need info on Muriatic acid to clean fiberglass wall board? dangerous stuff!

[partonken]

My fiberglass wall board needs a good cleaning and im going to use Muriatic acid for the first time. Both ends of my carwash are open so I don't think I need a respirator. Rubber gloves are a must, complete face shield, hair wig, coveralls . Has anyone done this diluting to 25% muriatic. The pail ive have bought is 1% hydrochloric acid. Should I be using a rubber coveralls or cloth? this stuff is dangerous and I don't want to frig around with stuff. thanks!

 

[WikiWash]

I haven't used muriatic acid solution on fiberglass walls. But I have been thinking about using it on my stainless steel IBAs to clean off soap stains. So I am in the same boat as you.

 

[robert roman]

Use cold water to dilute the HCL down to 0.5 percent solution.

Use a cheap lawn garden hand-pump sprayer from Wal-Mart to apply solution.

Yes, wear respirator - mine safety or auto body paint snorkel, as well as other personal safety equipment for handling acid - elbow rubber gloves, safety glasses, etc.

Spray evenly on wall working top down and let it soak about 5 to 10 seconds then rinse off with high-pressure prep gun.

If the build up is real bad, scrub with pole brush then rinse.

Acid will wreck neoprene seals so rinse out sprayer with cold water then trash it.

Chewing gum will help keep down the foul taste from the fumes.

 

[partonken]

Bob, Ive been told to dilute the acid down to 1 to 4 ratio, so 1 pail at 20 litres at 1% acid will make 4 pails or 80 litres .
You mention .5 percent, this seems a little weak. thanks for the info!!

Use cold water to dilute the HCL down to 0.5 percent solution.

Use a cheap lawn garden hand-pump sprayer from Wal-Mart to apply solution.

Yes, wear respirator - mine safety or auto body paint snorkel, as well as other personal safety equipment for handling acid - elbow rubber gloves, safety glasses, etc.

Spray evenly on wall working top down and let it soak about 5 to 10 seconds then rinse off with high-pressure prep gun.

If the build up is real bad, scrub with pole brush then rinse.

Acid will wreck neoprene seals so rinse out sprayer with cold water then trash it.

Chewing gum will help keep down the foul taste from the fumes.

 

[mjwalsh]

Arcadia & Warsaw has more effective FRP cleaning solutions along with more strict guidelines of absolutely needed protection etc. I remember very intense discussions on this forum & articles in Self Service Car Wash News about it. I am not sure if those posts & articles are still available but the better information should still apply.

 

[Ric]

Warsaw Aluminate works well.

 

[MEP001]

I use Klean Wall. It's nowhere near as dangerous and hardly fumes at all, and it doesn't eat away the concrete.

I used to spray it with a garden sprayer, but I've found a good portion gets wasted. I mix it 2:1 in a bucket and apply it with an old foam brush. Scrubbing doesn't seem to help it work at all unless you really get in there with a Scotch Brite pad, and I don't care to put that much effort into it.

 

[robert roman]

“….dilute the acid down to 1 to 4 ratio, so 1 pail at 20 litres at 1% acid will make 4 pails or 80 litres.”

That is right on.

“You mention .5 percent, this seems a little weak.”

I liked on the “weak side” because it’s safer, there is less chance of burning aluminum and we had to clean frequently because of reclaim product water.

Conditions can dictate weaker than stronger. For example, I operated one tunnel that had bright blue epoxy paint floor, white RFP sidewall, 80’ of observation glass (10’ by 10’ sections), soft-cloth brushes and lots of aluminum parts.

0.5 percent HCL cleaned it all in about one-hour or so.

Use common sense, take precautions and be safe.

 

[mac]

Be cautious about respirators. Most are designed to filter out particulate matter ( dirt). You want the filters that take out the acid fumes. I get mine at Grainger. Filters, that is.

 

[mjwalsh]

Be cautious about respirators. Most are designed to filter out particulate matter ( dirt). You want the filters that take out the acid fumes. I get mine at Grainger. Filters, that is.

I am with Mac on this technicality. We got fitted with our respirator & appropriate filters & other protective gear from a place here locally that specializes in safety equipment.

We have used both muriatic & the Warsaw Aluminate & Arcadia NuWall. We found the muriatic to be less effective. The Warsaw & Arcadia products both contain hydrofluoric acid. Nobody should be lulled into thinking that it is safer. This link explains some of the dangers. http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/hydrofluoricacid/basics/facts.asp It is somewhat seductive in the sense that you don't feel in on your skin but it goes directly deep into a person's bones from what I have read by some experts. I would rather be more firm on the side of safety. Especially those of us who have an employee do the part of the work.

mike walsh www.kingkoin.com

 

[robert roman]

Of course, nobody should be lulled into thinking that HCL is safe. However, it can be used safely just as you would drive sensibly rather than recklessly.

For example, look at some old photos of veteran carwash operators.

Those that used too high a concentration of HCL or ABF to clean often look sunburned. This comes from dermatitis caused from exposure to overspray and mist that contains acid.

 

[Stuart]

I have used a phosphoric acid from Navy Brand (ccw95) and also a citris based organic presoak that has worked for me this past 5 years on FRP walls.
I mix into a 30 gallon barrel placed on a two-wheeler. Hook up a shur-flo pump with a wash gun/wand. Plug it in and spray on the walls. Let set for 10 to 15 minutes and wash off. With a 6foot wand I can reach my 11 foot walls really well to apply the cleaner and keeps me a good distance from the product and most of the misting (vs a weed sprayer).

 

[Mr.Aap]

Use Phosphoric....Works and there is little odor.....Make sure it foams....It will cut down on the misting.....