Detergent / water ratio

This bit at least I can answer: carpet-cleaning detergents for machines are minimal foaming, because otherwise the way they are used would generate mountains of the stuff. They seem to work, I don't know how they compare with normal detergents, apart of course from being more expensive in domestic quantities.

The same with all washing machine detergents. The last thing you want is foam. Try using Fairy Liquid dish washing liquid in a washing machine and you will find it needs a dozen rinse cycles to remove the foam :)

This bit I do know, because my chemistry teacher used to work for Unilever. Pure detergent is colourless odourless and looks exactly like water and does not foam. His job was to make it syrupy, foamy, smelly and colourful. And to bulk it out because the actual amount needed was minimal.

(With a PhD from Oxford, he felt his life was better served in teaching us ruffians.)

I have found that a mixture of detergent and diesel or paraffin is an excellent degreaser BTW. Ends up like Swarfega,

You probably need less than the typical squeeze people give the bottle. The size of the whole in the top is effective in controlling usage so don't be surprised if the manufacturers make that hole much bigger than it needs to be.

I remember an apocryphal story of a toothpaste manufacturer struggling to increase sales. The tea-lady bringing tea and biscuits heard the discussions and said "Make the hole bigger. People always cover one end of the bristles to the other. If you make the hole bigger they'll still squeeze out from one to the other but will use more toothpaste and you will sell more."

My understanding is that detergents don't need to foam, but the general population expects it so the mfrs add one. I helps the sales, apparently.

For general degreasing etc, I used to use Swarfega, a greenish gel, but I gather it's been discontinued due to it causing dermatitis. Jizer is a liquid degreaser with similar applications.

The is an interesting YouTube guy called Usagi Electric (Japanese for Rabbit) who gets really old computers working.

He seems to use something called "Super Green" (or similar) for de-gunking cabinets and computer hardware.

I suspect it is a USA-only product though.

For degreasing bike chains, there are specialist products designed for that purpose. Failing that I would just use white spirit or even petrol to get worst of the muck off.

I wondered what happened to Swarfega.

In my haematology lab days, we used something called Decon90 for degreasing glassware.

I used to use that as well. Later I found that some of the citrus based detergents worked even better, especially for pcb flux removal. John

I have found fairy liquid and paraffin or diesel makes an acceptable replacement

Me too.

-- Of what good are dead warriors? … Warriors are those who desire battle more than peace. Those who seek battle despite peace. Those who thump their spears on the ground and talk of honor. Those who leap high the battle dance and dream of glory … The good of dead warriors, Mother, is that they are dead. Sheri S Tepper: The Awakeners.

Wasn't there some fuss about the abrasive particles (plastic?)?

My current container *Swarfega Orange* claims to use organic stuff, seeds etc.

Padding a gloopy hand on some sand added the necessary abrasiveness :-)

Ah. Walnut shells...:-)

That was my recollection also. There was pink stiff that had pumice in it IIRC.

Why does it always go liquid with time?

We found we always used too much, much more than needed, Fairy Liquid...

We repurpose, those handwashing liquid soap pump bottles, once empty, we refill with Fairy. The pump, pumps a measured dose into the bowl, which is usually about right, and the Fairy really does last forever :-)

I have some old swarfega which I occasionally use with a small amount of granulated sugar. The sugar has sufficient sharp edges to act as an abrasive when you are cleaning your hands, and then dissolves ... easier than sand IMHO

I usually use Washing up liquid and sugar for washing my hands after a bit of mildly 'dirty' work these days - seems to be reasonably effective.

J^n

The new swarfega is a bit crap, the orange stuff. I have found that sugar and fairy liquid is pretty much unbeatable for washing oil & grease off skin. Sugar is better than salt, I presume it's something to with how coarse the granules are.

There is a car restoration channel called "Pole Barn Garage", the guy uses a product called "Super Clean" on just about anything for just about anything. American too, I think. I did find the safety info sheet for it though, so I suppose one could mix up a batch if desired.

I have found a product in one of the cheapo shops called "Elbow Grease" which I have been told is useable. I will find out evenyually.

I have stopped using oil on my bicycle chain in favour of candle wax. Much better.