My cleaning solution changes color when I distill it

In summary, you made a cleaning solution that could clean anything. It was made from:-1L of 5% bleach (normal stuff at any store)-3L of 70% isopropyl alcohol-1/2 cup of dish soap-a dash of Comet-1 tablespoon of concentrated ammoniaThe solution would settle out as a cloudy yellow mixture. When stirred, it would turn green (because Comet is blue). Eventually, my cleaning solution became saturated, so you decided to recycle it by distilling it. The mixture you got back was totally different from what went in. The new cleaning solution was clear orange and had a very strong smell. It felt like IPA and dissolved isoprop
  • #1
ShawnD
Science Advisor
718
2
I made a cleaning solution that could clean anything. It was made from:
-1L of 5% bleach (normal stuff at any store)
-3L of 70% isopropyl alcohol
-1/2 cup of dish soap
-a dash of Comet
-1 tablespoon of concentrated ammonia

The solution would settle out as a cloudy yellow mixture. When stirred, it would turn green (because Comet is blue).

Eventually my cleaning solution became saturated, so I decided I would recycle it by distilling it. The mixture I got back is totally different from what went in. The new cleaning solution...
-Is clear orange
-Has a very strong smell (I smelled some 99% IPA for comparison, and this stuff is quite a bit stronger than IPA)
-Feels like IPA. It doesn't dry the way acetone does, but it doesn't bead like water.
-It instantly dissolves isopropyl palmitate, which is a good thing.


Any idea what happened here?
 
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  • #2
You put a bunch of things together that aren't compatible, they reacted with each other, you cleaned some unknown (to us) materials in it, you removed the most volatile organic fraction by distillation and sniffed it.

I'd call that a major screwup all around...

Do you know what chloramines are?
 
  • #3
The major reactants are bleach and isopropyl alcohol, which undergo the Haloform Reaction to create chloroform and acetic acid (we don't buy these because they're extremely expensive). Ammonia neutralizes the acid. This is why the solution had no smell before distilling it. The solution was yellow because of the dish soap, which would mix with comet and make a green color when stirred (change back to yellow when settled).

The wiki entry for Chloramine states "NH2Cl is a highly unstable compound in concentrated form". Distillation would certainly fit the definition of concentrated since chloramine would boil off before anything else present in the mixture.

Chloramine is green. My solution is orange.I'm thinking sodium hydroxide might have something to do with this. When buying more bleach, I noticed that Javex brand bleach also contains sodium hydroxide. Most brands do not contain sodium hydroxide, so I never really thought about what it could do.
 
  • #4
All of the sodium hypochlorite you can get your hands on has NaOH in it to some degree. I read a similar post over http://chemknowhow.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=875. There the poster didn't use the ammonia for obvious reasons.
I think that if you add NaOH to acetone you will get something orange.

I wouldn't want to make chloroform, chloramines seasoned with glove-killing acetone and IPA just to clean glassware. Sounds like a dangerous waste of time to me.
 
  • #5
Thanks for the link and narrowing down the reaction. I'm actually amused at how the other guy came to the same conclusion about the cleaning power of this orange solution :biggrin:

You're right about this being dangerous and somewhat a waste of time, but it's done in a fume hood and it's not for analytical purposes. Most of the cleaning around here is with soap and grease cleaner you can get at a local store, but certain (rare) jobs just don't clean very well, and that's where bucket chemistry comes in handy.
 
  • #6
Good for you its in a hood! I used to waste time* soaking all my glassware in KOH/IPA but found that soap worked as well for most things anyway. For nasties I would just fill the glassware with enough of a strong solvent or caustic or acid depending on the situation. For some reason I found that citric acid and Palmolive will remove almost anything I generated overnight.

* Not really a waste of time, just a waste of safety. KOH was pretty nasty. I also used to use Chromix but abandoned that pretty quickly. Also, the orange stuff might be related to an aldol product that is being produced.
 
Last edited:

1. How does distillation affect the color of my cleaning solution?

Distillation is a process that involves heating a liquid to its boiling point and then collecting the vapor that is produced. During this process, impurities and other substances are separated from the original solution, causing a change in color. This change in color can be due to the removal of colored impurities or a chemical reaction between the solution and the heat source.

2. Is it normal for my cleaning solution to change color during distillation?

Yes, it is normal for a cleaning solution to change color during distillation. This is because the process of distillation is designed to remove impurities and other substances from the original solution. These impurities can often contribute to the color of the solution, so their removal will result in a change in color.

3. What could be causing my cleaning solution to change color during distillation?

There are several factors that could be causing the color change in your cleaning solution during distillation. It could be due to the removal of impurities, a chemical reaction with the heat source, or a change in the composition of the solution itself. It is important to use high-quality ingredients and proper distillation techniques to minimize any unexpected color changes.

4. Can the color change in my cleaning solution affect its effectiveness?

In most cases, the color change in your cleaning solution should not affect its effectiveness. As long as the proper distillation process is followed and the solution is made with high-quality ingredients, the color change should not impact its cleaning abilities. However, if the color change is due to a chemical reaction, it is important to monitor the solution and stop using it if there are any signs of reduced effectiveness.

5. How can I prevent my cleaning solution from changing color during distillation?

The best way to prevent unexpected color changes during distillation is to use high-quality ingredients and follow proper distillation techniques. It is also important to monitor the solution closely and make adjustments if necessary. If the color change is due to a chemical reaction, it may be necessary to change the composition of the solution or find an alternative heat source.

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