Cleaning with Bioxx

[SC]

There have been two posts recently where people mentioned cleaning coins with Bioxx, a liquid biological-based cleaning product.

I was wondering what results people have had from this type of product?  What have you used it on, AEs, ARs?

I have a bottle of it I got from UK about 5 years ago (might be inactive by now).  I used back then to try to clean medieval iron spurs.  I found it did not actually do a great deal.

Shawn

[Mark Farrell]

Shawn,

I've used it, as I'm sure some others around here have. It works pretty well, especially if gently heated (dramatically improves action), but it will strip everything off the coin, including the patina. This is, after all, what it's purpose is -- to remove oxides (rust iron oxide, patina (and other stuff) copper oxide).

That said, I use it sometimes on crusties to loosen the matrix binding material to the coin. I do NOT soak the coin, but apply a bit using a small paint brush to a specific area of the coin. Wait a few minutes and then rinse it off -- it can sometimes turn the hard green stuff like malachite into a substance that is more "crunchy" and easier to remove.

I also have used it (don't tell anyone) to strip off patina that I wanted to remove (very patchy stuff that is better removed). I have also used bioxx sometimes to sort of "rinse" a coin that is being stubborn. I'll dip the coin and rub it between my fingers. I don't let it go too long or it will expose metal, but this sometimes works (I've also done the same with naval jelly, but you have to be careful with that stuff).

Who else has used it and how???

Mark

[awl]

Shawn,

I've used it, as I'm sure some others around here have. It works pretty well, especially if gently heated (dramatically improves action), but it will strip everything off the coin, including the patina. This is, after all, what it's purpose is -- to remove oxides (rust iron oxide, patina (and other stuff) copper oxide).

That said, I use it sometimes on crusties to loosen the matrix binding material to the coin. I do NOT soak the coin, but apply a bit using a small paint brush to a specific area of the coin. Wait a few minutes and then rinse it off -- it can sometimes turn the hard green stuff like malachite into a substance that is more "crunchy" and easier to remove.

I also have used it (don't tell anyone) to strip off patina that I wanted to remove (very patchy stuff that is better removed). I have also used bioxx sometimes to sort of "rinse" a coin that is being stubborn. I'll dip the coin and rub it between my fingers. I don't let it go too long or it will expose metal, but this sometimes works (I've also done the same with naval jelly, but you have to be careful with that stuff).

Who else has used it and how???

Mark

If it removes oxides, you can always re-oxidate it naturally by putting it in hydrogen peroxide.

[Mark Farrell]

I don't think hydrogen peroxide will restore a lost patina. Has anyone else had success with this? I've ususally seen just the opposite, that hydrogen peroxide can damage patina.

Mark

[awl]

I have tested hydrogen peroxide on at least 5 coins and it helped the patina on every one of them.

The process is quite simple. Hydrogen peroxide it one of the best oxidizers known. And it produces lots of oxygen which reacts with the bronze. This is EXACTLY how patina is formed. The only difference is that the hydrogen peroxide speeds up the process.

Unless you use 90% hydrogen peroxide which is used for rocket fuel, hydrogen peroxide it one of the safest coin cleaners around.

Even olive olive and distilled water have a lower pH, which mean they are a stronger acid.

The hydrogen peroxide's is just under 7.

Olive is 5.88

Distilled water is 6.00, people often think it is 0, but when the distilled water reacts with the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is makes it a mild acid. That is how it cleans the coins.