Dawn dish washing soap

[W.J.Langholz]

We have had some past discussions on "Dawn" dish washing soap but does anyone know where you can buy it in 55 gal drums?
The local P&G rep says he can only get it in 5 gal pails.?????/

W.

[blueldr]

I have no idea where one could find a 55 gal. drum of Dawn, but I know where a Lockheed Herc is on standby with a huge tank load of it to disperse oil slicks if required.
My daughter, Nancy, used to fly Hercs in Africa when she was working for the old Southern Air Transport. She now works for FedEx flying Air Buses on the Asian routes with layovers in Singapore. She ran into some of the old Herc pilots from Africa working for a south african company with a Herc full of Dawn on standby in Singapore. The world is a lot smaller than it used to be.

As a matter of curiousity, what do you use Dawn for? Surely not 50 gallons for dirty dishes!

[W.J.Langholz]

blueldr

Part of my day consist of overseeing 4 different private truck washes, about 100 livestock trailers a week get washed. I happened to use it the other day on my Ford 1ton and it sure left it nice and shiny.
Currently we go through a 55 gal drum every 2 weeks. the stuff we use now leaves a scum and streaks.

W.

[170C]

W, if P&G finds out that Dawn works that well on cattle trailers, it would do so on other vehicles as well, they would be happy to develop a market to truck and car washes and start selling it in 55 gallon barrels. Don't know how it does with the EPA. I assume it, like some other dish washing detergents, is taboo on aluminum. Maybe you can get a deal going with P&G.

[flyguy]

The Fire Department I am involved with used to get Dawn dish soap in drums. We used it as a surfactant for our foam eductors if we were fighting flamable liquid or motor vehicle fires. Because we are a "Class 6" rated we now have to use the "certified" commercial foam concentrate that costs around $60 for a 5 gallon bucket Of course it is "certified" and has a shelf life limit so the company and PIAL can make you buy the stuff. Don't know where we got those drums of Dawn - - Boy that was a long time ago!

Photos are of a training sessiion we had with some donated (expired shelf life) foam concentrate.

[hilltop170]

Willie-
Call Brian at WashWaxAll, http://www.washwax.com/ , tell him what you want to do, and ask him to send you some samples to try out. I think you will be surprised at how well his products work and I know he will sell it in 55gal drums. All his products are safe on any material, biodegradable, and non-toxic. If he doesn't have a ready-made product for your application, he will develop one.
p.s. I have no connection with WashWaxAll, I just like their products and want to help them stay in business.

[W.J.Langholz]

Richard

His specialty is waterless products. Really doeasn't fit my application.

w.

[hilltop170]

Willie-
Yes, I see your point, having seen your operation I now understand what you are looking for.

When I was involved with oil spill response and wildlife rehabilitation in Alaska, Dawn was the surfactant of choice for oiled wildlife. It cuts oil and grease like a hot knife thru butter and does not affect the animals in any detrimental way.

I would check closely on its potential corrosive effect on aluminum though. It's probably ok but everyone thought the original Simple Green was also and it is corrosive.

I know an oil and chemical distributor over in Mason City, IA. I'll check with him on 55gal drums.