Australia's Science Forum

Hi all,
Does anyone have any hints for cleaning wax from beakers? Got a stack headed for the bin!
Regards, Ellice.

I pick off the main bits by hand or metal spatula then run them through the dishwasher.
It must be hot enough as it removes the residue, glassware is clean!

Really hot water??? Guessing you don't have a dishwasher, but if you did I'd say put them in on the hottest setting and let it do all the work! Do you have many? Maybe you can put them in a saucepan (or equivalent) full of water on a hotplate and boil them a few at a time... just a thought - I've never tried it myself.

Soak overnight ( or longer ) in hot water with Sonex detergent then rinse and let dry.
Usually does the trick for me

Removed some wax crayon graffiti today with mineral turps. So before I got on line to write this tried mineral turps on candle wax drips in one of my plastic icecream containers. The turps was reasonably effective in lifting the wax. So if you scrape off what you can then hit it with turps and then finish with a hot wash you might not have to throw out your beakers.
Lyn.

Thats why I use metal beakers that way I keep them for all to use no washing up and just keep the in the store room till needed

Put them in the freezer then just break the wax off. A bit time consuming but works .

KIMMY

What's the prac that creates this problem anyway? I don't know that we do it... And where do you get metal beakers from?

Thanks for all the tips. The turps worked well. The prac we do is for Yr7, Conducting Heat. You have a metal, glass and plastic rod with the ends coated in wax, and up ended in a beaker of water, which is heated over a bunsen. The water boils, and you see when the wax starts running down each one as they heat up. Unfortunately you end up with beakers coated in wax!
Take care all, during these days of swine and dozes!
Ellice.

Isnt easier to use conductivity rods with the wax pellets on the end?

You can do it with butter or copha as well - greasy but not as difficult, ultimately, to clean up.

They wanted to use glass, metal and plastic, so it was a bit different to the expt that has the wax on the end of the rods, and you heat them in a bunsen. But I like that idea of the butter or copha. Thanks, Smiley!
Ellice.