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Topic: How to give water a degreasing effect  (Read 2195 times)

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ReneMeeuw

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How to give water a degreasing effect
« on: March 05, 2015, 05:22:53 AM »
I'm trying to make my own (environmentally friendly) cleaning liquid.
I read about electrolyzing water to give it some desinfecting properties, which seems to work fine.
On top of this I want to clean the grease spots on the furnace with this, but adding normal soap to it doesn't work well enough (it doesn't mix well with the electrolyzed water).

After searching further I found tips to add NaHCO3 (Natron) or KCO, but I did not have good results with the Natron. Therefore I'd like to understand the concept of degreasing better. I think that the problem is that oil and fat are monopolar substances and water is bipolar. Because of the electrolyzation the bipolarity is magnified and therefore the water doesn't mix with the normal soap and grease anymore and the grease does not dissolve in the water.

Can anyone tell me if I'm thinking in the right direction or how I can give the water better degreasing properties?

Thanks, René

Offline Arkcon

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Re: How to give water a degreasing effect
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2015, 08:58:38 AM »
I'm trying to make my own (environmentally friendly) cleaning liquid.

A reasonable idea.  Many people do, with varying amounts of success.  Just wanting something isn't enough to achieve it, is something I feel like I have to say entirely too often.

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I read about electrolyzing water to give it some desinfecting properties, which seems to work fine.

OK, that's complete nonsense.  If you electrolyze water, you separate it into hydrogen and oxygen gas, which pretty much just fly away.  If you apply electricity, or other physical process, and call it electrolysis, that still doesn't make your statement true, sorry.

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On top of this I want to clean the grease spots on the furnace with this, but adding normal soap to it doesn't work well enough (it doesn't mix well with the electrolyzed water).

Soaps generally do mix well with water, and generally do cut light grease.  If there's an excess of certain minerals in the water, so called hard water, you can get soap to fail to dissolve.  But there are workarounds.

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After searching further I found tips to add NaHCO3 (Natron) or KCO, but I did not have good results with the Natron.

Slightly alkalizing the water with baking soda (NaHCO3) or washing soda (Na2CO3) can help quite a bit.  KCO doesn't actually exist, so I wouldn't expect it to help. ;D

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Therefore I'd like to understand the concept of degreasing better.

That's the way to crack the problem, yes.

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I think that the problem is that oil and fat are monopolar substances and water is bipolar.


You're using your own jargon here,

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Because of the electrolyzation the bipolarity is magnified

... or made-up definitions,

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and therefore the water doesn't mix with the normal soap and grease anymore and the grease does not dissolve in the water.

... or you're just flat out wrong.  Sorry, but I really can't figure out where to begin here

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Can anyone tell me if I'm thinking in the right direction or how I can give the water better degreasing properties?

Thanks, René

Water isn't much of a degreaser without soap, or detergent.  If the soap can't dissolve because of calcium and magnesium ions, there are a number of green detergents that are immune.  Heat and applying more force will help as well.  Some miscible solvents nay also help degrease.  Probably, for home use, the best answer is routine cleaning, so the grease doesn't buildup and shield the grease beneath.  You don't need so much "cutting" if you just wear it down. 

I've suggested this before in another sense.  Someone wanted us to suggest the "magic" chemical that would remove soap scum.  I suggested hard work and time spent instead.
Hey, I'm not judging.  I just like to shoot straight.  I'm a man of science.

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