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Thread: Does oven cleaner hurt chrome?

  1. #1
    Inactive Member chipperhiker's Avatar
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    Hi All,

    So I sprayed oven cleaner on a chrome handle (storage door handle) and it came out dull on one side. Now, it was so dirty before I cleaned it that I don't know if I did the damage, or if it was a poor chrome job to begin with. It has the same look as the chrome near the inner edges of the cooktop (ie. around the burners, broiler) where it's not worn or damage, but rather just where the finish was coming to an end. The handle looks fine, unless you look closely.

    Simple Green wasn't working, the orange solvent cleaner worked but was SLOW, and the oven cleaner got it off really quickly and thoroughly. If oven cleaner is out of the question, then what do I use to get off the 50 years-worth of oxidized grease and grime?

    Thanks,

    -Jenn

  2. #2
    lowracer
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    I used oven cleaner on all my chrome and no damage. I think you're OK. I found no difference between the fumeless oven cleaner and the regular stuff, except that the fumeless stuff is much more fun to work with.

  3. #3
    Inactive Member chipperhiker's Avatar
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    Thank you, Lowracer. Next step, chrome cleaning!!! I've been stalling on the handles because of this question.

    My chrome tops are pretty clean, luckily, although the yellow stove's does have a couple tiny rusty spots (pencil point-sized). Not sure what I'm going to do with that quite yet.

    -Jenn

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    Inactive Member ha_asfan's Avatar
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    The absolute "won't leave a spec of dirt behind" cleaner is Lye. Follow the instructions and wear goggles, gloves,long sleeves and pants. Lye will clean anything NO NOT GET NEAR ALUMINUM. Also, ammonia dissolves anything and cleans far better than Simple Green. You can setup a five gallon bucket of Lye and put all your metal into it...let it soak over night and the next morning the dirt will be gone.

  5. #5
    Inactive Member chipperhiker's Avatar
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    Oven cleaner = lye.

    (easier format, same nasty stuff) Be careful.

    -jenn

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    Inactive Member sadiepike's Avatar
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    Thanks to the METH labs we can't get lye in Oklahoma. I used OFF with the same results that Mark had with NO damage to the chrome.

    I did use it on aluminum on some really stubborn grease but wiped it off in a minute or two.

  7. #7
    Inactive Member ha_asfan's Avatar
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    Well, after reading about the Lye shortage [i can't believe i'm actually writing about a lye shortage...] I made a trek to my local giant superstore where, in the past, I have made my Red Devil Lye purchaces...and there, on his knees, was the stockperson re-stocking the Lye shelf....when I asked about a Lye shortage he laughed and said "no shortage Mr., people just buy it out every day." hmmmmmmmmmm....wonder if my four purchaces of Lye within one week put me on a government watch list...

  8. #8
    Inactive Member lorikeets's Avatar
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    Yeah, let us know how the drug raid goes Ha_asfan! lol

    Chipper, it may be that your handles have the same condition mine do. The finish is worn from all the years of loving clean up with abrasive scrubbers. Doesn't look bad, just not the shiny new chrome look anymore.

    Gwen

  9. #9
    Inactive Member chipperhiker's Avatar
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    So I wonder what it is about Central NY that we can't get lye any more? I got the "they're not making it anymore story." Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) is behind the pharmacy counters here, and we also can't buy more than one quart of denatured alcohol at a time in our Wal-Mart. (fuel for all that fancy backbacking cooking!!)

    Maybe I live in the meth-lab capitol of the East?

    It's really a big pain in the neck, all this "safety."

    -jenn

  10. #10
    Inactive Member chipperhiker's Avatar
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    I'm surprised anyone can get lye anymore. The only form that was commonly available in stores was made by Red Devil, and as of September, they stopped making it due to our drug-making pals.

    I make soap occassionally, and it's pretty inconvenient that I can't get lye anymore. Not sure what I'll do when my current stash runs out. It's not illegal to buy/obtain, but it will be more difficult.

    Meanwhile, I'm going to use the old oven cleaner, and save the precious lye.

    -jenn

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