oxolic acid

Aug 17, 2013
867
Pearson P30 202 Ottawa/Gatineau
hey everyone, spring is slowly coming about, that means getting the boat ready here in Ottawa Canada.

I read that oxalic acid is the main ingredient for fibreglass cleaner, the question is where can I get it here in Canada???

if I can't get it pure, what products contain some???
 
Jan 11, 2014
12,194
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
It occurs naturally in Rhubarb.

BarKeepers Friend is a cleanser that contains Oxalic acid.

Some Boat cleaning products, read the label.

And most commonly, Oxalic acid is used to bleach wood, so try a good hardware store or woodworker's store.
 
  • Like
Likes: Will Gilmore

capta

.
Jun 4, 2009
4,867
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
You should be able to get it at any hardware store.
Unless you just can't afford it, I'd suggest MaryKate hull & deck cleaner. It has lots of uses beyond hull & deck cleaning, like cleaning out air conditioning cooling lines, which I'm certain is way up there on every Canadians' launch list.
 
Aug 17, 2013
867
Pearson P30 202 Ottawa/Gatineau
I might have found some on Ebay, tried my local home depot but they don't carry it, I know in the states it is readily available
 
Sep 22, 2018
1,869
Hunter 216 Kingston
hey everyone, spring is slowly coming about, that means getting the boat ready here in Ottawa Canada.

I read that oxalic acid is the main ingredient for fibreglass cleaner, the question is where can I get it here in Canada???

if I can't get it pure, what products contain some???
I have no experience with this company so... but they are in Quebec!


I have used several different commercial OA products to remove the “tea stains” that I get in Lake Ontario. The best ones are gelled so that the acid stays put to do it’s job. Pretty sure none of them are 100% so be cautious.
 
  • Like
Likes: jssailem
Mar 1, 2012
2,182
1961 Rhodes Meridian 25 Texas coast
I buy Oxalic Acid in my local hardware store. It's known as wood bleach THe brand I buy is Savogran. I keep a can on the boat always, for cleaning off the water way frown . It's in crystal form, mixed with water to use. FAR cheaper than Bar Keepers
 

RoyS

.
Jun 3, 2012
1,742
Hunter 33 Steamboat Wharf, Hull, MA
I used to work maintaining subway trains. Oxalic acid, very diluted, was used to wash the trains.
 
May 31, 2007
762
Hunter 37 cutter Blind River
StarBrite waterline cleaner is almost all oxalic. I bought it for waterline cleaning but now use it as a wood bleach. Works very well. Also takes coffee stains out of shirts and leaves bleach marks on the docks. Don't ask how I know. A pharmacist colleague suggested ordering oxalic acid crystals from your local pharmacy. Haven't done that as I discovered the waterline cleaner. Part one of teak cleaner/brightener is lye which is available economically from the hardware store. Interestingly, the StarBrite waterline cleaner is much stronger and more efffective than the StarBrite part two brightener.
 
  • Helpful
Likes: JamesG161
Sep 14, 2014
1,272
Catalina 22 Pensacola, Florida
Cheap ass cascade dishwashing gel is oxalica acid and because it is a gel is easier to use on vertical surfaces. Plus detergent component adds some cleaning power as bonus.
 
  • Wow
Likes: Rich Stidger
Sep 6, 2014
2
Catalina 34mk11 Mandurah
I use oxalic acid for rust stains on stainless bar work- it works brilliantly. The method I use is to use a brush to put on the stain and the trick is to keep it damp for at least quarter of an hour before washing off (keep applying it with a brush as soon as it looks to be drying out) it just disappears. I believe the acid readily absorbs into your skin so I wear gloves and glasses for protection and try to wash the deck down as soon as possible.
 

RoyS

.
Jun 3, 2012
1,742
Hunter 33 Steamboat Wharf, Hull, MA
I mentioned above that we used to wash subway cars with a diluted oxalic acid mix. I should add that those trains were painted with Imron epoxy paint which displayed no damage despite weekly machine washing. I believe Imron and Awlgrip paints are similar.
 
Jan 11, 2014
12,194
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
I mentioned above that we used to wash subway cars with a diluted oxalic acid mix. I should add that those trains were painted with Imron epoxy paint which displayed no damage despite weekly machine washing. I believe Imron and Awlgrip paints are similar.
Imron and Awlgrip were originally created to paint airplanes, especially jets. Had to be tough to withstand hitting small particles at 570 mph.
 
Jan 11, 2014
12,194
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
:plus: Don’t let it get on your skin - wear gloves and eye protection.


I read the same, and that it causes organ damage. :huh:
Oxalic Acid is a relatively strong acid, so the usual precautions one uses with strong acids should be used. The toxic levels are fairly high and not likely to occur in normal use, 15 to 30 grams is the reported lethal amount.

On the other hand, oxalic acid is found in many common foods, spinach for example has 1 gram/100 grams or about 1% by weight.

No need to go crazy about protections, don't breath the powder for long periods of time, wear gloves, wear eye protection. The usual good precautions when working with household chemicals.


 

dLj

.
Mar 23, 2017
3,788
Belliure 41 Back in the Chesapeake
I read the same, and that it causes organ damage. :huh:
Everything seems to cause organ damage...

I'm looking for the substance that rebuilds organs.

I was trying scotch for quite some time, and was then told that causes organ damage too. I need an organ building substance so I can drink scotch in the quantities I'd like. Watching out for that darned organ damage keeps my scotch consumption at moderate to low...

dj