Warning About Persil Detergent and SS Tumblig

[Bayou52]

Guys -

I decap on one day and tumble on another day. So, I have the time to pre-soak the brass overnight in detergent water. This cuts tumbling time in half, for me at least, to get the results/shine I'm after. I typically use Tide detergent to pre-soak. Works great.

A friend gave me a sample of a new laundry detergent he said was even a better cleaner. Called Persil. So, I pre-soaked using the Persil. I rinsed out all the detergent water before tumbling, as best I could, at least, using multiple rinses.

However, after tumbling this batch which was pre-soaked in Persil, both the brass and pins were covered in a dark/dank surface coating. Not what I expected, and the first time this has ever happened. I had to run the brasses and pins 3 more times to remove the coating.

Even after rinsing the brass following the pre-soak, traces of the Persil must've remained. The chemicals in Persil did not agree with the Lemi-Shine and/or the auto wash and wax that I use for wet tumbling.

Just my recent experience...

Bayou52

[tazman]

Chemical interactions are always an issue. Unfortunately, you often can't find out about them except for the hard way.
Thank you for posting your results.

[mold maker]

Look really close for steel cases. I had a like experience with 24 hr pre soaking in the dawn. The scum formed was from the iron oxide formed while soaking.

[Bayou52]

Thanks, Guys!

[LittleLebowski]

Just use citric acid powder, sparingly.

[noylj]

It's German/UK junk (Henkel/Unilever).

[Bayou52]

^^^^^ Good to know. Thanks!

[greenjoytj]

Persil Laundry detergent really stinks, to me it smells like Raid insect killer and the strong stench persist for weeks in the cloths. Pity the fool that washes his hunting cloth in Persil.

I read lots of post saying to use a small squirt of Dawn dish detergent in their tumblers with SS pins. I found that Dawn suds up too much, suds leak out the center pin hole in my RCBS tumbler lid. The thick Dawn suds will support the weight of some SS pins and float them down the drain good thing the pins can be picked up with a long reach magnet.

I've found Cascade dish washing machine detergent is a stronger cleaner and makes no suds, it can be boosted with citric acid containing Lemi-Shine.

On really fouled cases I use Hornady One Shot ultra sonic cleaner which is a citric acid concentrate (mix 40:1 water:cleaner) in the tumbler with SS pins, case come out looking better than new unfired cases.

[Bayou52]

"Persil Laundry detergent really stinks, to me it smells like Raid insect killer and the strong stench persist for weeks in the cloths."

Yep, I'm a victim - learned the hard way!

[ulav8r]

Too much suds means you put in too much Dawn.

[DocSavage]

Laundry detergent for case cleaning??? Sorry I'll stick to Dawn or some other liquid dish detergent. Dish washer detergent has chemicals to help cut thru built up food on dishes not sure if those chemicals are good for brass cases.
Remember my mother using Wisk laundry detergent in a dish washer cleaned okay but the wall of soap suds was spectacular.

[farmerjim]

Use TSP (tri sodium phosphate ) It is pure detergent. No suds at all and no residue. Sold in the paint section of most stores. I add it to my dishwasher to replace the phosphate they took out.

[DerekP Houston]

Use TSP (tri sodium phosphate ) It is pure detergent. No suds at all and no residue. Sold in the paint section of most stores. I add it to my dishwasher to replace the phosphate they took out.

HA! i'm not the only one that uses TSP. I was reading on dish detergents awhile back and learned when they took it out we started getting more buildup and less clean dishes. I add it back in myself, you are right home depot carried it for very cheap. I might try using it on a test batch of brass and see how it turns out. Dawn + lemishine works for me but it does suds up quite a bit. I found if I don't see any suds I get the oily residue on brass and have to clean it again.

[lavenatti]

That makes three of us that use TSP in the dishwasher.

[Bulldogger]

How much TSP do you add to the dishwasher? I hadn't thought of it, but like the idea, and often have TSP on hand for other misc cleaning around the garage.
BDGR

[DerekP Houston]

How much TSP do you add to the dishwasher? I hadn't thought of it, but like the idea, and often have TSP on hand for other misc cleaning around the garage.
BDGR

I use ~ 1 tsp on top of my normal detergent. Dishes are noticeably cleaner when I do them vs my wife.

I might be using a tad too much, my brief search found the following

It is safe and natural and has many cleaning uses. It is difficult to determine the exact amount to use, but I believe about 1 part TSP to 6 parts detergent is about right. For dishwashing, that works out to 1/2 teaspooon per load. For laundry, use 1 to 2 teaspoons per load.Apr 25, 2013

[farmerjim]

Same as DerekP. It just replaces what they took out.