oxolic acid

[fred1diver]

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???

 

[dlochner]

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.

 

[Justin_NSA]

I use toilet bowl cleaner for the brown waterline. It contains oxalic acid. Use the gel formula.

 

[capta]

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.

 

[fred1diver]

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

 

[Hunter216]

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!

Oxalic Acid

Oxalic Acid, also called salt of sorrel, is a very good brightener for wood grayed by rain and U.V. rays. Oxalic Acid can remove tough stains and marks on most woods. Oxalic Acid can be also used to clean and unclog oiled wood like Teak wood. Oxalic Acid

ardec.ca

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.

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

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]

I used to work maintaining subway trains. Oxalic acid, very diluted, was used to wash the trains.

 

[sandpiper10471]

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.

 

[rgranger]

Amazon also sells it pure and in bulk

Amazon.com : oxalic acid

 

[JamesG161]

Amazon also sells it pure and in bulk

Also
Verify your identity

Tip: Never mix it with Bleach. It will make Chorine Gas!
Jim...

PS: That link is a Walmart Link for cheap Oxalic Acid. Mine shows "Verify your Identity" WTH?

 

[Jacktar]

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.

 

[Jampit]

Oxalic acid IS poisonous so don't forget to wash your hands- and make sure no dogs or cats can lick it up.

 

[travlinon]

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]

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.

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

don't forget to wash your hands

Don’t let it get on your skin - wear gloves and eye protection.

I believe the acid readily absorbs into your skin

I read the same, and that it causes organ damage.

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

I believe Imron and Awlgrip paints are similar.

Imron is similar to Awlcraft 2000. Awlgrip paint is a different paint technology. My boat is painted with Awlcraft 2000.

 

[dlochner]

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.

 

[dlochner]

Don’t let it get on your skin - wear gloves and eye protection.


I read the same, and that it causes organ damage.

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.

CDC - Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health Concentrations (IDLH): Oxalic acid - NIOSH Publications and Products

www.cdc.gov

Oxalic acid - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[dLj]

I read the same, and that it causes organ damage.

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