# How to clean, and with what?



## jskeen (Jun 2, 2008)

Guys;

All the posts say to "clean your pen with a 10% ammonia and water solution"  but don't really give much more info than that.  Specifically, most household cleaning products are around 5 to ten percent ammonia as sold, so do you use it straight, or cut that to another 10%?  And what actual product do you use, IE I haven't seen any bottles with a plain white label that say "ammonia" at my local megamart.  

How does one actually flush a pen?  I haven't found the little silver lever to mount on the side of my pen in any of the kits I've done lately. Does one immerse the nib and feeder in the solution and apply vacuum to the connection, or use some sort of squeeze bottle to inject said solution and allow it to flow out of the feeder thence into a waste receptacle?  Is it considered kosher to disassemble the front section, place all parts into a small container of solution, seal and then agitate to clean?  

Let's come forth with some really newbie proof instructions!!!


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## DCBluesman (Jun 2, 2008)

> All the posts say to "clean your pen with a 10% ammonia and water solution" but don't really give much more info than that.


For the most part you can clean a fountain pen with cool to room temperature water.  Only stubbornly fouled pens need the ammonia treatment.


> Specifically, most household cleaning products are around 5 to ten percent ammonia as sold, so do you use it straight, or cut that to another 10%? And what actual product do you use, IE I haven't seen any bottles with a plain white label that say "ammonia" at my local megamart.


Most grocery and harware stores as well as the "marts" carry household ammonia.  It is often marked "Sudsing Ammonia" Or "Non-Sudsing Ammonia".  If you use a product like Windex with Ammonia D. it is already diluted to 10% or less and does not need to be further diluted,  The reason it is stated as a 5-10% solution is because commercial ammonia is often 30% concentrate which can quickly damage plastic.


> Does one immerse the nib and feeder in the solution and apply vacuum to the connection, or use some sort of squeeze bottle to inject said solution and allow it to flow out of the feeder thence into a waste receptacle?


That's the most common method.  Simply use a converter to draw ink through the nib and expel.  Make sure the entire feed is dipped into the solution and you will clean the nib, feed and converter.


> Is it considered kosher to disassemble the front section, place all parts into a small container of solution, seal and then agitate to clean?


For extremely stubborn problems with pens, ones where ink has been allowed to dry and crust in all of the parts, soaking in the solution is fine.  Just be sure to thoroughly rinse the parts before re-assembly.


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## gerryr (Jun 2, 2008)

> _Originally posted by jskeen_
> 
> 
> place all parts into a small container of solution, seal and then agitate to clean?



I would not recommend agitation, especially if you have a 14K or 18K nib in there because you could easily ruin it.  Just let it soak.  The nib itself is very easy to clean since it does have all those little ribs like the feed does.


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