How to clean mucky mains sockets by cooker?

[myheadisonbackwards]

G'day.

There is a two-gang switched mains socket right next to my cooker, of the white plastic sort. It needs a good clean, but the dirt is a sort of sticky greasy stuff from cooking vapours and splashes.

I cannot clean this stuff off. Can anyone suggest a way (apart from not letting it get dirty in the first place - too late!).

Thanks, David P.

[TonyK]

Any citrus based cleaner will do, failing that lemon juice or vinegar might work.

[Tim S]

Isopropyl alcohol. I've used it to get cooking gunk off light switches as well as sellotape residue - seems not to harm the plastic fitting. Also quite good for the glass strip on our cooker hood where Flash doesn't work.

HTH

Tim

[rrh]

White spirit.

[meow2222]

caustic soda solution also works, but since its water based the cloth must be wrung out thoroughly so not a single drip occurs, else youre in trouble. If youre not the careful attentive type, dont. Also the solution must be kept off the skin, rubber gloves time.

If its really bad, one might consider removing it, dishwashing it, giving it the time needed to dry out before refitting. However there are so many safety gotchas in that, dont attempt it unless you do properly understand them all and can apply the necessary precautions.

NT

[Andrew Gabriel]

It must be kept off lots of other things too. I wouldn't suggest using it in this fashion.

If you're going to take it off, consider fitting a new one.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Given how cheap they are I'd just fit a new one. To clean it properly and safely really means removal, or at least switching off and waiting a considerable time 'till it's dry after cleaning.

[ARWadsworth]

For the 3 quid it will cost to change the socket I would not consider cleaning it.

Adam

[Steve Walker]

for £2, just replace it!

[meow2222]

I've cleaned kitchen electricals many times, and imho its quicker to clean than get a replacement, assuming its not _really_ bad. And if it is really bad, so will the other bits be, and you're no longer looking at =A33 to replace them all, making the dishwasher a reasonable option.

NT

[myheadisonbackwards]

Hi everyone,

Thank you all very much for your advice.

I had not thought of replacing it - great idea, that is what I will do.

As for keeping it clean (which I should have done in the first place) - I will clean the new one with isopropyl alcohol once in a while.

Regards, David P.

[meow2222]

alcohols contain water, so you need to be careful using them on mains sockets.

NT

[Tim S]

True and best turn everything off (though I often don't bother for reasons below, but as it's usenet, I support NT's cautiousness in advice to others).

It's worth noting that one only needs a tissue dampened in spirit to do the job as the solvent is sufficiently effective (ie it's less likely to run into the device, unlike a sponge loaded with Flash) and it dries very quickly (compared to water) so the risk is removed in a short time, ie wait a few minutes before energising the circuit).

Cheers

Tim

[Pete C]

Another vote for citrus degreaser, woolies or large supermarkets do something similar in a small aerosol called 'stain slayer':

Failing that a cycle in the dishwasher (fan heater casing and single socket getting cleaned as I type..)

cheers, Pete.