I am starting to think that a lot of what we call “adhesion problems” are actually more about wetting than adhesion…as per following article;
My theory is that it would be better to wash your build plate with a weak solution of dish soap and water, but rather than rinsing or wiping it, simply allow it to air-dry.
The water evaporates but you are left with a very thin layer of surfactant (the soap) which is enough to promote wetting out of the molten filament, improving contact and thus adhesion, but not so much that it interferes with adhesion itself.
Thoughts?
That’s an interesting theory! It makes sense that surface energy and wetting could play a bigger role in adhesion than we usually consider. The idea of leaving a thin surfactant layer to improve filament contact is definitely worth testing—kind of like how some adhesives work better with a primed surface rather than a completely clean one.
Have you tried this method yourself yet? If so, did you notice any difference in first-layer consistency or print failures? I’d be curious if it works across different filament types, especially more finicky ones like ABS or TPU.
Also, I wonder if certain dish soaps work better than others—some might leave residues that negatively impact adhesion rather than help it. Maybe experimenting with different brands or concentrations could refine the process. Either way, this is a fresh take on adhesion issues, and it’s always great to see more scientific approaches to improving print success!
I worked all my life with adhesives…for the ceramic industry where I had a patent published covering using a wax most would regard as a release coating as an adhesive, and for the commercial flooring industry as well as others.
No I haven’t tried it yet, but I have noticed variations in the success of printing just after washing the plate. It could be I used a cloth to dry it that wasn’t as grease-free as it could be, or it could be that I left it longer to dry. Or used more soap. Or less.
Much testing to be done, but I was printing geckos all day long yesterday (they make great colour references, and Avery sell 15mm circular labels that fit neatly on the back - put one on the gecko and one on the corresponding box or spool and you have a good colour finding system).
Plus I’m testing adhesion in other areas of printing…currently, support structure. Well actually I’m more testing the quality of the print that’s possible, but adhesion is very much part of that.
I come back to my 9-year-old habit of using (cheap) supermarket window cleaner, as demonstrated by Josef Prusa in his early “how to clean your build plate” video. Just spray a bit of window cleaner onto a kitchen roll, wipe the plate down, then allow to to dry naturally. This has always given me perfect adhesion properties on textured and smooth PEI plates, for all materials I print with (ABS, PETG, TPU, PLA). Holds well when hot, lets go nicely when cold. You’ll probably find some under the sink in the kitchen - if not, ask the wife where she keeps the window cleaninig spray 
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Interesting…may I ask, as far as you know, is the window cleaner vinegar (acetic acid) based at all? Some are…and the “leave to dry naturally” comment raises the possibility of the polarity of the molecules used having some effect.
Yes, I believe so. I use “supermarket brand” window cleaner in the tall hand-spray bottle - I think vinegar is one of their main ingredients (presumably as a de-greasing agent). It’s your post that got me thinking, around what residue is left behind and how it affects adhesion. I’ve used IPA and even Acetone on occasion (when cleaning ABS deposits from a too-low first layer!) and afterwards, prints tend to stick too hard. So the window cleaner is seeming to leave a residue of some kind.
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I use isopropanol to degrease the board.
Be careful, it’s highly flammable.
Below 40°C, the parts are easy to remove from the board.
I’m in complete agreement. There’s a real “Goldilocks zone”. My friend has a Bambu printer and apparently he was told NOT to use isopropanol; Bambu’s opinion is apparently that it doesn’t remove the grease, just redistributes it.
I think it may remove to much; especially if you have a good cleaning technique and work your way out from the centre.
With 3D printing being so popular I’m surprised no manufacturer has invented and offered a “plate primer” spray. Instead we’re still relying on recommendations like hairspray, gluestick and window cleaner. It’s like finding out the wheels of the space shuttle are held on by chewing gum.