cork charged with oil. In this manner a perfect polish is obtained.
To take off old rust, mix equal parts of fine tripoli and flowers of
sulphur, mingling this mixture with olive oil, so as to form a paste.
Rub the iron with this preparation by means of a skin.
III.—The rusty piece is connected with a piece of zinc and placed in
water containing a little sulphuric acid. After the articles have been
in the liquid for several days or a week, the rust will have completely
disappeared. The length of time will depend upon the depth to which the
rust has penetrated. A little sulphuric acid may be added from time to
time, but the chief point is that the zinc always has good electric
contact with the iron. To insure this an iron wire may be firmly wound
around the iron object and connected with the zinc. The iron is not
attacked in the least, as long as the zinc is kept in good electric
contact with it. When the articles are taken from the liquid they
assume a dark gray or black color and are then washed and oiled.
IV.—The rust on iron and steel objects, especially large pieces, is
readily removed by rubbing the pieces with oil of tartar, or with very
fine emery and a little oil, or by putting powdered alum in strong
vinegar and rubbing with this alumed vinegar.
V.—Take cyanide of calcium, 25 parts; white soap, powdered, 25 parts;
Spanish white, 50 parts; and water, 200 parts. Triturate all well and
rub the piece with this paste. The effect will be quicker if before
using this paste the rusty object has been soaked for 5 to 10 minutes
in a solution of cyanide of potassium in the ratio of 1 part of cyanide
to 2 parts of water.
VI.—To remove rust from polished steel cyanide of potassium is
excellent. If possible, soak the instrument to be cleaned in a solution
of cyanide of potassium in the proportion of 1 ounce of cyanide to 4
ounces of water. Allow this to act till all loose rust is removed, and
then polish with cyanide soap. The latter is made as follows: Potassium
cyanide, precipitated chalk, white castile soap. Make a saturated
solution of the cyanide and add chalk sufficient to make a creamy
paste. Add the soap cut in fine shavings and thoroughly incorporate in
a mortar. When the mixture is stiff cease to add the soap. It should be
remembered that potassium cyanide is a virulent poison.
VII.—Apply turpentine or kerosene oil, and after letting it stand over
night, clean with finest emery cloth.
VIII.—To free articles of iron and steel from rust and imbedded grains
of sand the articles are treated with fluorhydric acid (about 2 per
cent) 1 to 2 hours, whereby the impurities but not the metal are
dissolved. This is followed by a washing with lime milk, to neutralize
any fluorhydric acid remaining. {199}
«To Remove Rust from Nickel.»—First grease the articles well; then,
after a few days, rub them with a rag charged with ammonia. If the rust
spots persist, add a few drops of hydrochloric acid to the ammonia,
rub and wipe off at once. Next rinse with water, dry, and polish with
tripoli.
«Removal of Rust.»—To take off the rust from small articles which glass
or emery paper would bite too deeply, the ink-erasing rubber used in
business offices may be employed. By beveling it, or cutting it to a
point as needful, it can be introduced into the smallest cavities and
windings, and a perfect cleaning be effected.
«To Remove Rust from Instruments.»—I.—Lay the instruments over night in
a saturated solution of chloride of tin. The rust spots will disappear
through reduction. Upon withdrawal from the solution the instruments
are rinsed with water, placed in a hot soda-soap solution, and dried.
Cleaning with absolute alcohol and polishing chalk may also follow.
II.—Make a solution of 1 part of kerosene in 200 parts of benzine or
carbon tetrachloride, and dip the instruments, which have been dried
by leaving them in heated air, in this, moving their parts, if movable,
as in forceps and scissors, about under the liquid, so that it may
enter all the crevices. Next lay the instruments on a plate in a dry
room, so that the benzine can evaporate. Needles are simply thrown in
the paraffine solution, and taken out with tongs or tweezers, after
which they are allowed to dry on a plate.
III.—Pour olive oil on the rust spots and leave for several days;
then rub with emery or tripoli, without wiping off the oil as far as
possible, or always bringing it back on the spot. Afterwards remove the
emery and the oil with a rag, rub again with emery soaked with vinegar,
and finally with fine plumbago on a piece of chamois skin.
«To Preserve Steel from Rust.»—To preserve steel from rust dissolve 1
part caoutchouc and 16 parts turpentine with a gentle heat, then add
8 parts boiled oil, and mix by bringing them to the heat of boiling
water. Apply to the steel with a brush, the same as varnish. It can be
removed again with a cloth soaked in turpentine.
«METAL CLEANING:»
«Cleaning and Preserving Medals, Coins, and Small Iron Articles.»—The
coating of silver chloride may be reduced with molten potassium
cyanide. Then boil the article in water, displace the water with
alcohol, and dry in a drying closet. When dry brush with a soft brush
and cover with “zaponlack” (any good transparent lacquer or varnish
will answer).
Instead of potassium cyanide alone, a mixture of that and potassium
carbonate may be used. After treatment in this way, delicate objects of
silver become less brittle. Another way is to put the article in molten
sodium carbonate and remove the silver carbonate thus formed, by acetic
acid of 50 per cent strength. This process produces the finest possible
polish.
The potassium-cyanide process may be used with all small iron objects.
For larger ones molten potassium rhodanide is recommended. This
converts the iron oxide into iron sulphide that is easily washed off
and leaves the surface of a fine black color.
Old coins may be cleansed by first immersing them in strong nitric acid
and then washing them in clean water. Wipe them dry before putting away.
«To Clean Old Medals.»—Immerse in lemon juice until the coating of
oxide has completely disappeared; 24 hours is generally sufficient,
but a longer time is not harmful.
«Steel Cleaner.»—Smear the object with oil, preferably petroleum, and
allow some days for penetration of the surface of the metal. Then rub
vigorously with a piece of flannel or willow wood. Or, with a paste
composed of olive oil, sulphur flowers, and tripoli, or of rotten
stone and oil. Finally, a coating may be employed, made of 10 parts
of potassium cyanide and 1 part of cream of tartar; or 25 parts of
potassium cyanide, with the addition of 55 parts of carbonate of lime
and 20 parts of white soap.
«Restoring Tarnished Gold.»—
Sodium bicarbonate 20 ounces
Chlorinated lime 1 ounce
Common salt 1 ounce
Water 16 ounces
Mix well and apply with a soft brush.
A very small quantity of the solution is sufficient, and it may be used
either cold or lukewarm. Plain articles may be brightened by putting a
drop or two of the liquid upon them and lightly brushing the surface
with fine tissue paper. {200}
«Cleaning Copper.»—
I.—Use Armenian bole mixed into a paste with oleic acid.
II.—Rotten stone 1 part
Iron subcarbonate 3 parts
Lard oil, a sufficient quantity.
III.—Iron oxide 10 parts
Pumice stone 32 parts
Oleic acid, a sufficient quantity.
IV.—Soap, cut fine 16 parts
Precipitated chalk 2 parts
Jewelers’ rouge 1 part
Cream of tartar 1 part
Magnesium carbonate 1 part
Water, a sufficient quantity.
Dissolve the soap in the smallest quantity of water that will effect
solution over a water bath. Add the other ingredients to the solution
while still hot, stirring constantly.
«To Remove Hard Grease, Paint, etc., from Machinery.»—To remove grease,
paint, etc., from machinery add half a pound of caustic soda to 2
gallons of water and boil the parts to be cleaned in the fluid. It is
possible to use it several times before its strength is exhausted.
«Solutions for Cleaning Metals.»—
I.—Water 20 parts
Alum 2 parts
Tripoli 2 parts
Nitric acid 1 part
II.—Water 40 parts
Oxalic acid 2 parts
Tripoli 7 parts
«To Cleanse Nickel.»—I.—Fifty parts of rectified alcohol; 1 part of
sulphuric acid; 1 part of nitric acid. Plunge the piece in the bath
for 10 to 15 seconds, rinse it off in cold water, and dip it next into
rectified alcohol. Dry with a fine linen rag or with sawdust.
II.—Stearine oil 1 part
Ammonia water 25 parts
Benzine 50 parts
Alcohol 75 parts
Rub up the stearine with the ammonia, add the benzine and then the
alcohol, and agitate until homogeneous. Put in wide-mouthed vessels and
close carefully.
«To Clean Petroleum Lamp Burners.»—Dissolve in a quart of soft water an
ounce or an ounce and a half of washing soda, using an old half-gallon
tomato can. Into this put the burner after removing the wick, set it on
the stove, and let it boil strongly for 5 or 6 minutes, then take out,
rinse under the tap, and dry. Every particle of carbonaceous matter
will thus be got rid of, and the burner be as clean and serviceable as
new. This ought to be done at least every month, but the light would be
better if it were done every 2 weeks.
«Gold-Ware Cleaner.»—
Acetic acid 2 parts
Sulphuric acid 2 parts
Oxalic acid 1 part
Jewelers’ rouge 2 parts
Distilled water 200 parts
Mix the acids and water and stir in the rouge, after first rubbing it
up with a portion of the liquid. With a clean cloth, wet with this
mixture, go well over the article. Rinse off with hot water and dry.
«Silverware Cleaner.»—Make a thin paste of levigated (not precipitated)
chalk and sodium hyposulphite, in equal parts, rubbed up in distilled
water. Apply this paste to the surface, rubbing well with a soft brush.
Rinse in clear water and dry in sawdust. Some authorities advise the
cleaner to let the paste dry on the ware, and then to rub off and rinse
with hot water.
«Silver-Coin Cleaner.»—Make a bath of 10 parts of sulphuric acid and 90
parts of water, and let the coin lie in this until the crust of silver
sulphide is dissolved. From 5 to 10 minutes usually suffice. Rinse
in running water, then rub with a soft brush and castile soap, rinse
again, dry with a soft cloth, and then carefully rub with chamois.
«Cleaning Silver-Plated Ware.»—Into a wide-mouthed bottle provided with
a good cork put the following mixture:
Cream of tartar 2 parts
Levigated chalk 2 parts
Alum 1 part
Powder the alum and rub up with the other ingredients, and cork
tightly. When required for use wet sufficient of the powder and
with soft linen rags rub the article, being careful not to use much
pressure, as otherwise the thin layer of plating may be cut through.
Rinse in hot suds, and afterwards in clear water, and dry in sawdust.
When badly blackened with silver sulphide, if small, the article may be
dipped for an instant in hydrochloric acid and immediately rinsed in
running water. Larger articles may be treated as coins are—immersed for
2 or 3 minutes in a 10 per cent aqueous solution of sulphuric acid, or
the surface may be rapidly wiped {201} with a swab carrying nitric acid
and instantly rinsed in running water.
«Cleaning Gilt Bronze Ware.»—If greasy, wash carefully in suds, or,
better, dip into a hot solution of caustic potash, and then wash in
suds with a soft rag, and rinse in running water. If not then clean and
bright, dip into the following mixture:
Nitric acid 10 parts
Aluminum sulphate 1 part
Water 40 parts
Mix. Rinse in running water.
«Britannia Metal Cleaner.»—Rub first with jewelers’ rouge made into a
paste with oil; wash in suds, rinse, dry, and finish with chamois or
wash leather.
«To Remove Ink Stains on Silver.»—Silver articles in domestic use, and
especially silver or plated inkstands, frequently become badly stained
with ink. These stains cannot be removed by ordinary processes, but
readily yield to a paste of chloride of lime and water. Javelle water
may be also used.
«Removing Egg Stains.»—A pinch of table salt taken between the thumb
and finger and rubbed on the spot with the end of the finger will
usually remove the darkest egg stain from silver.
«To Clean Silver Ornaments.»—Make a strong solution of soft soap and
water, and in this boil the articles for a few minutes—five will
usually be enough. Take out, pour the soap solution into a basin, and
as soon as the liquid has cooled down sufficiently to be borne by the
hand, with a soft brush scrub the articles with it. Rinse in boiling
water and place on a porous substance (a bit of tiling, a brick, or
unglazed earthenware) to dry. Finally give a light rubbing with a
chamois. Articles thus treated look as bright as new.
«Solvent for Iron Rust.»—Articles attacked by rust may be conveniently
cleaned by dipping them into a well-saturated solution of stannic
chloride. The length of time of the action must be regulated according
to the thickness of the rust. As a rule 12 to 24 hours will suffice,
but it is essential to prevent an excess of acid in the bath, as this
is liable to attack the iron itself. After the objects have been
removed from the bath they must be rinsed with water, and subsequently
with ammonia, and then quickly dried. Greasing with vaseline seems to
prevent new formation of rust. Objects treated in this manner are said
to resemble dead silver.
Professor Weber proposed a diluted alkali, and it has been found that
after employing this remedy the dirt layer is loosened and the green
platina reappears. Potash has been found to be an efficacious remedy,
even in the case of statues that had apparently turned completely black.
«To Clean Polished Parts of Machines.»—Put in a flask 1,000 parts of
petroleum; add 20 parts of paraffine, shaved fine; cork the bottle
and stand aside for a couple of days, giving it an occasional shake.
The mixture is now ready for use. To use, shake the bottle, pour a
little of the liquid upon a woolen rag and rub evenly over the part
to be cleaned; or apply with a brush. Set the article aside and, next
day, rub it well with a dry, woolen rag. Every particle of rust,
resinified grease, etc., will disappear provided the article has not
been neglected too long. In this case a further application of the oil
will be necessary. If too great pressure has not been made, or the
rubbing continued too long, the residual oil finally leaves the surface
protected by a delicate layer of paraffine that will prevent rusting
for a long time.
«To Clean Articles of Nickel.»—Lay them for a few seconds in alcohol
containing 2 per cent of sulphuric acid; remove, wash in running water,
rinse in alcohol, and rub dry with a linen cloth. This process gives a
brilliant polish and is especially useful with plated articles on the
plating of which the usual polishing materials act very destructively.
The yellowest and brownest nickeled articles are restored to pristine
brilliancy by leaving them in the alcohol and acid for 15 seconds. Five
seconds suffice ordinarily.
«How to Renovate Bronzes.»—For gilt work, first remove all grease,
dirt, wax, etc., with a solution in water of potassium or sodium
hydrate, then dry, and with a soft rag apply the following:
Sodium carbonate 7 parts
Spanish whiting 15 parts
Alcohol, 85 per cent 50 parts
Water 125 parts
Go over every part carefully, using a brush to get into the minute
crevices. When this dries on, brush off with a fine linen cloth or a
supple chamois skin.
Or the following plan may be used: Remove grease, etc., as directed
above, dry and go over the spots where the gilt surface is discolored
with a brush dipped in a solution of two parts of alum in 250 parts of
water and 65 parts of nitric acid. As soon as the gilding reappears
or the {202} surface becomes bright, wash off, and dry in the direct
sunlight.
Still another cleaner is made of nitric acid, 30 parts; aluminum
sulphate, 4 parts; distilled or rain water, 125 parts. Clean of grease,
etc., as above, and apply the solution with a camel’s-hair pencil.
Rinse off and dry in sawdust. Finally, some articles are best cleaned
by immersing in hot soap suds and rubbing with a soft brush. Rinse in
clear, hot water, using a soft brush to get the residual suds out of
crevices. Let dry, then finish by rubbing the gilt spots or places with
a soft, linen rag, or a bit of chamois.
There are some bronzes gilt with imitation gold and varnished. Where
the work is well done and the gilding has not been on too long, they
will deceive even the practiced eye. The deception, however, may easily
be detected by touching a spot on the gilt surface with a glass rod
dipped in a solution of corrosive sublimate. If the gilding is true no
discoloration will occur, but if false a brown spot will be produced.
«To Clean a Gas Stove.»—An easy method of removing grease spots
consists in immersing the separable parts for several hours in a warm
lye, heated to about 70° C. (158° F.), said lye to be made of 9 parts
of caustic soda and 180 parts of water. These pieces, together with
the fixed parts of the stove, may be well brushed with this lye and
afterwards rinsed in clean, warm water. The grease will be dissolved,
and the stove restored almost to its original state.
«Cleaning Copper Sinks.»—Make rotten stone into a stiff paste with soft
soap and water. Rub on with a woolen rag, and polish with dry whiting
and rotten stone. Finish with a leather and dry whiting. Many of the
substances and mixtures used to clean brass will effectively clean
copper. Oxalic acid is said to be the best medium for cleaning copper,
but after using it the surface of the copper must be well washed,
dried, and then rubbed with sweet oil and tripoli, or some other
polishing agent. Otherwise the metal will soon tarnish again.
«Treatment of Cast-Iron Grave Crosses.»—The rust must first be
thoroughly removed with a steel-wire brush. When this is done apply
one or two coats of red lead or graphite paint. After this priming has
become hard, paint with double-burnt lampblack and equal parts of oil
of turpentine and varnish. This coating is followed by one of lampblack
ground with coach varnish. Now paint the single portions with “mixtion”
(gilding oil) and gild as usual. Such crosses look better when they
are not altogether black. Ornaments may be very well treated in colors
with oil paint and then varnished. The crosses treated in this manner
are preserved for many years, but it is essential to use good exterior
or coach varnish for varnishing, and not the so-called black varnish,
which is mostly composed of asphalt or tar.
«Cleaning Inferior Gold Articles.»—The brown film which forms
on low-quality gold articles is removed by coating with fuming
hydrochloric acid, whereupon they are brushed off with Vienna lime and
petroleum. Finally, clean the objects with benzine, rinse again in pure
benzine, and dry in sawdust.
«To Clean Bronze.»—Clean the bronze with soft soap; next wash it in
plenty of water; wipe, let dry, and apply light encaustic mixture
composed of spirit of turpentine in which a small quantity of yellow
wax has been dissolved. The encaustic is spread by means of a linen or
woolen wad. For gilt bronze, add 1 spoonful of alkali to 3 spoonfuls of
water and rub the article with this by means of a ball of wadding. Next
wipe with a clean chamois, similar to that employed in silvering.
«How to Clean Brass and Steel.»—To clean brasses quickly and
economically, rub them with vinegar and salt or with oxalic acid.
Wash immediately after the rubbing, and polish with tripoli and sweet
oil. Unless the acid is washed off the article will tarnish quickly.
Copper kettles and saucepans, brass andirons, fenders, and candlesticks
and trays are best cleaned with vinegar and salt. Cooking vessels
in constant use need only to be well washed afterwards. Things for
show—even pots and pans—need the oil polishing, which gives a deep,
rich, yellow luster, good for six months. Oxalic acid and salt should
be employed for furniture brasses—if it touches the wood it only
improves the tone. Wipe the brasses well with a wet cloth, and polish
thoroughly with oil and tripoli. Sometimes powdered rotten stone does
better than the tripoli. Rub, after using, either with a dry cloth
or leather, until there is no trace of oil. The brass to be cleaned
must be freed completely from grease, caked dirt, and grime. Wash with
strong ammonia suds and rinse dry before beginning with the acid and
salt.
The best treatment for wrought steel is to wash it very clean with a
stiff brush {203} and ammonia soapsuds, rinse well, dry by heat, oil
plentifully with sweet oil, and dust thickly with powdered quicklime.
Let the lime stay on 2 days, then brush it off with a clean, very stiff
brush. Polish with a softer brush, and rub with cloths until the luster
comes out. By leaving the lime on, iron and steel may be kept from rust
almost indefinitely.
Before wetting any sort of bric-a-brac, and especially bronzes, remove
all the dust possible. After dusting, wash well in strong white
soapsuds and ammonia, rinse clean, polish with just a suspicion of oil
and rotten stone, and rub off afterwards every trace of the oil. Never
let acid touch a bronze surface, unless to eat and pit it for antique
effects.
«Composition for Cleaning Copper, Nickel, and other Metals.»—Wool
grease, 46 parts, by weight; fire clay, 30 parts, by weight; paraffine,
5 parts, by weight; Canova wax, 5 parts, by weight; cocoanut oil, 10
parts, by weight; oil of mirbane, 1 part, by weight. After mixing these
different ingredients, which constitute a paste, this is molded in
order to give a cylindrical form, and introduced into a case so that it
can be used like a stick of cosmetic.
«Putz Pomade.»—I.—Oxalic acid, 1 part; caput mortuum, 15 parts (or,
if white pomade is desired, tripoli, 12 parts); powdered pumice stone,
best grade, 20 parts; palm oil, 60 parts; petroleum or oleine, 4 parts.
Perfume with mirbane oil.
II.—Oxalic acid 1 part
Peroxide of iron (jewelers’ rouge) 15 parts
Rotten stone 20 parts
Palm oil 60 parts
Petrolatum 5 parts
Pulverize the acid and the rotten stone and mix thoroughly with the
rouge. Sift to remove all grit, then make into a paste with the oil and
petrolatum. A little nitro-benzol may be added to scent the mixture.
III.—Oleine 40 parts
Ceresine 5 parts
Tripoli 40 parts
Light mineral oil (0.870) 20 parts
Melt the oleine, ceresine, and mineral oil together, and stir in the
tripoli; next, grind evenly in a paint mill.
«To Clean Gummed Parts of Machinery.»—Boil about 10 to 15 parts of
caustic soda or 100 parts of soda in 1,000 parts of water, immerse
the parts to be cleaned in this for some time, or, better, boil them
with it. Then rinse and dry. For small shops this mode of cleaning is
doubtless the best.
«To Remove Silver Plating.»—I.—Put sulphuric acid 100 parts and
potassium nitrate (saltpeter) 10 parts in a vessel of stoneware or
porcelain, heated on the water bath. When the silver has left the
copper, rinse the objects several times. This silver stripping bath may
be used several times, if it is kept in a well-closed bottle. When it
is saturated with silver, decant the liquid, boil it to dryness, then
add the residue to the deposit, and melt in the crucible to obtain the
metal.
II.—Stripping silvered articles of the silvering may be accomplished
by the following mixture: Sulphuric acid, 60° B., 3 parts; nitric
acid, 40° B., 1 part; heat the mixture to about 166° F., and immerse
the articles by means of a copper wire. In a few seconds the acid
mixture will have done the work. A thorough rinsing off is, of course,
necessary.
«To Clean Zinc Articles.»—In order to clean articles of zinc, stir
rye bran into a paste with boiling water, and add a handful of silver
sand and a little vitriol. Rub the article with this paste, rinse with
water, dry, and polish with a cloth.
«To Remove Rust from Nickel.»—Smear the rusted parts well with grease
(ordinary animal fat will do), and allow the article to stand several
days. If the rust is not thick the grease and rust may be rubbed off
with a cloth dipped in ammonia. If the rust is very deep, apply a
diluted solution of hydrochloric acid, taking care that the acid does
not touch the metal, and the rust may be easily rubbed off. Then wash
the article and polish in the usual way.
«Compound for Cleaning Brass.»—To make a brass cleaning compound use
oxalic acid, 1 ounce; rotten stone, 6 ounces; enough whale oil and
spirits of turpentine of equal parts, to mix, and make a paste.