Thread Number: 89976  /  Tag: Detergents and Additives
The weirdest stain I ever had to tackle - ABS plastic
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Post# 1145756   4/3/2022 at 10:34 (752 days old) by henene4 (Heidenheim a.d. Brenz (Germany))        

So, through the unfortunate combination of using a solvent to clean something near my bed and my landline phones housing, I ended up dissolving plastic into one of my sheets.

The plastic in case is ABS.
The sheet is white cotton, so I can do almost everything to it.
It's not an expensive sheet, but not cheap either. So saving it would be nice.

I did 2 washes so far and managed to shift about half of the stain.
I pretreated the stain with the solvent based cleaner, let it sit for a bit and then washed it with detergent on a quick hot.



2 questions I have:

A) Any idea what solvent might help? I have Acetone handy and might try that next, but if you have any better idea let me know.

B) Does anybody know if getting the sheet dry cleaned might help? Could the common solvents used there maybe work better? Since it would just wash in solvent that might be worth a try?





Post# 1145801 , Reply# 1   4/4/2022 at 05:48 (751 days old) by henene4 (Heidenheim a.d. Brenz (Germany))        
Update

Totally forgot that my brother is a doctor in chemistry (or at least will be in a year's time).

He loves organic chemistry. Had a quick look at the molecule and said that anything unpolar should work fine in general.
He said that perc would be a serviceable idea but was confused how I was gonna procure it and warned me about its dangers.

Gave him a 5 line introduction on dry cleaning.
"Neat!" was his response.
So I'll see if the dry cleaners actually work!


Post# 1145806 , Reply# 2   4/4/2022 at 07:16 (751 days old) by Launderess (Quiet Please, There´s a Lady on Stage)        

launderess's profile picture
While understand want to DIY, would take it to dry cleaners and let them handle mark.

Plastic will indeed require some sort of solvent to remove, but which one will do best job is another matter. If there is pigment involved plastic and any remaining color residue must be dealt with.

In old days would suggest running down to chemists for a tin of benzene, but don't believe that still is on offer to private consumers.

home.howstuffworks.com/stain-rem...

books.google.nl/booksQUESTIONMAR...


Post# 1145815 , Reply# 3   4/4/2022 at 08:28 (751 days old) by donprohel (I live in Munich - Germany, but I am Italian)        
Benzene substitute

It is true that benzene is not available any more to private consumer, but xylene is, and it is quite "similar"

Post# 1145823 , Reply# 4   4/4/2022 at 10:28 (751 days old) by Egress (Oregon)        

FWIW, brakleen is perchloroethylene, or at the very least it can be. theres a number of formulas that are under the same name, but one of them is solely perchloroethylene. it is also sometimes called tetrachloroethylene.

Post# 1145826 , Reply# 5   4/4/2022 at 11:02 (751 days old) by henene4 (Heidenheim a.d. Brenz (Germany))        

Benzene is carcinogenic - that's why it isn't available to the private consumer.
While xylene is about as toxic as benzene, there is no mention of it being carcinogenic from what I red.

P, perc, perchlorethylen is correctly called tetrachloroethylene in chemistry.
The per just means that all possible substitutions from hydrogen for chlorine have taken place from what I remember.

But yes, break cleaner is a great idea aswell!
That stuff always contains very strong solvents...



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