Sugar soap

[biffvernon]

One of my customers tells me that when sugar soap is accidentally spilled on linseed oil paint, the paint is swiftly dematerialised. Does anyone else have experiences using this traditional cleaner for paint removing or for any other purposes?

Available from our own dear Period Property shop.

I notice it says on the can, "Cleans paintwork", rather than removes paintwork but maybe someone know differently...

 

[Gareth Hughes]

One of my customers tells me that when sugar soap is accidentally spilled on linseed oil paint, the paint is swiftly dematerialised.

What happens when it is deliberately spilled?

 

[Cloudscape]

I have a feeling that sugar soap is a bit like WD40 - in so far as people will find hundreds of uses for it. Some people sound very enthusiastic:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=303552

I have only used it once for cleaning paintwork, prior to repainting a very greasy kitchen. It definitely cleaned the paintwork, but dissolved and lifted some of the top layer, which wasn't ideal. The longer I worked, the cloudier the water became. (Didn't wear gloves... big mistake. Ouch.) I may have used too strong a mix. I thought I had rinsed away any residue before repainting, but a day after painting, some patches lifted and crazed.

After that, I have stuck to sanding and using white spirit (or similar) to de-grease.

 

[Moo]

Does anyone know what, exactly, are the ingredients of sugar soap?

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Does anyone know what, exactly, are the ingredients of sugar soap?

Not exact, but here's some background:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_soap
The ingredients would seem to be variable (not unlike my cooking)

 

[Lime]

Sugar soap will mark paintwork of any sort.
I have used it in the past to remove dirt and I expect it to remove some of the paint surface.
I thought that was the whole purpose of using it, to give a good surface (key) for a new coat of paint.

 

[Penners]

Presumably, being an oil, linseed oil will be broken down by any strong detergent or de-greasant.

 

[plumbers mate]

My Mother used it for cleaning grubby wallpaper - though I don't know how successful it was as I was a bairn at the time. I thought it sounded a nice/nasty thing back then mixing tasty sugar (usually available in the once pre week sweet-shop allowance) and that nasty soap stuff you had to make into a lather and rub over yourself before soaking yourself in water (I was later told this was called "washing"). The opportunity to taste it probably luckily never arrived. :?

 

[Moo]

May I recommend raw rhubarb as an efficient and eco-friendly Danish Oil remover?
A couple of pieces left on my newly-refurbished kitchen worktop overnight stripped it right back to the bare wood.

 

[Juju]

I gave some sugar soap wipes to a friend for cleaning some dirty patches on his kitchen walls - he was sprucing up his house for selling. The sugar soap removed the dirt but also the paint and he ended up having to repaint the whole kitchen. He still goes on about it even though it was several years ago!

 

[chuckey]

FWIW Tri-sodium-phosphate (TSP) is an industrial non-foaming surfacant, i.e. its a detergent to us. Major constituent of sugar soap.

I think its too effective at disolving grease, the trouble is that people don't degrease properly before re-painting, so the Sugar soap disolves the grease film under the OLD paint.

I reckon that its the rinsing off that takes the time and water. Just keep on doing it until the water is clear, say five times, perhaps we are particularly dirty people.
Frank

 

[biffvernon]

Not just a detergent but very alkaline, I gather. The question is how much damage it does to paint, particularly linseed oil paint. Good if you want a paint stripper. Bad if you want to clean paint - like wot it says on the can.

 

[Cloudscape]

May I recommend raw rhubarb

There's no shortage of that. :wink:

Seriously though, rhubarb contains oxalic acid (a constituent of Bar Keeper's Friend, if you've ever come across it). Quite a powerful organic acid.

 

[Lime]

Not just a detergent but very alkaline, I gather. The question is how much damage it does to paint, particularly linseed oil paint. Good if you want a paint stripper. Bad if you want to clean paint - like wot it says on the can.

Point taken, the wording is misleading if read without the consideration that sugar soap is supplied to clean paint prior to repainting.
It will take the surface of the paint off, gloss will be flat, semi-matt if left unpainted.

 

[Penners]

May I recommend raw rhubarb

There's no shortage of that.

As I've always said, rhubarb is good for you (whatever variety!).

 

[plumbers mate]

B&Q do sugar soap wipes and I'm going to try some as the area I need to degrease is the kitchen (modern pine clad) ceiling. I think a liquid version would be horrendous.

 

[Jon Maine]

rhubarb contains oxalic acid (a constituent of Bar Keeper's Friend, if you've ever come across it). Quite a powerful organic acid.

Is this the one used to help remove iron staining from oak :?:

 

[biffvernon]

Yes.

 

[Jon Maine]

Thanks Biff, Didn't know it came from rhubarb.

Is that leaves or stem? Infact is it something one can extract easily?

 

[Flyfisher]

I've always thought it was oxalic acid that made rhubarb leaves poisonous. No idea how to extract it though. Perhaps just a good rub down with some rhubarb leaves would do the job.