Cleaning / Prepping a globe for a GooKit.

[Dave]

I had some residue inside my globe, and I tried restoring it but the wax completely broke down, so I decided I'm going to order a GooKit and create a new one.

I've boiled this globe, removed all the wax, boiled it some more, used a bottle brush, poured boiling water into the globe, and used a rag / wooden spoon handle combo on it, and still can not remove the residue from the bottom of the globe.  It originally had black wax.

Any ideas on how to remove this, or should I just let it go?  I'm thinking on how difficult it is to remove, maybe it won't interfere with the GooKit, but I'm weary on taking that chance.

[Rodrigo]

It WILL interfere with the gookit. The globe needs to be completely clean if you want optimal results.

I've had residue at the bottom like that and straight boiling or near boiling water will melt it. You may need to pour hot water, swish for a bit then pour out and repeat until you get all the heavy stuff out, then more hot water plus dish soap. Bottle brush helps a lot and also you can fill the globe with paint thinner or gasoline overnight to soften evenlre crap and then back to the boiling wster and dish soap until all gas/thinner smell is completely gone. It's tedious but not as bad as doing a grande size lamp,

[Joanne]

I usually cut a piece of a yellow /green  kitchen scrubby and stuff it in there then, making sure the scrubby side it against the glass , i use a wooden dowel to push the scrubby against the glass. this makes it easier to get into the corners and the wooden dowel wont scratch the glass if it slips off the scrubby .

[Marley's Ghost]

Do I see the coil still in that globe?  You need to bend a coathanger or piece of wire into a hook and fish that out of there first.  You're gonna trash it with all the scrubbing.   It'll need a good soaking and cleaning too, if it's still usable.

[Rodrigo]

The easiest way to do it is pouring boiling water IMO. That way you can melt the residue out, fish the coil with your finger and then proceed to more boiling water, soap and scrubbing.

I had two globes ive been meaning to clean and fill with gookit but i lost my bottle brush, i just cleaned them both with boiling water, soap and a piece of sponge taped onto a wooden dowel like Joanne said, works perfect and scratch proof, but before you do any of that you must melt the rest of the black wax out or else youll just continue to smear it around. It should really melt with boiling water (not hot tap water) the 40w bulb is nowhere near as hot as boiling water so if a bulb can melt it then water definitely can too.

[Marley's Ghost]

Regardless of how he gets it out, that coil has to come from there before more vigorous scrubbing is done on the globe. ;-)

[Dave]

Sitting in 2 inches of gasoline for 36 hours cleared that up. Thanks!  Now to order a GooKit.