Using Oxy Clean I need Advice

[Gypsy_Nights]

Ok I've read a few times that Oxy Clean works great to get ponies clean and I've always thought I would try it but now its been a year or 2 since I read the instructions of how everyone does it.  So I'm going to get some and I need some advice on how y'all do it.  Do you soak them?.....  And what part oxy to what part water?.....Hot water right?   And are there any "DO NOT DO's" that I should know about?
   And any other great advice on how to get a pony sparkling clean would be great!   
 
Oh, and I have always used a baking soda scrub (can't remember what it is called exactly.  It's used for cleaning rather than actual baking soda.  I just ran out the other day and threw it out).  But anyway I've always used that and liquid antibacterial soap with a little water all mixed together.  And use of a toothbrush to scrub.  It works well but I think the oxy would do better for some stuff.

[cobalte]

Water/oxy dilutions and time are things that seem to vary on brand. I always soak in warm water for 2 hours

Do not soak chartreuse (neon yellow) hair ponies in warm water though
Do not put Princess ponies, Twinkle Eyes, and glitter symbols in an oxy bath
It rubs off the iridescent eye paint for TEs, and glitter on glitter symbols (I learned these the hard way)
I believe the metallic paint comes off on Princess ponies' symbols but I'm not sure of this one

[rybett]

Do you soak with hair/tail intact? 

[cobalte]

Usually where I can help it, on G1s I take the heads off and the tails out. All the others I'm slightly scared to try and pop open in case I damage them, so they go in whole
The last time I beheaded G2s to put in there I couldn't get the head back on due to the hard plastic

[MissSleepless]

Do you soak with hair/tail intact? 

For the most part Oxy doesn't affect hair COLOUR apart from Chartreuse bleeding as cobalte mentioned. However it does make it super dry and icky, so I tend to de head, yank out the tail and put it to one side so I only have to fix the mane with intense conditioning later.

NO SOAKING THE SOSOFTS. It deflocks them, another member recently had this happen to her and she was really bummed out
I think I read you can use Oxy on so softs but with cool water, but I wouldn't even chance that, mild soap should sort that delicate flocking right out.

And yeah, try not to soak anything glittery/irridescent/metalic. This stuff is tough and strips alot.

My process is really hot water, plus some oxy then plop in the pony. Then when it's all cooled down, scrub,scrub,scrub! Buuuut, I really reserve oxy for ponies with extreme tail rust and mold. I n my opinion it doesn't to much more than some of the safer products we use.

Sorry for the long post!

[cobalte]

However it does make it super dry and icky, so I tend to de head, yank out the tail and put it to one side so I only have to fix the mane with intense conditioning later.

I've noticed this too, and it has made it very difficult later on when I'm trying to tame hair that was already matted and frizzy... on G1s and G2s only. On G3s I've noticed I can get most if not all of the frizz out just by conditioning and combing. Don't know what's up there

[Gypsy_Nights]

Great Advice!  Thanks guys!  I'll especially remember the DON'T DO List!       Is there any particular amount of water to amount of oxy y'all use?  Or do you follow the directions for how much to add to the water?

[Chi]

Use one scoop for a big pot of water and be careful that it doesn't boil over.

Also I cannot stress this enough.. DO NOT BOIL THE WATER AND THEN PUT THE OXY CLEAN IN.
It will OVERFLOW *EVERYWHERE* AND POSSIBLY RUIN YOUR STOVE TOP. @ A@;;

Put the Oxy Clean in BEFORE you start to boil it!

[emery]

Great advice given but I also wanted to mention Magic Erasers since you didn't list that with the types of methods you use for cleaning. If you have not used them GO.NOW!!! The are basically magic. LOL But for real, if you are heading out to get some OxiClean grab a pack of Magic Erasers (should be with the scotch brite pads and stuff in the cleaning aisle) and add them to your arsenal of pony cleaning materials!

Magic Erasers are like the #1 thing I use to clean ponies. I really only do an Oxi soak if I come across a pony that has a lot of rust/mold/gunk inside and then a soak is good for loosening stuff up before doing a serious cleaning inside. I usually just use water from the tap as hot as I can get it, I just put a couple spoons of Oxi (like maybe 1/8 of a cup?) into a big bowl (like something you would use to make a tossed salad) and then fill it up with the hot water and soak the ponies (heads and tails removed) until the water cools off.

[Ginger]

An overnight oxy soak faded my AJ's bright red symbols to orange. ;-;

Her crazy ingrained dirt is gone though.

It didn't change her eyes though, nor the white paint of another pony's cutie mark. It was just AJ's red that got damaged.

[Queen Eclipsia]

Use one scoop for a big pot of water and be careful that it doesn't boil over.

Also I cannot stress this enough.. DO NOT BOIL THE WATER AND THEN PUT THE OXY CLEAN IN.
It will OVERFLOW *EVERYWHERE* AND POSSIBLY RUIN YOUR STOVE TOP. @ A@;;

Put the Oxy Clean in BEFORE you start to boil it!

I wish I would have read this a few months ago when I had an Oxyclean suds ERUPTION allllllll over my stovetop and floor and counters...LOLOL!

Also - i think i read somewhere about Oxyclean fading PINK hair....this needs to be cofirmed, though....

[Chi]

Use one scoop for a big pot of water and be careful that it doesn't boil over.

Also I cannot stress this enough.. DO NOT BOIL THE WATER AND THEN PUT THE OXY CLEAN IN.
It will OVERFLOW *EVERYWHERE* AND POSSIBLY RUIN YOUR STOVE TOP. @ A@;;

Put the Oxy Clean in BEFORE you start to boil it!

I wish I would have read this a few months ago when I had an Oxyclean suds ERUPTION allllllll over my stovetop and floor and counters...LOLOL!

Also - i think i read somewhere about Oxyclean fading PINK hair....this needs to be cofirmed, though....

It's never faded any pink haired ponies I've thrown in there, but they don't stay in very long. It's usually just for pindot mold removal.

[Gypsy_Nights]

More Great Info!!  Awesome!  I'll have to get some magic erasers too! 
 
And I'll definately remember to put the Oxy in before hand!      New tricks learned everyday.      Thanks everypony!!