Dumb question.... Where do you get ammonia?

[JFT]

Disclaimer: English is not my main language...

 

Hello,

 

many people keep referring to ammonia to clean hard to clean nibs, rinse converter etc... But where do you get ammonia? Is that the same as bleach? :embarrassed_smile:

[penRN]

Store that sells cleaning products. Says ammonia on the bottle. Different from bleach.

 

---------Michael

[Philip1209]

Ammonia is a cleaning product. It is in Windex.

[Jimmy James]

Ammonia is one nitrogen bonded to three hydrogen atoms. It is NOT bleach, and you should be advised that due to the chemical properties of bleach and ammonia, a toxic release of chlorine gas will result from mixing the two together. Use them one at a time.

 

Ammonia is present in urine, though I think for obvious reasons you'll want to find a purer source.

[satrap]

Disclaimer: English is not my main language...

 

Hello,

 

many people keep referring to ammonia to clean hard to clean nibs, rinse converter etc... But where do you get ammonia? Is that the same as bleach? :embarrassed_smile:

=========

grocery stores

drug stores

[Renzhe]

Another name for ammonia is azane.

[spike789]

Disclaimer: English is not my main language...

 

Hello,

 

many people keep referring to ammonia to clean hard to clean nibs, rinse converter etc... But where do you get ammonia? Is that the same as bleach? :embarrassed_smile:

 

You'll find it in any grocery store that sells laundry detergents and bleach. If you don't find it near the laundry detergents, look in the section of the store where liquid household cleaners are stocked. It is usually on the bottom shelf. NEVER MIX AMMONIA AND BLEACH...IT FORMS POISON CHLORINE GAS.

[Zarble44]

You'll find it on the bottom shelf in the cleaning section near where the floor cleaners are. Probably the smallest size will be 1 quart (or liter).

 

Don't buy the "sudsing" type. And it really will create poisonous chlorine gas if you mix it with bleach.

 

Back when they used smelling salts for fainting, ammonia was the active ingredient.

[MYU]

In addition to the caution of not mixing ammonia with bleach, do NOT try to directly sniff the stuff. It can cause damage to your sinus linings. I know it sounds like a stupid thing to do, but I've heard about a lot people doing it--kind of an instinctive reaction to sniff.

[lapis]

• Ammonia is not just NH3 which is actually a gas (or frozen down, a liquid too), but NH3 dissolved in water to give a solution of NH4OH.

• Ammonia has a really pungent (not "stinky") smell and is used as "smelling salt" (as a carbonate), you know, when Grandma faints and you 're supposed to wake her up.

• Ammonia is often present (sometimes together with methyl alcohol) in a glass cleaner spray liquid for windows and mirrors.

• Use the last point above or ask anywhere in a pharmacy or any old friend who still studies chemistry for a small bottle of ammonium hydroxide.

• Whatever you use -- like after 5-10 rinses -- don't forget to rinse it all out -- again with 5-10 shots -- of distilled or deionized water (like out of the filter pot used for making water for green tea or an iron for ironing shirts).

[Garageboy]

Is there such thing as brand name ammonia?

[lapis]

Is there such thing as brand name ammonia?

No.

[JFT]

Thank you all for the answers.

 

I'll check the cleaning section but I'm curious to see what's common brand name there are (and if it is sold directly name ammoniac)!

[Jimmy James]

I don't think you'll find much in the way of brand name ammonia unless you do just buy some Windex (which I have used before in making my own weak ammonia solution for pens with no ill results so far).

[acbutler4]

Just to add to the cautions about mixing bleach and ammonia, and the resulting chlorine gas. You inhale gasses (in this case, chlorine). The inhaled gas goes into your lungs. Your lungs are moist, as in H2O. When you inhale chlorine gas, an interesting reaction occurs - chlorine plus hydrogen equals hydrochloric acid (stomach acid) BUT your lungs lack the protective mucus lining found in your stomach. Result: nasty acid burns to sensitive lung tissue. Obviously, this is bad. I'd recommend giving any pens you clean with ammonia (or bleach, for that matter) a good thorough rinsing.

[mompus]

Disclaimer: English is not my main language...

 

Hello,

 

many people keep referring to ammonia to clean hard to clean nibs, rinse converter etc... But where do you get ammonia? Is that the same as bleach? :embarrassed_smile:

 

Hi

I spent a few years in Montreal (at McGill) and, as I recall, ammoniac wasn't hare to find at... "4 freres" or other supermarkets. If you want a very (VERY) concentrated form, go to a blueprint shop and ask for diazo (I think that's how you spell it....?)

Mompus

 

[lapis]

As to "ammonia©" solutions (window cleaners) and bleach solutions (usually hypochlorite): you can use ANY of these solutions to clean your pen....

 

As a matter of fact sometimes it is helpful to use BOTH, alternating... First A, then B, then back to A etc etc. BUT rinse out with water before changing between A and B.... AND don't mix A and B together.

 

Don't forget that chlorine as a gas was used in World War I.

 

[mowenspave]

Regarding mixing bleach (dilute sodium hypochlorite) with ammonia-containing products, you get chloramines not chlorine gas. Neither are good for your lungs.

-Mike

 

[Pippin60]

I've used plain old fashioned windex which is basically ammoina and water. Not one of the specialty cleaners just the window cleaner. Or just look in the cleaning section at the market.

[spike789]

Is there such thing as brand name ammonia?

 

In the Chicago area, Ace Hardware sells Parson's Ammonia. Another brand was Little Bo-Peep, but I don't know if that's available anymore.