Oxalic Acid

[Bobingabout]

I have seen mentioned, in various thread, that Oxalic Acid can be used for cleaning purposes.
However, I have been told that this is a highly toxic and dangerous substance.
Can any of you experts please answer the following queries:
1. Is it any good for cleaning fibreglass hulls, particularly the "Sheen", that I find
very difficult to polish off.
2. If the answer is yes, what safety precautions need to be taken? (Rubber gloves,
safety glasses etc).
3. Where can I obtain it, and how do I prepare it? (I believe you dissolve the
crystals n water).

Many thanks in advance...........

 

[tonyg]

I remember once trying to get hold of this substance for brass-cleaning, and in the end used crushed rhubarb leaves to get the blackness off an old brass chest. It kinduv worked but I suspect it was more the elbow grease than the oxalic acid content.
I suppose this must be really helpful advice, see as how rhubarbs have gone to sleep for the winter and nary a leaf in sight.

 

[longjohnsilver]

Yes it is very toxic, usually used to clean wood or rust stains off fibreglass. Don't know what you mean by sheen, but worth a go as it is relatively cheap to use.

Definitely wear rubber gloves and your goggles. You can buy it from a chemist, although he will probably want to know why you're buying it. It does come as a powder and is mixed with water. Another tip which I picked up from this forum is to mix it with wallpaper paste to stop it running if on a vertical surface.

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by longjohnsilver on Thu Nov 29 19:53:14 2001 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[VMALLOWS]

I'm amazed you 'all dont spend more time in the chandlers.....

STARBRIGHT hull cleaner (scum line & stain remover) is just that (OXALIC ACID). Yes, it does the job extremeley well. It is also great on rust stains on fiberglass. I have no information on any damage to fiberglass but certainly dont believe there's any. Yes, it burns on your skin.

RRP is £9.99 for '1 US QUART' (950ml). Please dont tell me you want to stay imperial!.

In view of that, I intend boiling my ruhbarb leaves in future!!

WARNING: RUHBARB LEAVES / OXALIC ACID can be FATAL if injested.

 

[byron]

I recently had terrible staining problems on my boat due to leaves. Someone reccomended 'DETTOX' which is a regular product from a Supermarket. It worked splendidly but here again one must wear gloves.

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www.education-jobs.co.uk
www.alexander-advertising.co.uk

 

[ccscott49]

Oxalic, is available at the chemist, it soes the same as all the fancy liquids in the £10 bottles, yes use gloves and eye protection. You can make about 50 gals, for less than £10, good old rip off the yachtsman. It will not hurt fibreglass and is not hard to use, thew wallpaper paste trick, works very well I've used it. Oxalic acid, is an oxygen bleacing agent, as opposed to the alkali domestic bleaches, I've also pumped it through the toilets, to remove the limescale build up, works for that aswell. But be careful with it, make sure there are no dogs, kids around if you are going to leave it on for a while, it does'nt need long to work, its also great for brightening teak, to bring back the colour.

 

[pugwash]

Good idea. How much powder to water? Once mixed, does it keep?

 

[ccscott49]

It does keep, I usually mix it to effect, adding more crytals if it doesnt work! Its the same principle with my teak cleaner, Washing up liquid, cheap tesco brand, tesco thick bleach and caustic soda. Mix bleach and soap, mix caustic seperately, add some of the caustic to your mix, apply to deck, no real reaction add a bit more until the wood just starts to turn a little red, thats it clean decks, then apply oxalic, neutralises any left over alkali (bleach/caustic) and brightens the deck. I first bought a little bottle of teak cleaner to see the effect, then mixed mine to do the same! Teak cleaner £9.50 for 1/2 litre Colins mix £10 for 50 gals! I used to give it to evrybody in the marina, for beer!

 

[VMALLOWS]

Thanks, will try the Chemist, but do wonder what they would stock it for. I can't even get hold of castor oil anymore for the echo sounder.....though get offered plenty of other preparations that I don't think the e/s would appreciate!

 

[ccscott49]

Your down in Emsworth, you should be able to get it round there, but they will order it for you, if you grovel enough!

 

[charles_reed]

I'm afraid you'll find most dispensing chemists don't know what oxalic acid is.

The easiest way of getting it is to buy it from your chandler in the form of Staybrite hull cleaner.

If you live in a city you can probably get it from any fine chemicals wholesaler.

Oxalic acid is slightly poisonous by ingestion, it is advisable to use gloves when handling a concentrated solution, more to avoid allergic reactions than to prevent absorption.

It is extremely good for any ferric stains (brown).

The alternative is to use 18-24% hydrochloric acid - now that is really dangerous but very effective for removing stains that oxalic acid won't shift.

 

[gus]

Re: Hydrochloric Acid

Would support the suggestion about using hydrochloric acid. You can buy it from B & Q as brick cleaner. Nothing beats it for removing rust stains off the topsides. If you want the really powerfull stuff - which you have to hold at arms length downwind - then go for Spirit of Salts.

 

[Stemar]

Re: Hydrochloric Acid

I agree that HCl is a great cleaner, but if you use it, be sure to wear gloves & eye protection. Make sure you rinse anything you use it on very thouroughly

Spirits of salts is concentrated HCl, and seriuosly ferocious. It'll descale a domestic toilet that nothing else will look at. Probably not a good idea on the boat tho'!

A tiny splash will eat a hole in your clothes then start on your skin - ouch. Best treatment is to wash for several minutes with lots of water. A splash in the eye means a good wash out then straight to the local A & E.

The vapour is evil stuff too, so don't use it in a confined space.

 

[Guest]

Green stains on warps

Is Oxalic acid safe on synthetic warps, anyone? I want to remove green staining which has survived washing with bio powder in the washing machine. Maybe bleach is better but what won't attack the strength of the ropes?

Andrew Lee