Most soaps aren't terribly basic, not like a mineral base--NaOH (lye, caustic,
etc.) or CaOH (active ingredient in Nair &c) around pH 14.
I have dry skin, and Ivory is too basic for me to use at pH 9.5, because it's
not superfatted, but that's not a protein reaction. ;)
Detergents can be acidic or basic, depending on what is to be cleaned out of
what.
Both soaps & detergents are surfactants.
Ann in CT
--- On Wed, 10/22/08, Sharon Collier <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>> Thanks, I didn't know that about basic harming protein
> fibers. Aren't most
> detergents/soaps basic?
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: [h-cost] cleaning question
>
>
> I'm wearing two hats here.
>
> 1. I've dabbled in silversmithing
> 2. I'm working on a degree in textiles.
>
> One way to clean oxidization off of silver jewelry is to
> soak it in a
> solution called "pickle," usually a weak acid,
> usually heated. Some people
> use vinegar.
>
> Protein fibers are damaged by basic solutions, but are
> slightly strengthened
> by weak acids. Vinegar is frequently used to set acid dyes
> (used with
> protein fibers), usually in a hot dyebath.
>
> If you make a vinegar-water solution and heat it up,
> keeping it below a
> simmer, and immerse and soak your cloth of silver in it,
> that
> *should* do the trick. It won't be instantaneous, it
> may take half an hour
> or more.
>
> Emma
>
> > On the cloth of gold thread, Bess mentioned cloth of
> silver. I have a
> > small piece (about 1 yard square), but it is tarnished
> where it was
> > exposed to the air when folded. Any ideas on how to
> remove the tarnish
> > from the silver without harming the silk?
> > Sharon C.
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