Stem bleaching question.

[simong]

After reading about cleaning stems with bleach, I decided to give it a go, with mixed results. Placed 6 stems in a cup. Half bleach/half tap water.

Left to soak overnight. Two came out good as new, the remaining 4 were left with a white blanched look. No amount of rubbing with stem polish seems to make any difference whatsoever.

Tried bleaching them again, same results. This happened to anyone here? Thanks in advance of any replies. Simon.

 

[ejames]

Before you bleach stems wipe them down with alcohol to clean off any waxes or oils left from handling. I use a fairly large container and suspend the stem in the bleach using a pipe cleaner. It seems to me that the quality of the rubber has a lot to do with what they look like when removed from the bleach. Good rubber will come out with a sort of satin look to them,cheap rubber stems sometimes look as if they were sandblasted. A lot of cheap stems will have impurities in the rubber which can increase the pitting or show up as speckles after sanding and buffing. Cover all metal parts with Vaseline. Plastic inlays generally won't be affected by the bleach. As Whitewolf said,any rubber stem that has been bleached will need to be shined up,some requiring more work than others. Rinse the stem with cool warm water and soap and pipe cleaners to remove bleach. Do not use hot water on a rubber stem.

Unless the stem is heavily oxidized there is no need to use the bleach. Wet sanding with Micro Mesh or a good wet/dry sandpaper will do the job.

 

[stvalentine]

I am not particular fond of using other "chemicals" than alcohol on stems. The composition of stems seems to vary so much that you get much varied results.

 

[pagan]

Clean/rub toothpaste with micro fiber pads or a Mister Clean Magic Eraser, then rub down with mineral oil then polish with a buffing wheel and Carnuba wax, that's how I do it

 

[theloniousmonkfish]

Are you bleaching to remove oxidation?

 

[simong]

Thankyou chaps for your help, the stems are all now looking very smart.

Glad I asked for guidance as the only things I could find in my shed, were an angle grinder & some black boot polish. Deciding to leave them aside & take your advice, I went out & got some fine wet & dry & food grade mineral oil. Stems looking very sleek & sexy, not to mention a lot cleaner inside & out, after a sustained bleaching! Thanks again boys. Special thanks to @ejames. I remember you helping out the last time I posed a question. Much appreciated! Sorry to hear about you having to give up the pipe. Hopefully you'll start to feel the benefits of not smoking soon. Kind regards, Simon.