The Clean-Up Process - 1

Having some extra time to kill this weekend (resting the ankle), I thought about my whole clean-up process and decided to share some info with everyone.  I had taken some pics of the whole process to show how I go about sorting and cleaning samples.

Step 1 - Unload the truck

Unload the goodies!

As I collect, I try to keep everything sorted by location.  5 Gallon buckets and recycled coffee cans work very well for holding samples.  I also use plastic bags so I can write the date and location of samples to help keep organized.








Step 2 - Sort and prep for cleaning

Crate of Quartz Samples from W. Old Baltimore Rd.

This is a crate of Quartz I collected from around West Old Baltimore Rd. in northern Montgomery County.  The samples are from an exposed hillside, so they had lots of clay, dirt, and moss on them.








Step 3 - Soaking the Samples

Samples in 5 Gal. Bucket with Dish soap

I placed the samples into a 5 Gal. bucket and added a liberal amount of Dish soap to the bucket.  Quartz is very resistant, and the samples had already been exposed to wet weather, so i had no concerns with this process.  Not all samples can be cleaned this way though, so be careful!

Add Water

The next step is important.  Add water.  Sounds easy right?  Be careful though.  Water that is too hot (on cold samples) or too cold (on hot samples) can cause breaking and fracturing of crystals.  The samples were about 70 degrees F, so I had to roll the hose out into the sun to help warm up my very cold tap water.

Let Soak in Sunlight

I then set these samples against the wall to slowly warm up the water some more in the sun.  Many cleaning agents work better hot or warm.  Slowly heating tends to be the best protection.  I know these Quartz samples had been exposed to rain water and freezing, but using the same techniques safely builds a good habit.  Letting these samples soak in soapy water for two days loosened up most of the clay that was caked on and prepared for a good scrubbing later on.

Step 4 - Clean Water Soak

  I have no pictures of the next part as it is really just re-soaking the samples in fresh, clean water.  After washing all the soap off the samples, soak them for about 2 hours in fresh water.  Change your water 2- 3 times to make sure all the soap is off and out of the cracks.  This process will also help loosen and remove stuck on clay and dirt.

Step 5 - Scrub and Let Samples Dry

  Depending on weather, location, etc. this may vary in length.  I like to let the samples sit out on a sunny day for a few hours to air dry.  I will normally inspect each sample out of the bucket to see if there are additional spots that need cleaning.  I use toothbrushes and plastic dish brushes to remove any remaining dirt/clay and make a visual inspection for Moss or Algae.  Scrub off as much as you can.  Should you encounter plant matter growing on the samples, you will need to add one more step.

Step 6 - Plant Matter Killing

  Using a separate bucket, add one cap of standard bleach for each gallon of water added.  Bear in mind your samples are taking up space in the bucket, so don't add 5 cap fulls and a tiny bit of water.  This sample set was all bleached and took up about three gallons of space.  I added two caps of bleach and filled the bucket.  Bleach reacts with other chemicals and can be harmful, so please use caution.  Always keep in mind that kids are curious and love buckets with water for some reason!

  Repeat steps 4 and 5 after bleaching.

  Now you should have some nice clean samples.  Wait, you still have dirty looking quartz!!??!!  Not surprising.  Most of the samples I have collected so far come from streams.  Both PA and MD have high concentrations of Iron in the soil and water.  Some stains are just pesky.  Should you want to learn more advanced methods of cleaning quartz, GO HERE.  You can also search the web for alternative methods.