What makes coke clean things? 10 points!?

Question

I need to know what is in the coke to make it clean things.

such as grease off concrete, coins, grout

Answer 1

phosphoric acid i think

Answer 2

It contains an acid that helps. Vinegar and lemon juice all will clean things usually wonderfully. Especially toilets or most anything with calcium &/or lime scale on them.

Answer 3

Carbolic Acid often known as Phenol and phosphoric acid, but there is more Phenol in coke; it is what gives it the fizz and phosphoric acid is not as strong an acid as Phenol is.

According to Wikipedia:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbolic_ac...

"Phenol, also known under an older name of carbolic acid, is a toxic, colourless crystalline solid with a sweet tarry odor. It is a significant component in the aroma of Islay scotch whisky. Its chemical formula is C6H5OH and its structure is that of a hydroxyl group (-OH) bonded to a phenyl ring; it is thus an aromatic compound....

Phenol has a limited solubility in water (8.3 g/100 ml). It is slightly acidic: The phenol molecule has weak tendencies to lose the H+ ion from the hydroxyl group, resulting in the highly water-soluble phenoxide anion C6H5O−. Compared to aliphatic alcohols, phenol shows much higher acidity; it even reacts with aqueous NaOH to lose H+, whereas aliphatic alcohols do not....

Exposure of the skin to concentrated phenol solutions causes chemical burns which may be severe;"

According to Wikipedia:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phosphoric_...

"Phosphoric acid, also known as orthophosphoric acid or phosphoric(V) acid, is a mineral (inorganic) acid having the chemical formula H3PO4. By contrast, orthophosphoric acid molecules can combine with themselves to form a variety of compounds referred to as phosphoric acids in a more general way. The term phosphoric acid can also refer to a chemical or reagent consisting of phosphoric acids, usually mostly orthophosphoric acid.

Phosphoric acid, used in many soft drinks (primarily cola),

Most people and even chemists refer to orthophosphoric acid as phosphoric acid, which is the IUPAC name for this compound. The prefix ortho is used to distinguish the acid from other phosphoric acids, called polyphosphoric acids. Orthophosphoric acid is a non-toxic, inorganic, rather weak triprotic acid, which, when pure, is a solid at room temperature and pressure."

The following are excerpts from the above articles:

Carbolic Acid was first used as a cleaner for its antiseptic properties it is also used in the production of drugs (it is the starting material in the industrial production of aspirin) and herbicides.  In cosmetics it is used as to act as free radical scavengers and can be used to prevent premature aging and cancer caused by oxidative stress.  It is also used in cosmetic surgery as an exfoliant, to remove layers of dead skin.

There is a theory that Phosphoric Acid can cause bone damage, but that has been proven wrong.  A well-controlled clinical study by Heaney and Rafferty using calcium-balance methods found no impact of carbonated soft drinks containing phosphoric acid on calcium excretion.

Phosphoric Acid may be used by direct application to rusted iron, steel tools, or surfaces to convert iron(III) oxide (rust) to a water-soluble phosphate compound. It is usually available as a greenish liquid, suitable for dipping (acid bath), but is more generally used as a component in a gel, commonly called naval jelly.  Phosphoric acid is used in dentistry and orthodontics as an etching solution, to clean and roughen the surfaces of teeth where dental appliances or fillings will be placed. Phosphoric acid is also an ingredient in over-the-counter anti-nausea medications that also contain high levels of sugar (glucose and fructose).

The TV Show The Mythbusters has tested the cleaning properties of coke and found that it does work.  They have also played with the coke and Mentos fizzing tricks.

If that isn't enough detail for you then please check out these sites:

Crazy Uses for Coca Cola:  http://members.tripod.com/~Barefoot_Lass...

Coca Cola for Cleaning:  http://www.howtocleananything.com/docs_a...

Cleaning Tips:  http://www.my.homewithgod.com/mkcathy/ho...

http://community.discovery.com/eve/forum...

http://www.prbydp.com/Household_Remedies... mentions that Coca Cola can scrub the Rust stains:  "The phosphoric acid in the coke is what gets the job done.  FYI, Coca-cola is also used to shine shoes  and clean car engines."

or this UTube Video:  http://www.youtube.com

/watch?v=thsE7Ja7rQM

http://www.breakthechain.org/exclusives/...

Answer 4

I believe it is mostly the carbonic acid (carbonated water).  A fizzying acid makes a nice cleaner for many things.

You could test this theory by seeing if coke cleans any better than plain carbonated water.

We often use weak acids for cleaning things like concrete.  Dilute muriatic acid is often used.  I suspect foaming carbon acid (soda water) would work similarly.