Vinegaroon Worries

[rcasimir]

I'm working on my first batch of vinegaroon and, unfortunately, some soap fell into it. I did the best i could to filter it out and try again but the batch now has a greenish color. Should i toss it and make a new batch or wait a few days?

I just made it today a couple of hours ago and i don't want to waste time on a failed batch.

I'm trying to dye a full length trench coat. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[groovytech]

Toss it, and start over. Better luck this time.

[rcasimir]

Are you absolutely sure? I just took a whiff of it and it has a vinegar smell.

[camano ridge]

The only problem I could see from th soap is if it had a ph above 8. Neutral range for PH is 6-8. If the soaps PH is high enough and you got enough inthe mix it could change the PH of the vinegar mix and make it less effective. If you Know the brand of soap pull up the MSDS (material safety data sheet) on the computer. It will show the PH. Thatwould be the only concern Icould see. If you have the ability to test the PH (ph strips commonly sold for pool supplies) if the mix still shows a PH of 2-3 you are good to go. As an example Dial liquid soap has a PH of 5.8-6.9 that pretty much puts it in the neutral range and a little on the acidic side. It would have a negligable effect on the vinegaroon. There actually is an advantage to the soap in that soap is a surfactant and will allow easier penetraion of the liwuid into the laeather. Otherwise dump the batch out rinse the steel wool of good.Then start over. Vinegar is cheap. It will take you a couple of weeks to get a good batch of vinegaroon.

Edited January 13, 2015 by camano ridge

[rcasimir]

my bad, it was ultra downy fabric softener and the ph is 2.5 - 3.1.

and i'm going to buy some hydrogen peroxide because i read that it speeds up the chemical reaction.

[camano ridge]

That surprises me as vinegar is in the 2-3 range did not realize downy would be so acidic. As long as it is acidic it should not be a problem. The vinegar disolves the steel wool to form Ferric acatate. THe soap should not interfere with that process.

[rcasimir]

thank goodness for that. How will I know it's still acidic?

[camano ridge]

What I meant is that both the vinegar and the downy are acidic neither are a base/alkaline so there should be no change to the PH. Neutralization or raising th PH would only occur if you were adding a base/alkaline. My only concern would be adding the hydrogen peroxide. I do not know if there is anything in the fabrissoftner that would react with the fabric softner. You never said how much you got in the roon.

[rcasimir]

it couldn't have been more than a tablespoon of fabric softener. And what I meant to say is what are warning signs that I should watch out for in the next few days? I heard that the acid in the roon can run out before it's ready.

[camano ridge]

Just watch for the steel wool to disolve and keep adding wool until it does not dissolve any more. Have some scrap leather test strips handy. I don't know how quickly the hydrogen peroxide speeds things up I don't use it and try to avoid using chemicals if I can. So I just wait for mine. However if you do use the hydrogen peroxide wait a few days stick a piece of leather in the roon if it starts to change color you are on your way. Not sure what you mean by run out a standard bottle of vinegar will give you roon. When you do use the vinegroon make sure you give your leather a quick soda bath to neutralize the acid. I have been makinf vinegaroon and have never had a problem getting a good batch. Did you make sure to clean your steel wool either by burning or with acetone.

Edited January 14, 2015 by camano ridge