A while back, I bought some of those Clorox disinfecting wipes. They come in a plastic container sort of like baby wipes, with a snap top. Love them. I've been using them to clean up countertops in the kitchen, wipe off the coffee table, and quick clean up in the bathroom among other things. They work exceptionally well for the stove top, because whatever they're premoistened with cuts right through even the most dried on gunk.
So, getting to the "To My Horror" part, I used the last one the other day and haven't bought any more yet. Needed to clean off the coffee table in the living room, so I went back to the old way of 409 and paper towels.
To My Horror, I sprayed the table, let it soak for about 30 seconds and gave it a wipe. The paper towel turned almost black, and some sort of scummy stuff balled up on the table. Ick.
I don't know whether those wipes leave some sort of residue that I wasn't aware of until now or what. I tried spraying down the table again, and after going through half a dozen paper towels and spray multiple times, I gave up and got a bucket of water with Dawn.
I had to scrub the damn table with a Scotch brite scouring pad for 20 minutes to get the nast off. I wonder what else I've scummified by using those wipes. I think I used them most often on the coffee table, so maybe that's where all the build-up is. I can only hope and pray.
So, word to the wise about those handy-dandy wipes. They're only disinfecting by sealing the germies in.
Oct.16.03 at 4:00 PM
Mom writes:
Is that the problem or were those Clorox wipes somehow dissolving some part of the surface and leaving you with something that another cleaner would remove.
That's pretty bad. I'd read the box on those wipes again. No telling what else you'll have a problem with.
Mom writes:
Good thing you got that cleaned up before Nana gets there on the weekend.
tim writes:
Nothing can destroy or ruin that coffee table. NOTHING. It will survive a Nuclear Meltdown IN THE LIVING ROOM.
In that charred, brave, new world Cockaroaches will herald it as their God.
diane writes:
Funny you should mention and that I forgot to mention, a while back we took the top off that table to see what was underneath. It appears that what is now the top was added to the original table. Underneath the heavy formica top, there's a thin layer of some sort of laminate material, not quite like linoleum, but I don't know what to call it. Looks like it could have been an outdoor table, really 50's chic. Then someone decided to "update" the look. No clues as to when the formica top might have been added.
Someday I plan to remove the formica and put a tile & grout top on the original frame.
tim writes:
Oh, so it will crumble and break like the other tile top table you have?
Don't you see!? In the event of a Nuclear disaster in Savannah you could merely stop, drop and roll under that table and be perfectly fine! Now, you'll just be another mutant.
Ma' writes:
Yeah, I vote for the clorox disolving stuff explanation...
...One night many years ago I put a hefty hank of hair in a half cup of clorox to see what it would do...came back in the morning and there was not a hint left of the hair...Dissolved in less than 10 hours! Strong Stuff!