De-smellifying China Clays (2 Viewers)

[BSteck]

I did a little experiment this week to see if I could de-smellify some china clays. Here's what I did.

First, I put two sample sets in two storage tubes. The Dunes were used as my control and the Pharaoh's used as the test subject. Both sets were wiped down with a damp cloth when they arrived and both sets have seen approximately the same amount of deskside fiddling.

Then I let the sets hang out in the tubes for three days to let that lovely china clay smell accumulate. After the three days I popped the caps and took a big whiff. I thought both registered about a 5 out of 10 on the smell-o-meter. Not crazy potent like vinegar or something but I definitely wouldn't want my nose in that tube for too long. I did an eyes-closed test with the Mrs. handing me alternating tubes ('you want me to do what?') and I couldn't tell a consistent or noticeable difference between the two.

Now for the experiment... to the Pharaoh tube I added 1 tsp baking soda (for 9 chips). My thinking was that baking soda (allegedly) takes the funk out of refrigerators and I've had success using it to take smoking smells off furniture.

The Pharaoh's hung out in the baking soda for three days. Every day I gave the tube a little shake.

After three days I emptied the baking soda out of the Pharaoh tube, dusted the baking soda off the Pharaoh chips and wiped them down with a damp rag. I had a minor issue with powder stubbornly clinging in the mold but otherwise the chips seemed unaffected by their three-day baking soda bath. I then also wiped down the control Dune chips with the same damp rag just for completeness sake and cause maybe that rag is magical.

Both sets went back in tubes for three days to let the smell accumulate. Then I popped off the caps and stuck in the nose.

I'm calling the experiment a limited success. There is definitely a smell-o-meter difference between the two tubes. I have no problem picking out the Pharaoh tube in a eye-closed test. That sharp chemical smell has definitely been muted... maybe to a 2 out of 10 while the Dunes still register a 4 or 5. The baking soda seems to have reduced but not quite eliminated that china clay smell.

I'm encouraged enough that I'm going to repeat the process on my small heads-up Majestic set - maybe this time with more baking soda per chip and a longer marinating duration.

Would love to hear if others are able to repeat the results...

 

[BSteck]

Majestics starting their one-week baking soda bath. 1 TB of baking soda per sleeve of 25 chips.

 

[Big Jilm]

I don't know why, but I kind of like the stink!

 

[leo822]

Great experiments! I'll be following this thread.

 

[Blaster]

I think activated carbon granules, such as the kind used for fish tank filters, may help eliminate the oders, perhaps use that as a 2nd level after the baking soda, or mixed with it too....

 

[BSteck]

I think activated carbon granules, such as the kind used for fish tank filters, may help eliminate the oders, perhaps use that as a 2nd level after the baking soda, or mixed with it too....

Excellent idea... I might give that a shot next. A quick search on Amazon brought me to this: https://www.amazon.com/Activated-Ch...488&sr=8-5&keywords=activated+charcoal+powder I had no idea this was a thing...

Hey - if it "Whitens Teeth, Rejuvenates Skin and Hair, Detoxifies, Helps Digestion, Treats Poisoning, Bug Bites, Wounds - 100% pure Zen activated!" then it's got to treat china clay funk.

 

[Blaster]

It might possibly be easier to clean residue off the chips if filter (granules) carbon is used rather than powder ..

 

[BSteck]

It might possibly be easier to clean residue off the chips if filter (granules) carbon is used rather than powder ..

Definitely... plus I can get 4 pounds of granules for the same price as 8 oz of wonder powder.

 

[DJ Mack]

I guess the real variable is going to be how long do the chips continue to off gas? Baking soda does a good job of capturing those gases once they're produced but if whatever chemical reaction in the chips makes the smell continues then you're going to have the smell. I dare say if you take your "treated" chips, clean them off and place them back in their own tube with no baking soda the smell will be back to about the control level within a week or so.

To be truly effective you'd need something that permeates the chip and makes that reaction stop. Anything other than that is kind of like spraying air freshener in the bathroom but neglecting to flush the shitter.

 

[BSteck]

I guess the real variable is going to be how long do the chips continue to off gas? Baking soda does a good job of capturing those gases once they're produced but if whatever chemical reaction in the chips makes the smell continues then you're going to have the smell. I dare say if you take your "treated" chips, clean them off and place them back in their own tube with no baking soda the smell will be back to about the control level within a week or so.

To be truly effective you'd need something that permeates the chip and makes that reaction stop. Anything other than that is kind of like spraying air freshener in the bathroom but neglecting to flush the shitter.

I get what you're saying and both sets are still in their tubes so I can see what happens for a longer period. The smell hadn't returned three days after treatment but I'm definitely curious to see if the decrease in smell is just temporary or more permanent.

If the results aren't permanent, then an idea might be to store one of those charcoal car air freshener packets in the chip case.

 

[mummel]

I don't know why, but I kind of like the stink!

HAHA for sure. Fresh china clay stank means new chips!!!

FYI, leaving my chips in open racks on a bookshelf (not in a drawer) has basically removed 98% of the smell.

 

[DJ Mack]

FYI, leaving my chips in open racks on a bookshelf (not in a drawer) has basically removed 98% of the smell.

Over what period of time? That suggests that the smell is just residual and not an ongoing chemical process, so baking soda or activated charcoal would help speed up the process of airing them out. As might a good cleaning, if the chips could withstand it.

One of the first raincoats the department issued me was a 10 year old hand-me-down. Dear God did that thing smell. It was OK if you left it out in the air but putting it in any kind of compartment or container meant being greeted with the smell of vomit a day later. I came to find out that it was the urethane and some flame retardant chemical breaking down as the plastic aged. Cleaning didn't help for any appreciable period of time. The quartermaster stored all of them in a big tub with a box of mothballs, but that just masked the odor until they'd been taken out for a bit. I pitched it and bought my own.

 

[pedrofisk]

I have to admit I don't really notice any smell at all. Maybe too many years working with paints and glues.

 

[BGinGA]

White vinegar solution bath, rinse, dry, oil. No smell. /thread

 

[RainmanTrail]

White vinegar solution bath, rinse, dry, oil. No smell. /thread

How does one get the smell of vinegar off of china clays? /newthreadcomingsoon

 

[BGinGA]

How does one get the smell of vinegar off of china clays?

Smear 'em with peanut butter.

Of course, but then you have a new problem......

 

[Blaster]

FDS extra strength.

 

[Hobbyphilic]

Haha! I love this thread. I like the experiment, I like the posts. China clay smell -> vinegar -> Peanut Butter -> feed them to pet rat -> No more China clays or smell, just fat rats.

My biggest concern about the smell is that it is the volatility of the plastics. Think of it like VOC emissions from PVC. So it makes sense absorbing them would reduce the amount in the air.

However, I would propose a test involving temperature. It is pretty well accepted that an increase in temperature increases the rate of VOC emission decay. Hypothesis - an increase of air temperature surrounding China clays will increase the total volatile organic compound (TVOC) emissions and expedite TVOC decay. Maybe even give it a time frame, 2 weeks maybe.

Same test, control, chilled, warmed and heated. I wouldn't go above 90-100F. If you want help setting this up I have ideas.

 

[RainmanTrail]

Haha! I love this thread. I like the experiment, I like the posts. China clay smell -> vinegar -> Peanut Butter -> feed them to pet rat -> No more China clays or smell, just fat rats.

My biggest concern about the smell is that it is the volatility of the plastics. Think of it like VOC emissions from PVC. So it makes sense absorbing them would reduce the amount in the air.

However, I would propose a test involving temperature. It is pretty well accepted that an increase in temperature increases the rate of VOC emission decay. Hypothesis - an increase of air temperature surrounding China clays will increase the total volatile organic compound (TVOC) emissions and expedite TVOC decay. Maybe even give it a time frame, 2 weeks maybe.

Same test, control, chilled, warmed and heated. I wouldn't go above 90-100F. If you want help setting this up I have ideas.

VEGAS TRIP!!! #BringChinaClayswithyou

 

[CraigT78]

White vinegar solution bath, rinse, dry, oil. No smell. /thread

I had much success with dawn dish soap and a rag.

 

[mummel]

volatility of the plastics

So you think the China clays are breaking down? Does that mean discoloration and flea bites/powder long term?

 

[BGinGA]

Repeat after me..... "They make these for pennies apiece. They make these for pennies apiece. They make these for pennies apiece."

They use mostly scrap material to make 'em (which is why things vary from batch to batch), and are not designed or intended to last a lifetime. They cost pennies to produce. If they break down, buy more.

 

[DJ Mack]

They use mostly scrap material to make 'em (which is why things vary from batch to batch), and are not designed or intended to last a lifetime. They cost pennies to produce.

This. Their turnaround is amazing too. If you call up and order 50 replacements they'll tell you "OK, 10 minute." If you call up and order 50,000 they'll tell you "OK, 10 minute."

 

[Hobbyphilic]

So you think the China clays are breaking down? Does that mean discoloration and flea bites/powder long term?

A well engineered plastic will stay pretty stable. UV degradation would make more of a noticeable impact. This brings up another point, oxidation. Depending on the formula, that might result in surface powder formation though out the chips' life. You've open up a can of cheaply made, mass produced gummy worms.

 

[mummel]

Well time will tell, but the CC plastic feels pretty hard/tough. I think they will last for years. I would be curious though what happened to the original Pharoah CCs because didnt those start to crumble in a short period? I wonder what material they had in them that resulted in such degradation.

 

[BGinGA]

Not limited to just Pharaoh's Club chips....

 

[mummel]

I havent seen any other CC's complain about this problem.

 

[Mental Nomad]

They use mostly scrap material to make 'em (which is why things vary from batch to batch), and are not designed or intended to last a lifetime. They cost pennies to produce.

A well engineered plastic will stay pretty stable.

Repeat after me..... "They make these for pennies apiece. They make these for pennies apiece. They make these for pennies apiece."

Treating plastic scrap like quality handcrafted materials does not usually transform plastic scrap into quality handcrafted materials

 

[Hobbyphilic]

Yes, but a dump that doesn't stink > stinky dump.

 

[BSteck]

I'll definitely post in a week to update if the baking soda treatment is a temporary or permanent improvement. And I'm excited to try some new test scenarios: Dawn solution, Vinegar solution, Activated charcoal, Heated, Cooled, Sunlight, In front of a fan, Peanut butter, Results after one week, Results after one month, etc. But unfortunately, I'm in the early stages of the chippie addiction and so I don't have stacks of china clays around to use as test cases. If there's one thing I've learned as part of this little experiment and conversation thread it's that...

... I need more chips.