Carrier for Oxalic Acid

[MOBY2]

Morning, just wondered if anyone has any suggestions, used wallpaper paste in the past, worked OK but doesn't last long in the tub, tried hair gel but no luck, any other ideas, know you can use hot water but want something more controlable and less likely to splash, many thanks in advance.

 

[scotty123]

Morning, just wondered if anyone has any suggestions, used wallpaper paste in the past, worked OK but doesn't last long in the tub, tried hair gel but no luck, any other ideas, know you can use hot water but want something more controlable and less likely to splash, many thanks in advance.

Have you tried rhubarb leaves?

 

[Poignard]

Morning, just wondered if anyone has any suggestions, used wallpaper paste in the past, worked OK but doesn't last long in the tub, tried hair gel but no luck, any other ideas, know you can use hot water but want something more controlable and less likely to splash, many thanks in advance.

I use wallpaper paste but I only mix up as much as I need at the time. Also I don't make the mixture too thick. I think Y10 is too thick.

 

[stevie69p]

I used fairy liquid and warm water mixed with oxalic acid crystals last time I went round in the dinghy cleaning the hull. Seemed to work fine.

 

[pagoda]

I used fairy liquid and warm water mixed with oxalic acid crystals last time I went round in the dinghy cleaning the hull. Seemed to work fine.

+1 , the washing up liquid seems to help considerably. I have also tried adding a little food colour- so I can tell where I have applied it on the hull! Not surprisingly the oxalic acid tends to erase the food colour effect. It all washes of with the rinsing anyway.

 

[MM5AHO]

+1 for detergent (coloured). Not only does it slow evaporation, indicate where you have done so far, but it also does some cleaning of the dirt that the acid doesn't shift.

 

[thinwater]

Morning, just wondered if anyone has any suggestions, used wallpaper paste in the past, worked OK but doesn't last long in the tub, tried hair gel but no luck, any other ideas, know you can use hot water but want something more controlable and less likely to splash, many thanks in advance.

Sharing the application might help. It also may not be the best acid for the job.

 

[Momac]

Use Bar Keepers Friend Power Cream

 

[vyv_cox]

For years and years I have used the same tub of powder hull cleaner. I don't know its composition but it definitely contains oxalic acid. I find there is no need to use it as a paste, just dip a wet brush into a small dish of the powder and apply to the topsides or deck. Leave a few minutes, brush wet if necessary and hose off.

 

[MOBY2]

Many thanks for all your replies, think i will look into the washing up liquid route.

 

[TiggerToo]

Many thanks for all your replies, think i will look into the washing up liquid route.

Yes, I thoroughly recommend it. What I do is as follows:

Make a saturated solution of Oxalic Acid in hot water (hot from the tap). Replace ~1/3 of a Fairy Liquid detergent with said solution.

Then use the bottle to dispense the acid+Fairy Liquid. As others have said, the detergent contains enough thickener to enable the acid to act. It also helps remove any oily dirt. Plus you can see what you have treated. Plus it is a lot easier to remove than wall paper paste. Plus it is really cheap.

It works best on a warm day.

 

[pagoda]

Yes, I thoroughly recommend it. What I do is as follows:

Make a saturated solution of Oxalic Acid in hot water (hot from the tap). Replace ~1/3 of a Fairy Liquid detergent with said solution.

Then use the bottle to dispense the acid+Fairy Liquid. As others have said, the detergent contains enough thickener to enable the acid to act. It also helps remove any oily dirt. Plus you can see what you have treated. Plus it is a lot easier to remove than wall paper paste. Plus it is really cheap.

It works best on a warm day.

I use a wide 6" wallpaper type paste brush on a long handle. Covers the surface well and having a long handle reduces the chance of any splash.

 

[Seajet]

Now for my standard warning about Oxalic Acid hull cleaners...please just stick pins in a voodoo doll if you've seen this before.


This was over 20 years ago so stuff is probably weaker now but I think this worth mentioning.

I was painting the topsides of my boat - first I had to 'degrease ' the grp so had some off-the-chandlery-shelf cleaner.

As the instructions said ' to de-activate, rinse with water ' I foolishly thought that meant it was feeble stuff.

I washed the topsides down, the residue running down my bare arms.

It began to tingle.

15 seconds later I knew I was in trouble and ran for the club loos, putting my arms under a running cold tap.

It didn't help - by now I was in agony; no kidding I thought it might burn down to the bone.

Luckily I'd been spotted as I left a vapour trail to the loos, and club member Margaret, an ex hospital matron, knew what to do; filled a basin with cold water and had me keep my forearms immersed for 40 minutes +.

The really worrying thing is, I hadn't been using any eye protection.

Or protection for people going past.

Call me a prat by all means, but don't get so close to blinding yourselves as I did.

 

[Mistroma]

Now for my standard warning about Oxalic Acid hull cleaners...please just stick pins in a voodoo doll if you've seen this before.

This was over 20 years ago so stuff is probably weaker now but I think this worth mentioning.

I was painting the topsides of my boat - first I had to 'degrease ' the grp so had some off-the-chandlery-shelf cleaner.

As the instructions said ' to de-activate, rinse with water ' I foolishly thought that meant it was feeble stuff.

I washed the topsides down, the residue running down my bare arms.

It began to tingle.

15 seconds later I knew I was in trouble and ran for the club loos, putting my arms under a running cold tap.

It didn't help - by now I was in agony; no kidding I thought it might burn down to the bone.

Luckily I'd been spotted as I left a vapour trail to the loos, and club member Margaret, an ex hospital matron, knew what to do; filled a basin with cold water and had me keep my forearms immersed for 40 minutes +.

The really worrying thing is, I hadn't been using any eye protection.

Or protection for people going past.

Call me a prat by all means, but don't get so close to blinding yourselves as I did.

Not a prat, I saw really bad burns from a variety of things in the chemical industry. Workers were told to NEVER assume a drip was just water but someone would regularly make that assumption and get it wrong.

Oxalic acid is toxic but I think you need to swallow it to kill yourself. I imagine 5-10gms might be enough, so not a lot. I think burning and irritation would probably kick in before you'd managed to poison yourself by absorption through your skin (unless it was deliberate).

Keeping it off your skin and eyes is obviously the main worry when cleaning the hull. I used to use some thickener about 30-40 years ago but this became a pretty rare event. The main factors were temperature and concentration. I found that a hot, 5%-10% solution would work in minutes above 20C and could be applied safely using a sponge type mop. A little washing up liquid helps is spread out and you can squeeze out most of the excess to minimise drips. A little thickener is really only needed when it's cold and it is still worth warming the surface with hot water before use.

I tend to wear gloves and apply from a sponge when it's a small area and I'm standing above it. Lower risk of it running up your arm or into the glove if you make it an uphill trip.

The rate of reaction is very slow below 10C and you need to leave it for hours at low temp. instead of 2-3 minutes at 25C.