TSP question

[feltemp68]

This may be a dumb question, but I am trying to teach myself how to do this whole cleaning thing through other folks' website instructions and don't have the luxury of apprenticing firsthand at an expert's side.  A lot of people say that a solution of TSP powder mixed with hot water is a good thing to clean oil-soaked coins in for 5-10 minutes before scrubbing and I have tried this.  In the mixtures I made, I can never really get the TSP powder to dissolve.  After 30 seconds of stirring the powder in the hot water and the coins, I end up with a little mountain of white powder dropping down to the bottom of the container and covering the coins.  Is this the way it is supposed to act?  Or am I putting too much powder in the water or not getting the water hot enough?

[Jerome Holderman]

Hmm... I have not really experienced this, The TSP usually dissolves pretty easily for me. I suspect you may be using to much and exceding the waters saturation point. I use about two teaspoons in 4-6 cups of hot tap water. The water is usually hotter than you could comfortably keep you hands in for more than a second or two.

Hope this helps?
Jerome