Hello -
I'm looking for mineral oil in HK - does anyone know where to get it? I've already checked about 2 dozen Rx's, and similar, jusco, p'n's, watsons, mannings, etc, and even hardware stores. NO one has any!!! I want just plain mineral oil - nothing added. RX's only have baby oil - and that has additives.
I want to treat a new cutting board I have. It will prevent the humidity from affecting the block, and keep bacteria away. And straight mineral oil is non-toxic to us.
And other oils commonly thought of for treating butcher blocks, like walnut, olive, peanut oils, will turn rancid after awhile (which is simply the fats breaking down) - and will not only smell bad, but be dangerous to our health. (rancid is like when bacon goes bad in the fridge after a month or two - the white fat breaks down and it smells horrible - and you wouldn't eat it either! that's rancid, and all vegatable/fruit/nut/animal oils will eventually break down)
Because it doesn't absorb moisture from the air or break down, its used as brake fluid, keeping your knives from oxidizing, etc. You'll commonly get a new tool that is "oily" - well that is it.
And to give a bit more info on mineral oil: (I include this info here in case it jogs someone's memory on an odd place they might know where it exists!)
WikiPedia says it all - you might be surprised by the uses. And I'm surprised no one carries it in HK.
Mineral oil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Common uses are:
-It's non toxic to us, internally and externally, so it's used in a wide variety of products.
- Mineral Oil is the main ingredient of Baby Oil. However, Baby Oils (all brands generally) put FRAGRANCE in it, and sometimes Vit E. So that precludes its use in other ways, especially on food prep or drinking it.
- Mineral Oil is also a Laxative. Straight Mineral Oil without VitE/Fragrance can be drank! A spoonful and in 6 hours and youll be singing.
- It's used to soften ear wax naturally.
- Geeks are even cooling their computers with it. You can fill up an aquarium tank with mineral oil, and put your whole motherboard in there to cool it. It does NOT conduct electricity!!!! Strange, huh? But True!
- Mineral Oil is also known as liquid petrolatum and also PARAFFIN oil. And that is used in Antique lamps for burning. Or in Candles (as Paraffin Wax) or VASOLINE (also paraffin wax). Of course, I'm looking for the oil, not the wax.
So I've tried all sorts of places and products that carry it for above mentioned functions, and can't find pure mineral oil. In the US - it's in every drug store as simply "mineral oil". Usually next to the baby oil, or in the laxative section. it's also in every hardware store, in several places, most notably in the floor/wood treatment area.
If I don't find it here (it HAS to be here - as it is used in SO many things in manufacturing!!!) then I'm going to have to import some from the usa!
And then I'll become THE MINERAL OIL KING OF HK!!!!
hahahaha
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