that came in a box. It came with an exact variety and number of screws to be used in assembly. But it's actually missing one screw.
I found an old screw ...
- 19
0
votes
1
answer
38
views
Combi boiler chemical replacement
I have a combi boiler (less than 2 years old, with plumbing that may be 25 years old) and I'm doing some work which will require a full drain of the heating system.
I think I'm going to need some ...
- 113
1
vote
3
answers
81
views
How to check whether demolition brick is safe to use?
I would like to reuse demolition brick from building that was part of chemical factory. Factory was closed about 10 years ago, I know that sulphides and acids were heavily used there. I wonder if it's ...
- 111
0
votes
1
answer
185
views
Need tips, approach, or method(s) to eliminate smell/odor in a closet short of a tear down?
Here's some background:
We bought this house in July of 2017. The previous owner left a hall closet full of GNC-style product (it was packed with pills of all kinds). It primarily smells of those ...
- 2,017
0
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Etching solution vs muriatic acid to prep concrete for epoxy
I'm thinking of ways to remove the concrete cream from my concrete in preparation for epoxy finish. Rather than grinding, I need to use chemicals. Initially was thinking muriatic acid but it's in a ...
- 7,357
0
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Disposal container for muriatic acid
I need to do work with muriatic acid and was wondering if storing the waste (12 Oz of acid per gallon of water) is okay to do in a regular plastic 5 gal bucket. My concern is whether the acid could ...
- 7,357
4
votes
2
answers
17k
views
What's the difference between "silicone sealant" and "MS-polymer" sealant?
MS polymer (MSP) looks like silicone. It also comes in a tube, looks the same when it's liquid. Here are the differences I found with silicone caulk:
it looks a bit less flexible when cured (looks ...
- 486
0
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Can I use vodka instead of isopropyl alcohol?
I have to remove some hot glue and apparently the trick is isopropyl alcohol.
Of course, I don't have isopropyl alcohol in my house but I do have lots of vodka (don't judge).
Can vodka generally be ...
- 754
1
vote
2
answers
38
views
Washing greasy/contaminated construction textiles [closed]
I'm collecting greasy/contaminated construction textiles (shirts, rags etc) in a dedicated bucket and not with general laundry. Is there a recommended general (meaning it works with most types of ...
- 7,357
3
votes
8
answers
17k
views
How can I remove residue left after removing aluminum foil from my windows?
Let's see whether this is a question for DIY or for Chemistry.
I put up aluminium foil on my windows for a few days, to test whether it was a good way to avoid the heating by the morning sun. I put ...
- 141
1
vote
3
answers
135
views
"nuclear option" for mold growth on ceramics and other tiles?
I have to clean a long-neglected area that has mold growing on tiled walls and floor. Soap and a good brush is called for, but I'd like to "fortify my assault" with household chemicals.
Is there any ...
- 315
0
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Removing calcium carbonate deposits without damaging tiles
I live in an area with hard water, leading to calcium carbonate deposits all over my tiled bathroom. I want them gone, but I don't want to risk damaging the tiles.
The red arrow points at deposits ...
- 111
2
votes
1
answer
3k
views
How to fix toilet jets clogged with chlorine tablet chunks
The flush on my toilet is weak. It went from strong to weak overnight. It flushes fine if I dump in extra water. I watched and the flapper does stay open until the reservoir is adequately empty. I ...
- 205
0
votes
0
answers
57
views
Can I flush old bleach solution without hurting the environment much?
I live in the Midwest. Sometimes I clean things with a bleach solution (probably about 12:1 to 24:1 water:bleach), and end up with a bucket of solution. Now I have about 1/2 gallon of water+bleach+...
- 471
0
votes
1
answer
401
views
Restoring plastic chairs
Before I take them to the dump, is there anything I can do to restore them? Are there any chemicals to clean them? I was going to repaint them using spray paint but it was taking too long and almost a ...
- 259
2
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Chemical drain cleaning - acid, base or something else?
There are industrial drain cleaners but according to my research on them, they are mostly overpriced bottles of simple chemicals such as sodium hydroxide.
Chemicals that can (theoretically) be used ...
- 135
3
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Duct Cleaning: Is Duct Sealer Necessary, Non-Toxic?
A professional contractor is cleaning AC Ducts, and after he scrubs the ducts, he wants to apply an acrylic duct sealer and de-odorizer. The container of the duct sealer has minimal lableing and does ...
- 1,037
1
vote
1
answer
91
views
How safe are flammables as indoor cleaners?
I just cleaned some range hood duct with Seafoam. I was wondering how long after initial application things like it or rubbing alcohol remain active on the surface to present a fire hazard. How do you ...
- 7,357
2
votes
2
answers
5k
views
What can I use as a concrete release agent for aluminum forms?
If I need to use aluminum sheeting as form for pouring concrete or another cement product, such as mortar/stucco, is there something (chemical) I can coat the sheet metal with so the cement doesn't ...
- 7,357
1
vote
1
answer
7k
views
How should I dispose of Sulfuric Acid?
I have about 30 ml of leftover Sulfuric acid. There is a similar thread on this board suggesting ways to dispose of it. They involve adding baking soda after adding the sulfuric acid to water. However,...
- 11
2
votes
7
answers
17k
views
How do I make carbon dioxide for a mosquito trap?
I have an insect/mosquito zapper. I want to attract the mosquitoes to this zapper to kill them. The best way to do this is by producing carbon dioxide next to it. I'm thinking that if I put a jar or ...
- 2,063
0
votes
2
answers
123
views
Is this water stain from rust or (other) minerals
I have a 2nd floor hot-mopped deck with grouted slate tile placed on top of it. During rain, water comes out between the hot mop and tile layers and runs down the side of my home, leaving stains on ...
- 187
-2
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Allergies in brand new apartment [closed]
Recently I moved into a new apartment, and have had pretty bad allergies since. I wake up with allergies that last a few hours and then go away around lunch time, but the allergies return at night.
...
- 117
1
vote
2
answers
10k
views
How to strip paint off cast iron?
I'm looking to refurbish a bench that disintegrated over the years. The bench ends are still in decent shape, but I need to clean off the remaining paint and rust.
My main concern is that I don't ...
- 13
1
vote
2
answers
402
views
Do polyphosphates reduce scale in refrigerator ice makers?
I am considering switching to a polyphosphate-containing water filter for my refrigerator ice maker/water dispenser. Currently, I use softened water to prevent calcium build-up in the ice maker/...
- 3,415
2
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Sawdust from treated wood on my lawn
Over the weekend I built a playhouse for my kids in the back yard using pressure treated lumber. As I was cleaning up I realized that my lawn was covered in chemical laden sawdust. Has anyone here ...
- 83
3
votes
6
answers
43k
views
Metals in pool turn water green after adding shock, what's the solution?
Our pool hasn't been opened in 4 years. We are finally in the process of resurrecting it from the dead, and have spent a lot of elbow grease (and tears) to get it to the point its currently at. Last ...
- 571