Light Bulb Shrimp Aquarium

Step 6 Cleaning

Take your lightbulb to the bathroom to clean it out. There is a dust in the bulb that coats the inside. To the best of my knowledge,it is non-toxic, but probobly isnt the best thing for your lungs. Fill it halfway with water, cover the stem with your thumb, give a couple good shakes, and rinse. There may be some stubborn bits that "wont come off", but you can get those easily with an old toothbrush.

Comments

[Sponzyparadox]

Umm I know this is kinda obvious, but how about just use a clear lightbulb?

[zernie]

master lurtz is right.

If you can get hold of a tiny amount of concentrated nitric acid, it works wonders on removing just about any encrusted crud from glass and ceramic. I used to use it to clean lab glassware with stubborn burnt on bits.

WARNING You don't need much. But it is extremely corrosive. Not the stuff to get on your skin or god forbid in your eyes.

[kiffer360]

I am trying this with a much larger bulb, but for some reason, the white powder is well attached to the inside of the glass. I can get it out, but that requires using a toothbrush to dislodge the dust, and the bulb is so large that the toothbrush will not reach the inside curve. I have done this before with a smaller, more normal bulb, and it worked fine. Salt, water, dish washing detergent, and airsoft bb's have all been used by me in an attempt to remove the powder, and nothing works. does anyone have any suggestions?

[sn0manX]

put salt in the water

[mg0930mg]

He said he used salt....

[minerallad]

Get some coarse-grained salt (like kosher salt), and put about a tablespoon of it in the bulb (assuming it is just a standard-sized lightbulb). Then, get some isopropyl alcohol (at least 70%, you want to use the highest percentage of alcohol available, as it will not dissolve the salt), and pour it into the lightbulb, until a slurry is made from the salt/isopropanol. Cover the top of the bulb with your thumb, and shake it vigorously. Pretty soon, the powder will start to come loose. Purge the bulb with water, and if there is any powder remaining on the bulb, repeat the salt/isopropanol wash. It has worked for me every time I've done it.

[master lurtz]

Acid?

[sidnraleigh]

You can facilitate light bulb cleaning with salt. Simply fill the bulb with a tablespoon or so of table salt, then vigorously shake (with your thumb over the opening). The salt acts as a natural abrasive and removes the white coating. The rinsing it out is much easier.