Will ammonia kill mold in a fountain pen section?

[CharlieB]

Does anyone have experience using ammonia to kill mold in a fountain pen? In my case, I've discarded the converter and am soaking the section in a solution of ammonia and water. Will my pen be safe to use when I install a new converter? (Yes, I've also discarded the bottle of ink from which it was filled.) Thanks in advance for your advice and comments.

[beezaur]

I would try household bleach. Mix about a capful in a quart of clear water. Flush with that about once a minute for 5 or 10 minutes (you need the time for a thorough kill), then flush very thoroughly with distilled water.

 

This is more or less what I do when I disinfect instruments to be used in drinking water wells. I doubt the chlorine would hurt anything in that concentration.

 

Scott

[FrankB]

Depending on the material your section is made of, that soak in ammonia might discolor the section and ink feed, perhaps badly. A simple flush with water and a little vinegar should kill the mold. You could have done the same with the converter. Tryphon industries sells a mold killer that is fountain pen safe. I have stocked up on it, and will use it if I need it. I might recommend the same for you.

 

After almost 50-years of fountain pen use, I have never seen so many mold issues as I have in the past year and a half. I wonder what has changed?

[Paddler]

Yes, ammonia will kill mold. Ammonia is very toxic stuff. I used it to disinfect one of my pens that came down with a mold infestation. Luckily the pen is a demonstrator and I could see when all the filaments had been flushed out of it. I have never had a recurrence.

 

Paddler

 

[AllWriteNow]

Ah A topic I may know something about.

Bleach cannot kill mold if the surface in this case the feed/sac, are dirty. Bleach can ONLY kill mold on a cleaned surface.

SO if there's a bit of ink residue in the feed or sac it will negate any disinfecting properties of bleach.

 

I would think a much better and certainly less toxic way to combat mold on a feed. Would be to clean it very well.

Then set it in Sunshine for a day. Mold hates sunlight.

 

I have a ton of data outlining the toxicity and negative effects that Sodium Hypochlorite/Bleach has on humans and the Environment.

 

Steve

[girlieg33k]

I have soaked pen parts overnight in a 1:10 solution of clear household ammonia with water (1 tablespoon of ammonia with 2/3 cup of water). I would not do it for longer than overnight without flushing repeatedly with plain water in between soakings, and I have no idea if this process would kill mold. I have never soaked pen parts in just ammonia and I would never use chlorine bleach on a pen (even if diluted).

 

If there is mold in the section itself (and if it was my pen -- one of my expensive pens anyway), I would have it cleaned mechanically by a professional. If you want to try it yourself, you should take the section apart and soak them in a fungicidal bath (here's a recipe for a fungicidal bath:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...t&p=175541).

 

You can order Giovanni's SterilInk or InkSafe at:

http://www.tryphon.it/catalogo.htm

 

Also, check out Richard's very informative post here:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...ost&p=93095

 

Good luck!

 

Edited to fix link -- thanks to the member who pointed out the broken link!

Edited August 23, 2007 by girlieg33k

[beezaur]

What is the problem with dilute bleach in a pen?

 

Most people drink bleach all day long in their drinking water.

 

Scott

[girlieg33k]

What is the problem with dilute bleach in a pen?

Most people drink bleach all day long in their drinking water.

Scott

I drink coffee all day as well, and I would never soak my pens in it. Seriously though, I just would never use bleach on a pen -- not because someone told me not to do it, but because my common sense tells me it's not a good idea. However, proceed at your own risk, and let us know what happens. I'd be interested in knowing the results......if any.

 

[playpen]

Luckygrandson you mean I will have to stop brushing my teeth with bleach?

[beezaur]

I just would never use bleach on a pen -- not because someone told me not to do it, but because my common sense tells me it's not a good idea. However, proceed at your own risk, and let us know what happens. I'd be interested in knowing the results......if any.

 

I have not had to soak a pen in anything (so far), so I can't relate firsthand experience.

 

I routinely use unscented household bleach (~6% sodium hypochlorite) to disinfect sensitive measuring instruments and scientific equipment used to evaluate drinking water systems. To date I have had no problems, nor even any observable effects, from the use of bleach in low concentrations, say, up to 100 parts per million. That would be about 1/3 teaspoon of household bleach per quart.

 

However, "straight" bleach (60,000 parts per million) is corrosive to lots of things.

 

As to the health risks of brushing with hypochlorite-disinfected water (~0.5 ppm or less), one of the problems is that the chlorine can combine with dissolved organics in the water to create carcinogens. So probably you are brushing your teeth with low concentrations of carcinogens if your water comes from a purveyor who hypochlorinates. Those purveyors must balance this kind of risk against the risk associated with selling "raw" water, which has no protection against massive disease outbreaks. If you are concerned about it, you should get a "point of use" filter capable of removing your contaminants of concern (organics, arsenic, lead, copper, etc.).

 

Anyhow, I did not mean to advocate using anything very strong on a fountain pen. While I would go straight for my bleach bottle for convenience, I also think using a tried and true method is the optimal first choice.

 

Scott

[AllWriteNow]

Jeez! Switch to Draino! It will kill ya quicker.!

 

 

Luckygrandson you mean I will have to stop brushing my teeth with bleach?

 

[playpen]

I had to switch FROM Draino...it didn't come in mint......

[AllWriteNow]

I had to switch FROM Draino...it didn't come in mint......

 

 

Exactly what is it you teach the youth of New York?

 

HeeHee

[playpen]

Hey Lucky...wannastepoutsideandsettledis? I got friends heyah ya know.......I gots my Brooklyn buddies......

[amh210]

I had to switch FROM Draino...it didn't come in mint......

 

 

Exactly what is it you teach the youth of New York?

 

HeeHee

 

You best be nice to dat lady. She is looking for a place to bring her class for a field trip. You don't want it to be YOUR hood.

[playpen]

Hey, pssst Andy......you in my corner or what?? I may need you very soon...looks so far like he's chickened out......

[amh210]

Hey, pssst Andy......you in my corner or what?? I may need you very soon...looks so far like he's chickened out......

 

The threat of hosting your class seems to scare-em off.

[encephalartos]

I did find mold on a Lamy Safari nib and section, which is made

of plastic and stainless steel. First I did a water flush to clean

out the filaments, old ink, whatever. I did use a bleach solution

for a final rinse, just to take out the DNA in any cells that were

left behind. After that I used water to rinse off the bleach to

avoid corrosion. No problems with it since.

 

I would not have done this with an expensive pen... but since

I thought the materials in the pen would handle it, I went for

this approach.

[playpen]

Wow, I wonder where he went. I'd better call off the troops... :ltcapd:

[Cloud]

Yes we may drink dilute bleach all day long... But you know there is a saying we used to laugh about in chemistry: ''The solutin to polution is dilution''. If it's diluted enough It will have hardly any side effects. But the dilution we drink it is ''A chlorine residual of about 3 to 5 parts per million should remain to indicate that disinfection is complete. Typical chlorine feed rates are about 1 cup of 5 percent laundry bleach per 300 gallons of water.''

 

The concentration we are taking about for pens is WAY much higher. Also, depending on the material, sometimes only water will harm it.

 

After you have taken the mold off:

I would suggest getting sterilInk or inksafe from giovanni and prepare a water desinfectant with just a little more of it then for an ink bottle (or same quantity in a smaller volume). Of course letting the continual treatment of 1-2 drop per bottle for a while, to be certain it will be eliminated.