What is Bar Keepers Friend made out of?
Bar Keepers Friend's seemingly magic powers come courtesy of its main ingredient, oxalic acid. This natural substance attacks rust, lime, tarnish and other stains on a molecular level, breaking the bonds holding them together to eliminate all trace. It works on multiple surfaces, too.
Is Bar Keepers Friend safe to use?
BKF is not harmful to the skin during casual use. However, gloves are recommended for prolonged use or sensitive skin. The oxalic acid in BKF is mild, but it may irritate sensitive skin and will sting in any open wound (similar to lemon juice on a cut).
Is Bar Keepers Friend toxic to inhale?
What is this? The harmful effects of oxalic acid in Bar Keepers Friend present themselves if it is ingested or inhaled. Breathing it in can cause upper respiratory tract irritation which mostly means it may lead to a cough, shortness of breath, or a sore throat.
What is the acid in Bar Keepers Friend?
Bar Keepers Friends has been going strong since 1882, and there are several good reasons why. One being that BKF contains Oxalic Acid. For more than 138 years, the recipe for BKF's core product has remained remarkably similar.
Is Bar Keepers Friend just baking soda?
Is this stuff just baking soda in disguise? (It is not.) It's an entirely different chemical, oxalic acid, and it is hardcore. While my interactions with human beings have withered and my home bar-keeping has skyrocketed, I'm spending more and more time with Bar Keepers Friend.
What should you not use Bar Keepers Friend on?
Here are some surfaces that aren't compatible with Bar Keepers Friend: gold, silver, pewter, marble, lacquered metals, anodized aluminum, mirrored surfaces, granite, colored grout, lacquered surfaces, silver (other than sterling silver), fabric, wood, leather, polished stone, cast iron, and marble.
What happens if you get Bar Keepers Friend on your hands?
Always protect your hands Think about it: If Bar Keepers Friend can remove buildups from calcium, lime, rust, and hard water stains, just imagine what it can do to your hands. The active ingredient in Bar Keepers Friend is oxalic acid, which can cause skin and eye irritation (via NJ Department of Health).
Can Bar Keepers Friend go down the drain?
Sprinkle Bar Keepers Friend on everything you wish to clean, sink, faucet, drain, etc.
Is Bar Keepers Friend the same as Ajax?
So, How is Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser Different From Comet & Ajax? BKF is the #1 non-bleach Cleanser in the market today. The most significant differences between BKF Cleanser and Comet or Ajax is 1) the absence of bleach AND our use of oxalic acid, 2) the quality of “scrubber” used, and 3) the detergents used.
What is the difference between Bon Ami and Bar Keepers Friend?
The key difference between the brands is that Bar Keepers Friend products are more abrasive and potent than Bon Ami. What is this? Also, Bon Ami's powders feature a finer grit than Bar Keepers Friend, making them safer for use on sensitive surfaces such as non-stick pans or induction cooktops.
Is Bar Keepers Friend toxic to dogs?
You can use our products on dog kennels, pet crates, and pet playpens. You can clean your pet stroller, harness, and even the bridle! Yes, cleaning pet areas with BKF works! Whether your pet product is stainless steel, porcelain, or glass, BKF can safely clean it.
How is Bar Keepers Friend different from comet?
Bar Keepers Friend is safe on glass and ceramic tiles, but Comet is not. Both brands contain granules and are abrasive cleaners, but the granules in Comet are larger and more likely to scratch surfaces. Bar Keepers Friend is an acidic cleaner, whereas Comet is a bleach-based cleaner.
Can Bar Keepers Friend go down the drain?
Sprinkle Bar Keepers Friend on everything you wish to clean, sink, faucet, drain, etc.
How do I get rid of Bar Keepers Friend residue?
Soaking overnight in pure vinegar, then scrubbing with a washcloth. Boiling 1 part vinegar, 3 parts water, then scrubbing with a washcloth.
Is Comet and Bar Keepers Friend the same thing?
The primary difference between Bar Keepers Friend and Comet's ingredients is that Bar Keepers Friend is acid-based, while Comet is bleach-based. Oxalic acid is the main ingredient in Bar Keepers Friend, and Comet's main ingredient is trichloroisocyanuric acid (bleaching agent).
How do I get rid of Bar Keepers Friend?
Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser & Polish may be disposed of in household garbage.
Who makes bar keepers friend?
In the 1950s the product became the base of a line of cleaning products made by Indianapolis-based SerVaas Laboratories, which started producing and carrying products under the Bar Keepers Friend brand name. Additional products manufactured and marketed under the Bar Keepers Friend brand name include liquid, cream and spray cleaners.
How many cans of Bar Keepers friend are made?
In September 2016, the canned powdered product was manufactured at a rate of approximately 60,000 cans per day, which are packaged in 12, 15 and 21 ounce cans.
What does the bar keepers friend logo mean?
The Bar Keepers Friend logo represents the swinging doors of a saloon. According to the president of SerVaas Laboratories, Paul SerVaas, although some people complained during Prohibition, "the name was never changed. It's been Bar Keepers Friend since 1882".
What are the ingredients in a sandbox?
Active ingredients. According to the 2015 material safety data sheet, the ingredients are feldspar, linear sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (DDBSA) and oxalic acid. Prolonged use and extended skin contact may cause irritation, peeling and contact dermatitis, which is avoided by wearing gloves.
Where is Bar Keepers friend made?
The original canned scouring powder product has been manufactured and sold since 1882. It was invented by a chemist in Indianapolis, Indiana, where it continues to be manufactured by SerVaas Laboratories.
Can Bar Keepers friend be used on real marble?
While recommending Bar Keepers Friend for a variety of household cleaning uses, author Heather Solos warned that it should not be used to clean silverware, pewter or real marble. The product serves to make stainless steel resistant to oxidation via the process of passivation and can remove rust on stainless steel.
What is Oxalic Acid?
Oxalic Acid is a white crystalline solid and strong organic acid that naturally occurs in many known fruits and vegetables such as rhubarb (like George William Hoffman discovered), spinach, beet leaves, swiss chard, and more.
How is Oxalic Acid Made?
Oxalic acid can be made and extracted in a number of different ways. Like our friend George William Hoffman, you can boil and extract the organic compound from rhubarb leaves, or any of the fruits and veggies mentioned above. Other chemists have opted to use nothing more than sugar and nitric acid to create it.
What can Bar Keepers friend do?
Bar Keepers Friend can tackle mineral deposits on the shower door, rust on the grill, crayon marks on your painted walls, and so much more. It certainly does belong in every cleaning caddy and is worth considering for messes in rooms throughout the house.
Can you use Bar Keepers friend on stainless steel?
Don’t use it on stainless appliances without knowing this fact first. Bar Keepers Friend can remove rust, and this includes those irritating marks on your stainless steel refrigerator. Just know that Bar Keepers Friend can compromise the coating that minimizes fingerprints.
Is it safe to mix bar keepers friend with bleach?
Mixing cleaning products is always dangerous, and this bears repeating when discussing what not to do with Bar Keepers Friend. In particular, when Bar Keepers Friend, an acid, is mixed with bleach, toxic chlorine gas fumes are produced. Use Bar Keepers Friend alone, and rinse any areas you used it on before using any other cleaners in the same spot.
Is Bar Keepers friend safe?
In addition to making sure you’re not inhaling it, it’s important to protect your hands by wearing gloves. 4. Don’t actually use it on everything.
Can you leave Bar Keepers friend on too long?
Leaving the product on too long can cause discoloration on some surfaces, so don’t take a chance with this one. Use a timer and be sure to rinse it off once it’s worked its magic. 2. Don’t use it without getting it wet. Bar Keepers Friend in classic powder form allows users the flexibility of adjusting the ratio of cleanser to water, ...
What is the main ingredient in Bar Keepers friend?
The main active ingredient in Bar Keepers Friend is Oxalic acid. This is the kind of stuff you find in rhubarb, spinach, and other vegetables. This helps you to achieve that deep clean, and remove the stains with a history with ease. It makes Bar Keepers Friend less harsh and biodegradable as well.
How to clean dishes with Bar Keepers friend?
Ensure you get the best of what your washer has to offer by giving it consistent wipes with Bar Keepers Friend. Remove residual oil stains, food, and general debris with the help of a washcloth and then set it to rinse to get even the smallest of scrap left behind.
Can Bar Keepers friend be used on glass top tables?
However, do keep in mind that it cannot be used for polishing wooden surfaces, and must be kept away from any wooden panels present.
Can Bar Keepers friend be used on wood?
However, do keep in mind that it cannot be used for polishing wooden surfaces, and must be kept away from any wooden panels present. 8. Faucets And Taps.
Can you beat Bar Keepers friend?
For cleaning porcelain and ceramic tiles, nothing can beat the Bar Keepers Friend in a scrub-down competition. Be it bathroom floors or kitchen walls, grime and dirt are easily washed away with a little soap and a handy scrub brush.
Learn how to use Bar Keepers Friend in ways you'd never thought of before, including cleaning rusty tools, removing a stubborn toilet ring and more!
Go-to cleaning product Bar Keepers Friend (BKF) has developed a cult following, and with good reason. The inexpensive powdered cleaner invented by chemist George William Hoffman in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1882, can do much more than polish brass bar fixtures — the job it was originally marketed to do.
What Is Bar Keepers Friend Made Of?
Bar Keepers Friend’s seemingly magic powers come courtesy of its main ingredient, oxalic acid. This natural substance attacks rust, lime, tarnish and other stains on a molecular level, breaking the bonds holding them together to eliminate all trace. It works on multiple surfaces, too.
How To Use Bar Keepers Friend
Our cleaning experts suggest mixing the powder with water to create a paste, then wiping it off after a brief period. Extended contact can damage finishes.
Ways To Use Bar Keepers Friend
Read on for a host of ways to put this hardworking, inexpensive helper to good use all over your home. A few caveats before you start: Wear gloves, don’t mix with other cleaning products, and always test in an inconspicuous spot first.
What is bar keepers friend?
Use Bar Keepers Friend to remove scuffs and marks from your countertops. We use it religiously to keep our bright white countertops at the studio clean. Nothing else works quite as well to keep them shiny, clean, and mark-free!
Can you clean a stainless steel sink with Bar Keepers friend?
You don’t know how clean your stainless steel or porcelain sink can look until you’ve cleaned it with Bar Keepers Friend. It erases scuffs, scratches, and residues with easy, leaving you with a shockingly clean sink!
Can you use Bar Keepers friend on a car?
It might sound strange, but you can actually use Bar Keepers Friend to erase small scratches and marks on your car. It works similarly to those polishing compounds you can get at auto supply stores. Just use a small amount, and make sure to wipe up any leftover cleaner afterwards!
Can Bar Keepers friend remove grease from pans?
You know that burnt, cooked-on layer of grime that clings to the bottom of your pots and pans? Bar Keepers Friend can remove that stubborn grime, no sweat! Your pans will look as clean as the day you bought them. I decided to just clean a small spot on the bottom of this frying pan so you really see the difference. I let the soft scrub sit on this pan for a few minutes. All of that grime came off with virtually no scrubbing!
Summary
Bar Keepers Friend is an American brand of mass-produced cleaning agents. The original canned scouring powder product has been manufactured and sold since 1882. It was invented by a chemist in Indianapolis, Indiana, where it continues to be manufactured by SerVaas Laboratories. The canned product's primary active ingredient is oxalic acid. Bar Keepers Friend has various cleaning uses.
Overview
Bar Keepers Friend was originally manufactured in 1882 as a cleaning agent in powdered form. This formulation is still manufactured today. It was invented by chemist George William Hoffman in Indianapolis, Indiana. The product was originally sold to bars in Indianapolis and Hoffman asserted in a patent application that the name had been used since January, 1887. The formula contains oxalic acid as a primary ingredient.
Production
Bar Keepers Friend products are mass-produced in a manufacturing environment that has significant automation in the process. The powdered and canned (original) product is formulated in separate two-ton batches during the production process. In September 2016, the canned powdered product was manufactured at a rate of approximately 60,000 cans per day, which are packa…
Active ingredients
According to the 2015 material safety data sheet, the ingredients are feldspar, linear sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (DDBSA) and oxalic acid. Prolonged use and extended skin contact may cause irritation, peeling and contact dermatitis, which is avoided by wearing gloves. The product can also be an eye irritant.
Performance and uses
In 1994, Consumer Reports found Bar Keepers Friend to perform on a par with Mr. Clean for removing baked-on soil, tea stains and other pot stains, and that it was better at removing rust. While recommending Bar Keepers Friend for a variety of household cleaning uses, author Heather Solos warned that it should not be used to clean silverware, pewter or real marble.
The product serves to make stainless steel resistant to oxidation via the process of passivation an…
See also
• List of cleaning products
Further reading
• Hibbs, Bill (January 17, 2009). "Bar Keepers Friend is also bathtub pal". St. Louis Post Dispatch. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
• "Bar Keepers Friend". Indiana Business Magazine. April 1, 1994. Archived from the original on March 1, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2012. (subscription required)
External links
• Official website
• Pollard, Garland (December 6, 2008). "Bar Keepers Friend, One of Many Great Hoosier Brands". BrandlandUSA. Retrieved July 6, 2012.