Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Making a extra heavy duty laundry stain remover / pre-treat spray

RogueRose - 15-5-2016 at 11:07

I'm trying to come up with some things that may work really well together and I'm all up for ordering whatever is needed. I'd like to put this in a spray bottle for treating clothing and possibly carpet if it is safe.

I have the following

Sodium percarbonate - Na2CO3 * 2(H2O2) (at least I think it is dihydrate, there is only one option I think)...

Sodium carbonate - anhydrous & mono hydrate

Trisodium Phosphate (pretty sure it is 75% Na3(PO4)2 & 25% Na2CO3)

33% H202

Baking Soda


FellsNaptha soap

Chlorox bleach

TCCA tablets

Calcium hyprochlorite 56% & 64% powder

Oxyclean "Triple clean" liquid treatment

Borax

Ethanol
Methanol
IPA
Tolulene
Xylene
Acetone
Vinegar
Barkeepers Friend (or companion...?)
Comet
Urea
Sodium Metabislfite

Tons of Homemade Coconut oil soap (hard as a brick)
Tons of Homemade Palm Kernel oil soap (hard as a brick)

HCl
H2SO4
NaOH
KOH


There are more, but I don't think any of the othes would come close to working here. I know a lot of these are a LONG shot in possibly helping, but I thought maybe they might catalyze something or turn on a light bulb.


I was thinking of at least mixing the Sodium PerCarb * 2(H2O2) with TSP, adding some FelsNaptha shavings, heating until dissolved adn then add water if needed to spray.

Anyone have an other god ideas about how to do this or what to add/not add?

TinSandwich - 15-5-2016 at 11:44

I heard hexane works pretty well for stains, I was actually able to get a small bottle of it from a local hardware store (it just says stain remover, and it's pure hexane) I never tried using it on stains though, I just bought it because I like hydrocarbons and I had never seen it anywhere else.

I don't know much about this topic but I think it would be great if you could find something to hydrolize the fats (from an oil stain or something) without eating away the fabric (so no acid/base hydrolisis involving strong acid/bases). It probably would be a good solution for treating very stubborn stains (hydrolize, wash away glicerol with water, wash away the fatty acid with another solvent, done)

JJay - 15-5-2016 at 12:04

I've used petroleum ether on stains with some success. Some washing machines can't handle it, but a hundred mL of pet ether in the wash will remove tar, sticky road dust, and rubber stains with ease.

halogen - 15-5-2016 at 12:46

Just remember that, surprisingly, hexane is toxic. This is because of its metabolic product.

TinSandwich - 16-5-2016 at 04:50

Quote: Originally posted by halogen  
Just remember that, surprisingly, hexane is toxic. This is because of its metabolic product.


Yes I know it is. I bought it because it was cheap but i don't think I'm going to use it for much...I wanted to chlorinate it but that would make it 10 times more dangerous. I wont mess with it for now.

Cryolite - 16-5-2016 at 14:02

I'm actually somewhat surprised hexane is still sold as a stain remover-- I thought it was entirely replaced with heptanes in consumer uses, due to similar chemical properties and lack of 2,5-hexanedione related toxicity.

Speaking of heptanes, there are several easy OTC sources. One is Bestine solvent, which according to the MSDS (http://archpdfs.lps.org/Chemicals/Solvent-and-Thinner_Bestin...) is pure n-heptane. Another source is starter fluid: most start fluid brands are a mixture of diethyl ether and mixed heptanes, which can easily be separated by distillation. Heptane would likely be as good a solvent as hexane for cleaning purposes, but the diethyl ether from starter fluid might be even better, due to being nonpolar but somewhat water soluble.

alive&kickin - 16-5-2016 at 14:08

Slightly off topic but I have to ask TinSandwich. Stain remover, pure hexane. Would love to find some. Please, do tell.

TinSandwich - 17-5-2016 at 04:21

Quote: Originally posted by alive&kickin  
Slightly off topic but I have to ask TinSandwich. Stain remover, pure hexane. Would love to find some. Please, do tell.


It was just some no brand stain remover. A small transparent bottle simply stating "stain remover" and "hexane" on the label. Not in the US. It's quite common for me to find no brand chemicals that just state their exact composition on the bottle.

To make you even more salty I just found 35% h2o2 in a department store:D, it was even cheaper than the 3%.

RogueRose

Sulaiman - 17-5-2016 at 04:47

I'm no expert but I believe that there are different 'removers' for different stains on/in different materials,

The idea: you can't patent it because I published it here, any patent or copyright is mine. :D

A solution calculator + solution mixer.

Input suspected materiel to be cleaned and stain type
Output to automatic custom solution mixer.

For volume users or suppliers:
Like a coffee machine but push the buttons for input and get specific solution to your problem,or via data-link.

For low volume users;
Manual lookup table(s) rotating disks etc.,
or apps. etc ,lookup for mixing recipie,
and a kit of common quantities of magic cleaning ingredients....etc.

Label the ingredients in a cryptic manner, e.g. A, B, C, D,... i,ii,iii,iv etc.
because the value is in the lookup table(s), database etc. :cool:

Or just build the database and let people access it in a user-friendly intuitive way for free or a fee.

[Edited on 17-5-2016 by Sulaiman]

AJKOER - 22-5-2016 at 13:51

Sulaiman:

I recall seeing a patent on a database for oxidative path to bleaching, stain remover,...

Good idea, but I would not pursue it as any profits received may be sought by the patent holder.

AJKOER - 25-5-2016 at 04:39

Remember, there is a trade-off between the stainer remover's effectiveness and damage/weakening to the fabric.

For a very expensive garment, you need a delicate stain remover. In the case of a cheap rug, which is not washed often, effectiveness is key.

[Edited on 25-5-2016 by AJKOER]