oxalic acid

[chrisr]

here's one for all the chemists out there

like many boat owners, we use oxalic acid for removal of all sorts of stains esp rust and find the stuff is absolute gold

naturally we always mix in the appropriate strength of about 15% or say 100grams of the powder per liter of water. however i've always wondered about 2 things ;

- is there any common material on a boat that should NOT be sprayed with oxalic acid ie will be harmed by it ?

- if mixture is stronger - say double strength - what materials will be harmed and how ?

really looking for info from folk who know what they are talking about please. i already have enough uninformed opinions of my own !

cheers,

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by chrisr

here's one for all the chemists out there

like many boat owners, we use oxalic acid for removal of all sorts of stains esp rust and find the stuff is absolute gold

naturally we always mix in the appropriate strength of about 15% or say 100grams of the powder per liter of water. however i've always wondered about 2 things ;

- is there any common material on a boat that should NOT be sprayed with oxalic acid ie will be harmed by it ?

- if mixture is stronger - say double strength - what materials will be harmed and how ?

really looking for info from folk who know what they are talking about please. i already have enough uninformed opinions of my own !

cheers,

a. Google "chemical compatibility table" and look for the materials of interest.


b. Increasing the concentration, past a point, will not help. The pH is already at a minimum. This is true of many cleaners. It's just a waste of money, and it can make things worse, in part because there is more to neutralize when you are finished. 15% is probably stronger than you need.