Re: [Paddlewise] Stinky Neoprene

Andy Knapp wrote:
> 
> A) I would like to reiterate Bob's comments about neoprene and chlorine.
> This should also include exposure to chlorinated swimming pool water and
> ought to be extended to Lycra, Latex, and probably to Fuzzy Rubber and its
> relatives, too. 

Let me add my "Amen" to Andy's and Bob's comments about the negative effects of
chlorine.  Though pool chlorine levels would not approach the concentration in
the "chlorine bleach solution" someone recommended for sanitizing/cleaning
neoprene, I have noticed definite effects on my neo paddling slippers when I
have used them in a swimming pool repeatedly.  I think it is the lengthy time of
immersion in pool water which is the culprit.  (BTW, the local pool has largely
replaced chlorine with ozone -- very little odor, and the ozone is gone by the
time the water gets back to the pool.  Really a much better way!)

And, yeah, let me add my "chemist's voice" to Andy's suspicion that latex,
spandex, lycra, etc., will also be degraded by high chlorine levels.  Latex
probably is the most sensitive of that crowd, though I did not notice any
significant effect from the one time I wore my paddle jacket in the pool.

> B) I have used Sink the Stink on several occasions with good results. My
> question to Bob may be of interest to others, so I post it here:
> 
> Last summer, I had a pair of leather/Gore-Tex hiking boots that got
> saturated with cat urine. After trying to clean them, I used some Sink the
> Stink out of desperation, and it eliminated about 90% of the odor. Other
> than having been saturated, the leather seems OK.  Are there any negative
> effects those enzymes can have on leather in the long run?

Bob's stuff is good.  I used the free sample he gave he and it worked fine. 
Re:  effects on the leather:  I don't think Bob's stuff will hurt the leather.

In the interests of fairness, I should mention that Aquaseal distributes a
competitive product (Mirazyme; mfr:  McNett Outdoor, Bellingham, WA) which I got
hold of first.  I've used it several times, and it seems to work as well as Sink
the Sink.  It, also, is a microbe-based material, though they refer to "... a
blend of 10 highly specialized, light-activated microbial elements ...," so I
don't know if it is an enzyme stew or actual microbes.

Bob's stuff has actual "bugs" in it!

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
chemist
microbe fetishist
<G>

***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/
***************************************************************************