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Thank you, THANK you for whoever come up with Simple Green
Oh my gosh, ever since I read a thread about how to clean the stamps, I use Simply Green now on! It's the best when it comes to cleaning off the badly stained stamps. I buy most stamps used and I am very anal. Wow! Simple Green is the BEST!!! All of my not so new stamps look BRAND new now! Amazing!
Yeah now I am hooked on Simply Green and I don't even bother to use the regular stamp cleaner any more. The only downside of Simply Green is the smell. I hate the smell. But hey I prefer perfectly cleaned stamps over mildly stained stamps!
I just got some yesterday and holy moly this bottle with last me forever since it has to be diluted and it's huge, but it would cost me more in gas to go looking for a smaller bottle. I'll make DH use it for tires too or stamp a whole lot.
I don't mind the smell.
I have a question, how do you use the Simple Green? Do you spray it on the stamp, or on a rag, or on a scrub? We always have simple green around as DH swears by it. It comes in wipes too...but don't know how they would work on stamps.
It was just kinda expensive at the grocery (as most things like that are)...so thanks for the tip!
What I got was a 1.18 liter spray bottle and it tells you the ratio to dilute it...for $3.97.
I asked DH why they sell it in a spray bottle if it has to be diluted and he said "that's a good question"!
You've got my attention! Does simple green condition the rubber on your stamps? Will it dry them out? Sounds like a good thing to use as long as it doesn't hurt the rubber. Has anyone used it long enough to know?
When we bought our new home many years ago, the painter would not paint the walls until we washed them with Simple Green. At the time we had to buy it at a janitorial supply store. And you're right, it will last forever because the store folks warned me to properly dilute because if you don't add enough water, they said, the product won't work as it should. You can use it to clean just about everything, I think. And one final perk is that it's environmentally friendly. I wondered, too, though: does it condition the stamps?
Simple Green is great! I dropped a Stazon pad on my pants and so I sprayed the spot with Simple Green and let it soak and then washed in the washer and it all came out!! There is not a stain or anything left. Sure saved that outfit!
OK, I'm also curious if it is OK to use on our rubber stamps. I don't want to do anything to harm them. I'm a little leary to try something after taking advice about Ultra Clean. It works pretty good but not as well as I had hoped and it leaves a kind of oily residue on my stamps so I really have to scrub them.
I asked DH why they sell it in a spray bottle if it has to be diluted and he said "that's a good question"!
...and here's an answer!
Spray Bottle - Why do you put Simple Green in a spray bottle if it can't be used straight from the bottle?
Rather than only putting Simple Green in a refill container (which is also available), we wanted to give you this sprayer to enhance cleaning. It is a unique, reusable sprayer specifically designed to be used with our product. It disperses Simple Green in droplet form instead of creating an atomized mist like most sprayers. This gives better product-to-surface contact and reduces incidence of inhaling Simple Green. *Tip: You can utilize empty water bottles (with label removed and marked "Simple Green") to hold the full-strength Simple Green and then dilute back into the spray bottle. Water bottles with the "sports cap" (drinking cap) are particularly handy for making dilutions in the spray bottle.
In checking out their website, http://consumer.simplegreen.com/ , I didn't find anything that said it couldn't be used on rubber. I also didn't find anything that said it has conditioners in it, just that it's safe to use on washable surfaces (but "do not use on leather, suede, pearls, opals, plastic vehicle instrument panels, or non-washable surfaces.") Ingredients - What are the ingredients in Simple Green?
All-Purpose Simple Green is made of water, surfactants (surface-active-agents), wetting agents, emulsifiers, green colorant and fragrance. Simple Green does not contain chlorine (bleach), ammonia, formaldehyde or petroleum distillates.
So ya got that info...I'm thinking an occasional swipe with a diluted solution would probably be okay, but I probably wouldn't use it all the time. I'd probably do a quick pat onto my Versamark after the Simple Green, and call my stamps clean...
__________________ jeanne my little gallery --it's a happy place for me!
"Rubber stamping is like coloring for grown-ups!"
I have the oily problem with the Stazon remover too....Simple Green seems to be doing just peachy on the stamps tho. I can't answer the question about conditioning, because I don't really know....but I do know that it gets them really clean and them I scrub them with SU stampin mist afterwards to condition them.
You can add a few drops of glycerin to your mixture to condition your stamps. I've done it, and it works great with the Simple Green. You can also use baby wash as it's very gentle, but Simple Green cleans better. Also add glycerin to the baby wash.
Actually ladies, I don't think the rubber stamp industry wants us to find a reasonably priced product to clean stamps with. You see this way they can charge and outrages price for this little tiny bottle and make us feel like were doing a good thing for our rubber stamps and make a fortune at the same time.
They use Simple Green on tires and then we get in that vehicle and drive....does that sound safe if it does damage to rubber.
I agree with stampinchicago a buy a bottle of glycerin to add a few drops to the solution, it can’t hurt anything.
Jenne, I don't know if this is true but when I first came to this site there was thread saying not to leave VersaMark on the rubber because it could damage it. Once again...who is right!
You can add a few drops of glycerin to your mixture to condition your stamps. I've done it, and it works great with the Simple Green. You can also use baby wash as it's very gentle, but Simple Green cleans better. Also add glycerin to the baby wash.
I like this idea, and I even have 2 bottles of glycerin!
Quote by Rox71 :
"Jeanne, I don't know if this is true but when I first came to this site there was thread saying not to leave VersaMark on the rubber because it could damage it. Once again...who is right!"
Glycerin in the spray would eliminate this concern! According to the Tsukineko webpage for Versamark, it does say to clean stamps soon after use. I also called my LSS (Jane's Craft Studio), and she had never heard of using VM to condition stamps and said she wouldn't do it herself...
I guess it's up to each stamper! I just may stick to the Stampin' Mist and not worry about all this!
__________________ jeanne my little gallery --it's a happy place for me!
"Rubber stamping is like coloring for grown-ups!"
Rox71, I agree with you about the cost of stamp cleaner. How many things that are available for cheap in everyday life, become EXTREMELY expensive when packaged for stamping/scrapbooking purposes!
The tire example was a good one, I wouldn't drive on anything that was deteriorating, so Simple Green can't be all bad for stamps.
Ladies -
Just wanted to let you know I passed this thread onto my brother, who happens to be the VP of sales for Simple Green's retail division. I think the use of SG on rubber stamps was a new use for them to hear about!
Have to agree with whoever posted about the scent. I find I can't use Simple Green in smaller, less ventilated areas just because I don't like the smell. There are several different versions of the product, including an anti-bacterial I believe.
The first time I heard about " Simple Green' was on the Dr Phil show....Robin sent a grocery list with Dr Phil to do the shopping, and he headed to the produce section to find this...he didn't know about it at all, and Robin SWEARS by this brand of cleaner ! The ladies in produce had to help him out and tell him where to find it ...teehee
Have to agree with whoever posted about the scent. I find I can't use Simple Green in smaller, less ventilated areas just because I don't like the smell.
Just a note � watch which one you buy. I have Simple Green and Simple Green Auto. I bought the Auto by accident. It is a different formulation. I haven�t checked to see if it works the same as the original, but I can�t stand the smell of the basic and hate the Auto�s smell. Now the SG Auto is in the garage, where it belongs.
As for the original, it is the best for getting grease off of your stove top and microwave!! I even spilled a whole thing of melted butter on a pair of silk pants. I sprayed them down with SG and threw them in the laundry. No butter stains!
Since I use SG for more than stamping, I buy the gallon at Sam�s and just refill my bottle. I�ve even gotten grease out of carpeting with it (DH works in a tool shop and didn�t know he had black grease on his shoes � icky)
Oh, and I�ve discovered I am naughty � I use SG almost straight up!!! *Gasp* LOL And I�ve been stamping for 3+ years and using SG straight that entire time. My stamps are perfectly fine, not dried out at all. I mist my stamp n scrub with water than a couple shots of SG. I�ll have to try diluting it to see if it works even better. Maybe this is why is was foaming on me so much when I scrub�.
(I do love Ultra Clean, but, use SG most)
__________________ ~Barbara
Wife to the most wonderful man in the world - he sits through all my "look what I made!" sessions!
Oh, I so miss the edit button!! :oops: I edited my post below. I kinda like the original SG scent, do not like the sent of the SG Auto. Sorry...:(
Quote:
Originally Posted by Palapala
Just a note � watch which one you buy. I have Simple Green and Simple Green Auto. I bought the Auto by accident. It is a different formulation. I haven�t checked to see if it works the same as the original, but I can stand the smell of the basic and hate the Auto�s smell. Now the SG Auto is in the garage, where it belongs.
As for the original, it is the best for getting grease off of your stove top and microwave!! I even spilled a whole thing of melted butter on a pair of silk pants. I sprayed them down with SG and threw them in the laundry. No butter stains!
Since I use SG for more than stamping, I buy the gallon at Sam�s and just refill my bottle. I�ve even gotten grease out of carpeting with it (DH works in a tool shop and didn�t know he had black grease on his shoes � icky)
Oh, and I�ve discovered I am naughty � I use SG almost straight up!!! *Gasp* LOL And I�ve been stamping for 3+ years and using SG straight that entire time. My stamps are perfectly fine, not dried out at all. I mist my stamp n scrub with water than a couple shots of SG. I�ll have to try diluting it to see if it works even better. Maybe this is why is was foaming on me so much when I scrub�.
(I do love Ultra Clean, but, use SG most)
__________________ ~Barbara
Wife to the most wonderful man in the world - he sits through all my "look what I made!" sessions!
I love the smell of Simple Green. DH loves this stuff and we always have a good supply on hand. I don't know why I never thought to use for stamps and laundry. I will now. Maybe I'll go buy my own stash We usually get our at Lowes.
__________________ Melanie in NC -
Stamp, scrap, read, knit - all on my blog www.mholles.blogspot.com
January pages scrapped 1/10
Ladies -
Just wanted to let you know I passed this thread onto my brother, who happens to be the VP of sales for Simple Green's retail division. I think the use of SG on rubber stamps was a new use for them to hear about! Have to agree with whoever posted about the scent. I find I can't use Simple Green in smaller, less ventilated areas just because I don't like the smell. There are several different versions of the product, including an anti-bacterial I believe.
To add a small note of humor....and caution of course...
I went camping a week or so ago and Alex (one of the people I was camping with) used Simple Green as an uhm "excelerant"(sp?) to start our campfire. Not smart, I know, but it is nice and flammable.
So is Axe body spray....cause that's what he used the next night. ;)
the correct ratio for simple green as a stamp cleaner is:
1/4 c simple green
1/2 c water....distilled water is best, as it will not have any impurities.
does anyone know if this works on staz on???
Yes!!! It works on StazOn inks and pretty much anyother type of ink. I have used it on my hands to get ink off my finger. I have used this stuff for a couple of years now. Sometime I spray it on a old Washcloth and rubber my stamps on it. Kinda like a scrubber....Just a litte cheaper.
To those who don't like the smell of the green formula, I have the lemon scented simple green, and it doesn't smell bad at all. I found it at Home Depot. I think there was another type/scent too but don't recall clearly.