# Olive oil on your faucets!?!?



## smellslike$tome (Jun 16, 2008)

About a year ago I replaced 3 lavatory faucets, 1 shower faucet, 1 t/s faucet, and 1 roman tub faucet. The finish is oil rubbed bronze. I am intentionally not mentioning the manufacturer. We get a warranty call saying the finish is coming off. I get there and sure enough on one of the lav faucets the finish is peeling off on the faucet body but in a curved pattern (it looks like it came off during cleaning) around the 9:00 position in relation to the spout and another spot at the 1:00 position around the hot handle. This is very surprising because supposedly this was a PVD finish which supposedly, as I understand it is actually chemically bonded with the brass so that the finish is not simply layered but becomes part of the brass. It would seem that I am mistaken either of the belief that it is PVD or that PVD will not peel. I look carefully for any abrasions that may have come from cleaners but find no scratch marks. This is a very nice lady and a good client so I am practicing the finest diplomacy I can muster. I start by confirming what I don't see, i.e. evidence that abrasive cleaners have been used, this is good. Then I ask if she has used anything besides a damp cloth to clean them with, reminding her that the manufacturer states that only a damp cloth should be used to clean the faucet. I'm wondering to myself if she has used anything like CLR which is a mild acid to remove any hard water stains but don't want to come right out and ask her. She says that she looked on the internet and found someone who said to use olive oil :blink:. I've never heard of anybody doing this and have no real idea what the pH of olive oil might be. It is, however, I believe considered a fruit and many fruits would be acidic. She uses it because it takes away hard water stains and "makes them shine". 

Ok, here are the questions:

Has anybody ever heard of this?

Does anybody know for sure whether or not olive oil would be acidic?

Does anybody know of a good, safe cleaning agent that they recommend to their clients?


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## Wethead (Oct 13, 2008)

Sounds cool. but I have no idea. 

I would be interested to hear if someone has used this method though


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## user4 (Jun 12, 2008)

Olive Oil is PH neutral, it has to be for cooking purposes.


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## Plumbworker (Oct 23, 2008)

i heard of it being used to polish brushed stainless ranges and refers in a pinch


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## uaplumber (Jun 16, 2008)

KTS, some people add vinegar to food when cooking.


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## Ron (Jun 12, 2008)

Next time you get a spare part that is ORB do some test on it.


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## PipemanNYC (Nov 21, 2008)

ive always heard of peanut oil .. i use it on my pots and pans too...


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## grandpa (Jul 13, 2008)

*From wiki, or something...here is the scoop on olive oil:*

*pH: * refers to the hydrogen ion concentration in an aqueous solution. Olive oil and other oils are not water soluble so their acidity cannot be measured in terms of pH. Vegetable oils are very weak acids, when mixed with a strong base such as lye they will form a salt (commonly called soap). Better oils have a low acidity while lower quality oils will be more acidic. Their acid content is usually measured in percent free acidity. Extra virgin olive oil must have less than .8% free fatty acid but some have less than .1%


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