Cooktop Cleaner

[mtolypetsupply]

I did a search for cooktop cleaner on this forum and no results popped up so here's something I *MUST* share!

You know that used tank that you can get for $cheap$, but you try and you try and use all sorts of chemicals, home concoctions, etc. to get that whitish/greyish filmy stuff off? It looks fine when it's wet, and you have a fleeting feeling of triumph, but as the water or cleaner evaporates, there it is again!!!! :mad::mad:

Well, I found online a helpful hint on that. Ceramic Cooktop Cleaner. Weimann's or Cerami-Bright or any other brand you can find. Apply it to DRY scummy glass, with a DRY GREEN scrubby pad. Then work the cleaner til it disappears. It will seem to take forever, but keep rubbing, it will finally disappear. Your tank will buff up as if it were brand new. And the effects don't rinse off when you then proceed to clean it and rinse it a million times to make it safe for your snakes.

Here's the finished tank, complete with Gary's Great Stuff Climbing wall. Inside the wall is a network of PVC for the corns to slither around in. Anyway, I do wish I had a "before" pic, as this tank was GROSS with that white film, we thought we'd never get it clean. Now look, it's beautiful!

http://www.thamnophis.com/thamphotos/data//647/medium/IMG_3124.JPG


OH, and this trick works on all glass, like shower doors, skylights, greenhouses, anywhere you get that crappy look from runoff or water.

[Charlet_2007]

but does it have ill effects on reptiles?:(:(

[mtolypetsupply]

Well, first, there is no residue left on the glass. Second, we cleaned it with bleach and water, let it dry and then vinegar and water to remove anything that could have been left on it, but we're kinda paranoid about things. There are no harmful vapors, there is no residue left on the glass, and you don't have to use gloves to work with the cleaner as it is not caustic.

Long story short, the corns have been in it for almost a week, and aren't showing any signs of discomfort. In fact, they seem very happy, what with their new toy and all.

If anyone is concerned about this, I'm sure there would be an MSDS on it. I do have confidence that it is a safe product, so long as you rinse and wipe down the tank as an extra precaution after you're done. I will be watching my corns, and tell you how it goes, but I really don't see any probability of any ill effects.

[infernalis]

We have a ceramic top range, and I can testify that the stuff is safe.

I drop food on my stove top and pick it up without hesitation and eat it.

Great idea, Thanks for sharing this.

I will admit, when I first read the thread title, I thought it was going to be another one of those off topic things....

[drache]

thanks for the tip
I've always used bon ami and elbow grease, but this sounds easier
for those of you who do have bon ami in their households - it does not scratch glass

[Lori P]

Stephi, thanks for the tip!! And I love your foam rock!!! Great Stuff is the best... :-)

[mtolypetsupply]

Stephi, thanks for the tip!! And I love your foam rock!!! Great Stuff is the best... :-)

Thanks, Lori! It was Gary's first creation with the GS, and we've learned:

Glue together foam as a form first. You'll use lots less great stuff.

Great stuff will expand for over 24 hours, if you make a great big lump of it. Thankfully, when waiting for it to cure, we had it on some cardboard and that caught all the "hemmorrhoids" as Gary called them.

Next time, he anticipates finding some way to attach the GS rock to the tank wall. He was thinking of getting some suction cups and putting those down first, then the GS over it, or something like that.

[Lori P]

Jamie kept telling me, don't use much... it keeps expanding... did I listen? LOL No... so my first few creations turned into huge mutant foam disasters. LOL But you know what, I still used them in the rat tanks and they have had fun climbing and playingon them.

I have no ideas for attaching to the tank... the background we made was sprayed onto a cardboard form and screwed to a wooden enclosure. I'll have to ask Jamie for ideas on that...

It's so fun to make them things that they spend so much time exploring, isn't it?

[drache]

how about magnets?
you could embed some in the GS
you would have to figure out ahead how strong they need to be
just a thought

[olive oil]

Want something even safer to get that build up off?
Plain ole lemon juice and some scrubbing.

[mtolypetsupply]

Want something even safer to get that build up off?
Plain ole lemon juice and some scrubbing.

Nope, that didn't work, even with salt. That's what I've used to get coffee pots clean, and it didn't work on the tank buildup. That is a good tip, though, if the buildup isn't severe, or maybe isn't a hard water issue.

[brain]

I assume the white buildup is from the snake rubbing on the glass?

When I clean the habitats I use Simple Green then rinse with clear water on a cloth.

[mtolypetsupply]

I assume the white buildup is from the snake rubbing on the glass?


No, white build up from being used as an aquarium. We have hard water here in NJ, and the tank we have was used as a turtle tank by our friends, so the water line was just about halfway up the tank. The buildup usually occurs not where the tank is wet constantly, but at the water line and above. It's the same buildup that our shower doors get, and skylights, and greenhouses/sunrooms.

[brain]

No, white build up from being used as an aquarium. We have hard water here in NJ, and the tank we have was used as a turtle tank by our friends, so the water line was just about halfway up the tank. The buildup usually occurs not where the tank is wet constantly, but at the water line and above. It's the same buildup that our shower doors get, and skylights, and greenhouses/sunrooms.

Ok now I see.

I am on a well and have good sweet water small amount of minerals and the ph at 7.1. I use my hot tub tester.

I do use Lime away once a year in the tub but I don't think that would be a good idea on a habitat

[infernalis]

I do use Lime away once a year in the tub but I don't think that would be a good idea on a habitat

As long as you remember this rule, you would be fine.

step 1. Rinse thoroughly with warm water
step 2 repeat step one
step 3 see above.

I clean glass with all sorts of stuff, including CLR, Bleach and glass cleaners. But then I rinse until my hands look like prunes.

Set the tank in your bath tub, and shower the daylights out of it. We have one of those showers with a hose on the head, so I take the head down, and rinse away.

[brain]

As long as you remember this rule, you would be fine.

step 1. Rinse thoroughly with warm water
step 2 repeat step one
step 3 see above.

I clean glass with all sorts of stuff, including CLR, Bleach and glass cleaners. But then I rinse until my hands look like prunes.

Set the tank in your bath tub, and shower the daylights out of it. We have one of those showers with a hose on the head, so I take the head down, and rinse away.



Nodding my head "Rinse thoroughly with warm water"

[drache]

two things:
there is a lime-off for aquariums, that works pretty well
I've used Bon Ami on that stuff on aquariums and shower doors with added soap scum residue, as well as on some of tenacious algae scum in old aquariums - it works great and is perfectly safe to use on glass