Cleaning solution for welding table

Hi, the cleaning document only mentions ‘solution.’ What are we using? I’m happy to bring my own, unless it’s something really specialized. Please advise.

Tagging some people who would know best on whether there should be something specific for this table or if the standard cleaning spray we have in the shop is fine. I’m not knowledgable about this particular area of the shop, so deferring to other’s expertise here. @safety @EricP @mrflip @kye

It’sa solution that doesn’t have water in it so it doesn’t cause rust, that’s all! There should be a bottle of it on the metal shop table or on a separate table next to the entrance. I can double check the name when I’m there next.
So glad you are getting back in the shop, Laura!!

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Thanks! I’ll look around more carefully next time I’m in. Only saw hand sanitizer and Lysol. Maybe the Lysol is okay? I’ll check into that.

Let me check in with @JoeN about this! I have a feeling he knows all.

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I will look at adding an alcohol spray for the table. I don’t want to introduce rust. I think I will make a small space for the spray just outside of the curtain for fire safety – please be sure not to leave the spray in the metal shop itself.

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Yeah the quat sanitizer is mostly water. It’s proven effective on coronavirus. But I have concerns about its rust potential (and if it’s even necessary to prevent coronavirus spread) on exposed steel like the bandsaw, planer, jointer, table saw, and welding tables.

On the other hand, alcohol brings considerable questions about fire hazard, and that’s especially a concern with any sprayed application or around an ignition source such as welding. Also, health hazards. I think isopropyl isn’t going to be acceptable for that reason. Isopropyl is a respiratory irritant and is toxic overall, it’s not a big deal in typical use, but used for sanitizing across large areas really changes that for both local exposure and the VOCs in the building. There is ethanol, it may have fewer health hazard questions, but still high on flammability risk.

Is there a rust problem actively going on? I don’t think we need to worry a lot about creating a problem that we won’t see until it’s “done damage”. That is, if we start to have a rust problem, we’d see it, we can clean the existing problem easily enough, and look at alternative cleaners so it doesn’t reoccur.