IronX and IronX Clones - Fun Facts

[Route246]

I watched the Forensic Detailing Channel video regarding IronX/Clones. Here are some fun facts about how it works.

• The active ingredient is a solution called sodium thioglycolic acid
• An early mention in scientific journals from 1927 here: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/ja01407a010
• There is a patent on file for using it as an acne treatment: https://www.google.com/patents/US4107330
• Thioglycolic acid has been used in hair waving lotions and depilatory creams - from the above patent filing
• The horrible smell is from the same active ingredient that hair perm chemicals use, I knew I smelled it before but couldn't remember where. Walking past hair salons is where I smelled it when I was younger, not so much today as perms are not common these days
• Here is an article regarding rust removal, has anyone tried using IronX to remove rust? https://www.jstor.org/stable/1505318...n_tab_contents

[Paul A.]

THAT'S IT, HAIR PERM SMELL. I knew it smelled familiar. Thanks for that. I was like you thinking i've smelled that smell before.

[Route246]

THAT'S IT, HAIR PERM SMELL. I knew it smelled familiar. Thanks for that. I was like you thinking i've smelled that smell before.

Yeah. When I was routing around I saw that and felt the same thing. I’m glad it resonated with someone else!


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[Legacykid]

wow cool find!

[RippyD]

Good info. Couple of additions:

• A few products use ammonium thioglycolate rather than sodium, namely the CarPro and Gyeon products, and at least one other not sold here. Not sure why they use the ammonium rather than sodium variant. Calcium thioglycolate is also produced.

• Oxalic acid will also remove iron oxide via a similar process to thioglycolic acids. It doesn't have a dead skunk smell, but also doesn't change color as a visual indicator. The only wheel cleaner/iron remover I'm aware of that uses this is Duragloss All Wheel Cleaner.

[Klasse Act]

So DG All Wheel Cleaner removes iron without changing colors? Looks like I'll be adding a bottle of that into my car next time around, maybe a gallon if it's sold that way, thanks for the info

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[oneheadlite]

THAT'S IT, HAIR PERM SMELL. I knew it smelled familiar. Thanks for that. I was like you thinking i've smelled that smell before.

Before I had bought Iron X, I’d heard the odor described as vomit and hair perm. I still bought it based on reports of how well it worked. First time I used it, confirmed all info was true.

[RippyD]

So DG All Wheel Cleaner removes iron without changing colors? Looks like I'll be adding a bottle of that into my car next time around, maybe a gallon if it's sold that way, thanks for the info

Yes, but I can't say how effective it is or isn't. Would be pretty simply to tape off a panel and see what happens to a section pre-treated with DG vs. one that isn't. My thinking is that IronX after DG should show far less color change if the DG removes iron.

[mwoolfso]

Wow... what a revelation. I remember the hair perm smell too! Very cool info and thanks for sharing!!!

[BlackMDX]

Here is a warning that I have not seen mentioned. When you use one of these products, you will surely stink up the air where you are working, but the worst part is when you get in your car and the odor is there too! And then you find out that it lingersinside the car for days afterward. For that reason, it is unlikely that I will ever use it again.