Ex has some weird ways of thinking. Of course, I can't pinpoint anything from the past that has led me to this conclusion, but I know I've written about them here. Anyway, his latest is this.
He washed his mum's car that he uses on and off. I knew we were out of car wash because I'd used the last of it a month ago, so I asked him what he used to clean it with. His answer:
Ex: Floor cleaner.
Me: Floor cleaner?... the same one I use to get the grime off the floor?
Ex: Yes.
Me: But I thought you couldn't use household detergent on cars...that's what you've been telling me for years...
Ex: No, you can't use dishwash detergent, but you can use floor cleaner.
It didn't make sense. Is it just me? I was stunned that by his standards, you can use a combination of chemicals known to strip every particle of dirt and 99% of germs from a floor but not a detergent that is "soft on hands".
So, let me ask you readers, would you clean your car with FLOOR CLEANER?
I'd be grateful for any replies on this matter because you all know that my purpose in life is to prove to him that I'm not stupid and not crazy, so I really need to know - is it just me who thinks this is a bad idea?
Love you all.
6 comments:
The dish washing detergent is most commonly a caustic product where the floor cleaner is generally spirit (alcohol) based. A caustic product such as common soap will feel soft on your hands (not necessarily gentle) as this is a characteristic of caustic materials. The floor cleaner despite being sprit based is not normally suited to drinking as it is typically methol alcohol based, is poisonous and as it evaporates will remove the oils on your hands causing them to go dry.
Extremely caustic materials can feel very soft and slippery as they clean away every layer of your skin.
If the floor cleaner chosen has a silicon wax base it may react with other polishes previously used or impede the success of future polishes used.
CLEANING SUMMARY: A dish washing product when used on a car will normally rust the metal while many of the floor cleaner products will combust when near a flame.
Based on the above information if car wash products are not used then the choice of rotting the car metal or setting fire to a car is a choice that an individual would make based on personal relationships.
APPLICATION NOTE: Should you plan an “accident” it could be necessary to have the floor cleaner applied to the vehicle in an enclosed area to maximise any explosive conflagration.
SAFETY NOTE: If a floor polish is chosen I would also strongly recommend a non slip type of floor polish to avoid any OH&S slip issues should you ever find jumping on the bonnet, roof or boot of the car necessary.
Happy to discuss the use of glass cleaning products if required.
Should I finish with a question?
Cheers to all.
LOL :D
Thanks for clearing that particular issue up Mr S. I've always wondered about it, now I know.
I like the option of using the floor cleaner now because should the car inadvertently catch fire, the results are quicker, more obvious and more likely to get a "what the f*ck were you thinking?" reaction from other people, which is really the effect I want to produce given my circumstances and motivation.
By the way, I think the area around the windscreen and the window seals are on their way to rusting away because ex put dish detergent into the wiper wash compartment. I kid you not!
Oh, how he makes me laugh. His rationale? Well you can use dish detergent on glass, just not on metal. Thing is, in the rain, isn't it going to drip and splatter over the car bonnet and window edges anyway. It does clean the window though. What's your opinion on this strategy? I was afraid, after he'd done it, that when it rained I would be driving in a car covered in dish suds and not be able to see a damn thing. But it's actually OK.
Gee a car blog. Love it!
When you add dish washing detergent to your windscreen washer reservoir even in weak solution it will cause accelerated rusting.
If used during a rain shower the rain will only dilute the brew and reduce the corrosive effect of the detergent.
Most people I know do add detergent to the windscreen bottle IF they do not have access to a commercial car windscreen bottle additive.
Most household spray on glass cleaners use ammonia as it is considered a weak base, so it only exhibits the common corrosive effects of many alkaline bases when in high concentration. It can mix with water and assist cleaning the car windscreen with a reduced corrosive effect.
The real advantage of using commercial cleaners where the concentrations are much greater (as high as 25 percent to 30 percent ammonia) is when you combine that with bleach is a more intense deadly gas called chloramine in even greater quantity is released.
Now, I should make the point that cleaning your car in a enclosed space (garage) with some floor polishes, leaving the polish container open then immediately cleaning the windows with an ammonia / bleach mixture while introducing a flame is not highly recommended.
A down side to this is you may also lose the use of your garage until the insurance company repair it.
Very strange, until now I had never considered a car blog to be so linked to CSI police.
Turbo charging of engines is another car item perhaps of interest for this car blog although more difficult to devise a pure “accident”.
Perhaps the application of tyre black as a inflammable poison or the dangerous combined use of RP7 lubricant and a cigarette lighter to inflate a tyre to create pure “accidents” could be canvassed?
There it was, a question!
Cheers to all.
Hey JO!!!
I'm back and have just caught up on all your posts since I was away.
Very proud of you going to see AL and don't worry about your son. It's normal at his age to be annoyed... your daughter is a bit older and would be pleased you're doing something for yourself.
When is the concert?
I'm a bit tired and jetlagged but I'm here!!
xxxx
Melba, nice to have you back! The concert is THIS Wednesday. I'm nervous, anxious and super excited all at the same time. I'm glad to hear my son is normal. I do get so worried about him sometimes.
Hope all went well with your ex and the holiday. Keep us posted.
Hugs.
Jo
Mr S, we don't have a garage, merely an open air carport that shelters our car from the worst of the rain. And just for the sake of karma here, I'm not interested in producing any sort of accident though whatever he does himself is purely up to him. I will suggest glass cleaner rather than detergent next time though. Thank you for the education in chemicals and their effect on cars. I've enjoyed the lesson. :)
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