everythingold
Well-known member
It is a strong base like phosphate, I use it. Any one else?
Does Amonnia boost detergent power?
- Thread starter everythingold
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Well Yes and No
Household ammonia is a gas disloved in water, hence the "fumes" which is the former turning back into vapor.
While it is alkaline, there are better choices for laundry as the evaporation process means effects can be short lived. By that one means over the course of along wash cycle you are gradually loosing the power of ammonia.
Depending upon what you want to do by using a base substance, washing soda, borax, or and or phosphates may be a better bet.
Household ammonia is a gas disloved in water, hence the "fumes" which is the former turning back into vapor.
While it is alkaline, there are better choices for laundry as the evaporation process means effects can be short lived. By that one means over the course of along wash cycle you are gradually loosing the power of ammonia.
Depending upon what you want to do by using a base substance, washing soda, borax, or and or phosphates may be a better bet.
Depends on what I am washing, but this works great for colors, like soiled linens from babies and stuff where I can't use bleach....cleans well, and no odor at the end......
I like Parson's Lemon Ammonia, it has a better fresh scent, for clothes and laundry.....
I like Parson's Lemon Ammonia, it has a better fresh scent, for clothes and laundry.....
everythingold
Well-known member
I buy from a chemical wholesaler (or I did). Look one up in the phone book.
5 gallons of 99% alcohol - $35
50 pounds of baking soda - $25
1 gallon of sodium hydroxide=300 gallons of ammonia - $30
so I really dump it in, as t seems to have no negative effect, probably because it is vaporizing, I do find that it makes a big difference in the dishwasher, but you have to stop the cycle and dump it in. thanks you two.
5 gallons of 99% alcohol - $35
50 pounds of baking soda - $25
1 gallon of sodium hydroxide=300 gallons of ammonia - $30
so I really dump it in, as t seems to have no negative effect, probably because it is vaporizing, I do find that it makes a big difference in the dishwasher, but you have to stop the cycle and dump it in. thanks you two.
3beltwesty
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- Nov 29, 2010
- Messages
- 1,057
spirit of hartshorn
Some folks use Ammonia to cut grease since it is a Base; ie alkali.
This goes back over 150 + years.
Its usage is less today since modern detergents are better than stuff of prior eras.
Scammell's universal treasure-house of useful knowledge: an encyclopedia of:edited by Henry Bucklin Scammell
HOW TO REMOVE GREASE SPOTS in 1889 with ammonia! :
Some folks use Ammonia to cut grease since it is a Base; ie alkali.
This goes back over 150 + years.
Its usage is less today since modern detergents are better than stuff of prior eras.
Scammell's universal treasure-house of useful knowledge: an encyclopedia of:edited by Henry Bucklin Scammell
HOW TO REMOVE GREASE SPOTS in 1889 with ammonia! :
Scammell's Universal Treasure-house of Useful Knowledge
books.google.com
The diluted ammonia solution that is used in household concentrations is actually a weak base, not a strong base. And just because it is basic doesn't mean it works the same way as phosphates etc. Heck, if all you wanted was a strong base you could just add sodium hydroxide (lye), and then deal with the tattered fabrics it left behind.
Sodium carbonate (washing soda) is a stronger base than STPP. Stronger still is sodium silicate (water glass). Both sodium carbonate and sodium silicate are common and cheap ingredients of powdered laundry detergents. Their limitations include harsh action on fabrics, and their tendency to form insoluble precipitates with common water and soiled laundry minerals, resulting in limestone being deposited on fabrics and washer parts.
STPP, on the other hand, excels at lifting dirt and stains from fabrics more gently than the others, as well as keeping it soluble so that it can be rinsed away without redeposition on laundry or formation of limestone deposits inside the washer.
As far as I can tell, ammonia is a good grease cutter, and it has disinfectant properties as well. I'm not sure I'd want my washer smelling like it though, esp. since the laundry closet there is right in the middle of the home, in an area open to the kitchen and family room. Also, ammonia may react with certain materials and cause them to darken - a reason why it is used to darken wood or leather that contains tannic acid.
If you really really like ammonia... eat fast food burgers and school lunches. Apparently someone had the brilliant idea that beef scraps from the outer surfaces of a carcass could be reclaimed by exposing them to an ammonia vapor process, killing the large numbers of pathogenic bacteria that they might otherwise contain. Previously these scraps would have been made into dog food or soap. I have more than a little problem with this, as consuming even dead bacteria means one is ingesting large amounts of the bacterial cell walls, etc, that may contain allegens that can make you feel sick anyway.
Apparently the practice is so widespread that the only way one might avoid the stuff in a burger or meatball may be to buy beef from a butcher and grind it yourself.
Enjoy your Big Mac!
Sodium carbonate (washing soda) is a stronger base than STPP. Stronger still is sodium silicate (water glass). Both sodium carbonate and sodium silicate are common and cheap ingredients of powdered laundry detergents. Their limitations include harsh action on fabrics, and their tendency to form insoluble precipitates with common water and soiled laundry minerals, resulting in limestone being deposited on fabrics and washer parts.
STPP, on the other hand, excels at lifting dirt and stains from fabrics more gently than the others, as well as keeping it soluble so that it can be rinsed away without redeposition on laundry or formation of limestone deposits inside the washer.
As far as I can tell, ammonia is a good grease cutter, and it has disinfectant properties as well. I'm not sure I'd want my washer smelling like it though, esp. since the laundry closet there is right in the middle of the home, in an area open to the kitchen and family room. Also, ammonia may react with certain materials and cause them to darken - a reason why it is used to darken wood or leather that contains tannic acid.
If you really really like ammonia... eat fast food burgers and school lunches. Apparently someone had the brilliant idea that beef scraps from the outer surfaces of a carcass could be reclaimed by exposing them to an ammonia vapor process, killing the large numbers of pathogenic bacteria that they might otherwise contain. Previously these scraps would have been made into dog food or soap. I have more than a little problem with this, as consuming even dead bacteria means one is ingesting large amounts of the bacterial cell walls, etc, that may contain allegens that can make you feel sick anyway.
Apparently the practice is so widespread that the only way one might avoid the stuff in a burger or meatball may be to buy beef from a butcher and grind it yourself.
Enjoy your Big Mac!
3beltwesty
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2010
- Messages
- 1,057
Commercial Ammonia
For stronger liquid Aqua Ammonia in gallons a local commercial stock house often has 26 degree Baume Ammonia the is worlds stronger than grocery store stuff. The Baume reading refers to a specific gravity scale. A 26° Baume solution is equivalent to 29.4% by weight of ammonia dissolved in water at 60F. This is what is used in cleaning up grease as some commercial places
For stronger liquid Aqua Ammonia in gallons a local commercial stock house often has 26 degree Baume Ammonia the is worlds stronger than grocery store stuff. The Baume reading refers to a specific gravity scale. A 26° Baume solution is equivalent to 29.4% by weight of ammonia dissolved in water at 60F. This is what is used in cleaning up grease as some commercial places
Wish Persons Would Leave Those Old "Eye of Newt" Lau
*LOL*
There are numerous modern laundry products that are streets ahead of ammonia and such for cleaning and spot removal. What is more they are designed and tested not to casue harm to textiles, and or persons when used as directed.
You want ammonia? Skip the middleman and go for urine, as was done for ages not just in washrooms but for brushing teeth as well. *LOL*
The more I discover top quality modern detergents, the less use I have (sadly) for my stash of vintage or otherwise products.
*LOL*
There are numerous modern laundry products that are streets ahead of ammonia and such for cleaning and spot removal. What is more they are designed and tested not to casue harm to textiles, and or persons when used as directed.
You want ammonia? Skip the middleman and go for urine, as was done for ages not just in washrooms but for brushing teeth as well. *LOL*
The more I discover top quality modern detergents, the less use I have (sadly) for my stash of vintage or otherwise products.
Being As That May
Ammonia does have it's uses around the home. Here it is mainly used for window/mirror cleaning. Haven't purchased a bottle of "Windex" in ages, either mix up a homemade brew and decant into a spray bottle, or for larger jobs a bucket and squeege.
Ammonia is also great for stripping floors of old wax and giving "umpf" when cleaning household surfaces of oily grime.
Ammonia does have it's uses around the home. Here it is mainly used for window/mirror cleaning. Haven't purchased a bottle of "Windex" in ages, either mix up a homemade brew and decant into a spray bottle, or for larger jobs a bucket and squeege.
Ammonia is also great for stripping floors of old wax and giving "umpf" when cleaning household surfaces of oily grime.
retromania
Well-known member
Amonia is a good deodorizer in the wash water. Qtr cup to the washload will di it!
Bleich-Soda
Bleaching soda, is or at least was a common laundry aid in Germany.
Product is washing soda and water glass, and was first sold by Henkel in the 1800's the last incarnation is "Henko".
Apparently German laundering methods from the day went along the lines of soaking items first in "bleaching soda", then launder (Persil), then finally rinsed in a product called "Sil".
Cannot imagine what all that washing soda and sodium silicate did to linens, but ....
Bleaching soda, is or at least was a common laundry aid in Germany.
Product is washing soda and water glass, and was first sold by Henkel in the 1800's the last incarnation is "Henko".
Apparently German laundering methods from the day went along the lines of soaking items first in "bleaching soda", then launder (Persil), then finally rinsed in a product called "Sil".
Cannot imagine what all that washing soda and sodium silicate did to linens, but ....
retromania
Well-known member
....OH..and CLEAR amonia by the way!!
