Good day all , we had a chemical leakage (about 3 l) in our shop. The vapour from this has discoloured the table on my bridgeport clone, .This stain comes off with tons of elbow grease and a cloth soaked in diesel . Would it be okay to use a scotch-brite pad (the ones for pots) to clean the table?
It depends on the chemical, of course: if some fumes may have condensed on the cold metal, it could benefit from a water
rinse or sponge-wipe, followed by blowing dry and immediately wiping down with oily rag.
If 'tons of elbow grease' is required, diesel is probably NOT dissolving a residue, and another solvent
(water, alcohol, maybe acetone) might be worth testing with.
Yes, of course a scotchbrite pad is useful (there are pads for metal finishing that are more
abrasive, like <
https://www.mcmaster.com/#nonwoven-abrasives/=19djfc4>), or steel wool.
Some chemicals (nitric acid, ferric chloride, chlorine bleach, oxalates etc.) can cause
accelerated rusting, it's important to remove 'em and apply a bit of oil or wax because
a pit can form (and attract moisture and promote rusting). Abrasives remove protective
oxide layer (black iron oxide) but it grows back in a few days, which inhibits brown rust.
It'd be a good time to examine lubricants, too (if it discolored metal, did it harm grease?).