So I'm gonna go to the store to pick up some items to clean my baby. I know that I need salt and alcohol. I've read some threads and everyone seems to be using different percentage alcohols and salts. Does it matter which I get? Some people are using kosher salt, epsom salts etc. What should I get?
kosher salt and epsom salts work well because they are very coarse crystals. for your perc though, if its too difficult to get clean use simple green overnight
Doesn't really matter what kind of salt, but keep in mind what you're cleaning when selecting a salt. Salt isn't really soluble (it won't dissolve) in alcohol, so it's good for cleaning because it scrapes off the resin and gunk from your pieces. That being said, Epsom salts (large crystals) are good for large, open pieces. For a perc, I'd use table salt or something with slightly larger crystals than that. You don't want salt crystals to become clogged in your piece.
Any kind of normal culinary salt (sodium chloride) is advisable. I'd stay away from epsom salts, salt alternatives (magnesium and potassium chloride), or other options. I personally like to use kosher salt, as the crystals are flatter and tend to "scrape" well, but won't pass as readily through the tiny orifices of some complex glasswork. Table salt (non-iodized, if you can find it) has a much finer, more cubic crystal structure which sneaks well into the nooks and crannies, but you might have to shake longer. Avoid anything with additives or trace elements (sea salt, fleur de sel, volcanic salt, etc.). Find the highest concentration of isopropanol you can find... the 91% is the highest concentration you're likely to find (higher concentrations are not stable, as alcohols and water are azeotropic in the low-90% range). Avoid any kind with dyes or additives (like green coloring, witch hazel, and other junk). -ph
no, the higher the % the better. It's the alcohol that's the cleaning agent, having a higher concentration makes it more effective. 99% is the best you can get, they only sell 91% and 71% here.
grunge off is the best glass cleaner out there. one bottle will last you a year cause its reusable. simple green is not made to be used on glass tubes so your labels may be eaten away. i particularly dont like using salt on perc tubes cause salt can scrape the percs and make then uneven..on a very small level
Simple green is an ALL PURPOSE cleaner, non-toxic, biodegradable and way cheaper (I have used both..and GO is also biodegradable/non toxic). Simple green will eat POORLY baked labels. I can go to lowes and get a gallon jug for around $10 (I've had mine for over a year) or you can pay $13+ for 16oz of Grunge Off. I'm not saying one is better than the other, they both work..but simple green is the cheaper route. /2 cents
Ok there's a million different 'Simple Green' products; which one do you guys use? I need to find a product that is similar to it here in my country because I have no freaking access to Simple Green >< ..
91%+ ISO alcohol and table salt is what I use. Denatured alcohol does the trick too, and is the cheapest kind to buy I think (~$10/gallon) I get the salt can for like fifty cents at this grocery store near where I go to school. It doesn't matter what kind of salt you use, it's all salt. If you happen to run into a crystal that is so big that it somehow gets caught (I've used all kinds of salt and this has never happened) you can always just run water through it like you were going to anyway to rinse the alcohol out of your tube. For Simple Green, you're looking for the "All Purpose Cleaner." Don't buy Grunge Off - it's simple green in a different bottle with a higher price (The same way "Formula 420" is just alcohol and salt, but way more expensive). Alcohol and salt is always around, which is the upside. I read that Simple Green is cheaper, but choose one, give it a shot, and if you're not happy with the results, try the other method. They both work perfectly.
I jus bought 91% alcohol and epsom salt for under 5 bones... enough for like 8 cleanings... cleaned perfect in 25 secs