25: Rust into the Limelight
Our daily life is full of weird, gross things. Waterproof speakers that aren’t, it turns out, so waterproof. A laptop that, when exposed to the harsh light of a coffee shop destroys what a grimy person you really are. A phone that’s so greasy it looks like your fingers are actually made of pizza. Today we dive into the dirt of the mundane (title of my next memoir), as well as some slightly more niche cleaning queries.
Specifically, an occupational hazard familiar to radio professionals, podcasters, and people whose friends have podcasts that they keep getting invited to.
As we mentioned on the show, here are some visuals and links.
First, listener Allie was burned by a speaker that was ALLEGEDLY waterproof. Instead, it attempted to fuse to her shower wall.
Here’s the ingredient list of Iron OUT Rust Stain Remover that Andrew read:
Sodium hydrosulfite: Water-soluble salt often used in dyes)
Sodium carbonate : AKA washing soda, soda ash, and soda crystals, which are used in detergents
Sodium metabisulfite: Hazardous substance with a “light odor of rotten eggs. It is used as a preservative in pharmaceuticals and foods.”Citric Acid: Aka lemon juice aka The Best Cleaning Ingredient
Sodium sulfite: Water-soluble salt of sulfuric acid that’s used as a preservative to prevent dried fruit from discoloring, and for preserving meats, in photography and for reducing chlorine levels in pools.
Rust is a tricky mistress with regard to cleaning; because it’s often a combination of hard water deposits (which are minerals) and oxidized metal, you need to get all the way into the object you’re trying to clean. For a really effective DIY cleaner, then, add either salt or baking soda to a liquid like lemon juice or vinegar. The slightly abrasive nature, combined with the ability to penetrate, should help.
As promised, here’s a photo that Friend of the Show Rachel took of me showing up at her door to clean her couch:
Here are a couple of other things mentioned in the show:
CASTILE SOAP. ALWAYS AND FOREVER.
Scope v Listerine: A battle for the ages! Before you soak your pop-guard in mouthwash, read up on what king will work best.
Artistic representation of Andrew looking at his Dyson.
Regrettably, we do not have a video clip to share of Happy Birthday Mr. Monk, but rest assured, we were tough but fair.
Listener Danae wrote in to talk about things that look clean enough, even if they’re not. Her mom was the one who spot-tested the linoleum to make sure it would adequately conceal her family’s exact kind of ick. This entire story was amazing, but it also brought up an important question: If you menstruate, do you use THINX? How do you clean them?
Or maybe you’re a Guy With A Good Attitude Toward Menstruation?
And finally, here’s a photo I took of Andrew’s floor when I was at his place to record this episode. His landlord did not, most likely, go to the lengths that Danae’s did, but it does hide the filth to a considerable degree.
As always, we love to hear from you! Send us an email, follow us on Twitter (@SpotlessPod), or call the Spotline: 508-HOW-WASH. We quite literally can’t do the show without you.