molasses is bought from pet/animal food supply shops. Alternatively from a horse shop.viiking wrote:Don't disagree re the molasses, but for most of us city sllickers molasses would be difficult to obtain in bulk.
So what I have done is to get a large tank called an IBC or Intermediate bulk container. These are the square plastic containers of 1000 litres with a steel cage around it. I get mine from work, but you sometimes see them on ebay. Cut off the top plastic so you can get the parts iin. Put in the water and then citric acid. For a half full tank you put in 500 litres of water, and 25kg bag of citric acid. Actual concentration is not critical. As I work in the chemical industry I can get the citric in bulk cheap.
I have treated my doors, mudguards, boot and bonnet and donor complete quarter panels this way. Whatever you can fit. Small parts can go in drums, buckets or whatever else you have lying around. The solution does NOT go off but continues to work for a long time -has no smell, doesn't burn - you can put your hands in it no problems UNLESS you have cuts in which case you get stinging.
Alternatively you can build a frame out of wood, or bricks or even just mound dirt and place in a tarpaulin big enough to hold the item in question inside and then fill with water. Wouldn't suggest going too high, maybe 100-200 mm might be enough depending on what you are trying to immerse.
Re the HCl. I agree concentrated stuff is nasty. But when you dilute it from the 32% solution you buy say from Bunnings, 10-fold, it is not much of a problem.
So Citric Acid has the following benefits:
1. Reasonably cheap.
2. Doesn't smell awful like molasses or vinegar or pool acid
3. Works quickly depending on how strong you use it.
4. Is relatively innoccuous - won't burn the bejesus out of you. It is used in soft drinks and lollies so it can't be too bad for you
5, It is not difficult to get rid of when you have used it.
Do some google searching for it or watch this video. It really is the best method I have come up with.
In all cases it is best if you can remove as much of the offending crap as possible like oils and greases as this tends to create big grease balls in the solution.
I like your idea on the 1000l water tanks.
might try that one.
where do you buy citric acid from? can you get bulk sodium hydroxide? and is that expensive?
sodium hydroxide is one of the key chemicals I use to complete the process for un-rusting bare metal.
