We use it all the time. To remove heavy dirt, light hard water spots, aluminum screen stain, paint specs, silicone caulk fingerprints, minwax, and wood stain from windows. But have you ever seen a video of how it is made?
The fibers of 0000 steel wool are between 15 and 20 microns in thickness. They are just as hard as glass. About 7 on the mohs scale. And have a three sided cross sectional shape. So each has three cutting edges. Hence the fibers of steel wool as razor sharp. This is why it is so good at cleaning. It is just like using a billion razors.
But remember. According to our study of the PIF even very fine scratches much start with an impact crack. Therefore since the microscopic edges drag across the surface they cannot create a PIF. Which means the wool must dislodge and drag particles from the glass surface to do this. First the impact crack (PIF), then by dragging the dislodged particle, the scratch is created! Crack, drag, scratch.
Steel wool oxidizes very easily. Once I put some in my pocket with a cell phone that had exposed terminals. I felt my leg get really hot. Pulled out the wool which was on fire. The water bucket was two feet away. Fortunately. This is why an acidic cleaning solution will make the wool rust and leave red streaks all around a white plastic window frame. If this happens just change out your water with a few gallons of distilled from the store. Just carry some with you for residential trad work.
Now. Different fiber based clothes can be very interesting to use. Like microfiber cloths made for glass. Or other hard plastic fiber clothes that are softer than glass. Like the melamine plastic pads that we call magic sponges. They are white, very soft, but chew off all kinds of stuff. Because they have been made with holes that are about 20 microns. Same sized hole as the thickness of 0000 steel wool! No particles. They have a mohs hardness of about 5.5. Very cool ehhh?
There is a lot of room here for discover. The playing field belongs to you!
Henry
