Anyone have experience with Muriatic acid?

[Still]

Hey guys,
I recently saw a YT video of someone using muriatic acid to clean their bottles?
Does this actually work?
Is it safe and practical?
Cost efficiency?
How does it compare to things like Vinegar or CLR?
I just want to hear experiences or other did bits.
Cheers
- Still

 

[UncleBruce]

For cleaning glass, I prefer the Muriatic Acid over the other kinds. It doesn't damage the glass and will remove mineralization very well. It kind of works on rust but that's tougher. Precautions need to be taken as in its pure form it can be harmful. Using a large, lidded bucket that seals well I use 1 part acid to 4 parts water. When handling the bottles to put in the acid I use GOOD rubber gloves. I have what looks like a small turkey baster but is for battery acid (automotive store). I use that to fill the inside of the bottle then submerge the bottle and leave it for hours or a day after I close the bucket. I have a plastic canister I put the siphon in when I am not using it. If your bottles are etched the etching will still be there. I use mine to bathe the bottles after I have had them in my bottle polisher so that is my main use, but I do bath them if they look like they have stuff on them. Be sure to rinse the bottle thoroughly after you take it out of the bucket. Use in a well-ventilated area. I take mine outside when loading and unloading but have done it inside on poor weather days. Just avoid breathing the fumes. Don't splash it.

 

[5 gallon collector]

For cleaning glass, I prefer the Muriatic Acid over the other kinds. It doesn't damage the glass and will remove mineralization very well. It kind of works on rust but that's tougher. Precautions need to be taken as in its pure form it can be harmful. Using a large, lidded bucket that seals well I use 1 part acid to 4 parts water. When handling the bottles to put in the acid I use GOOD rubber gloves. I have what looks like a small turkey baster but is for battery acid (automotive store). I use that to fill the inside of the bottle then submerge the bottle and leave it for hours or a day after I close the bucket. I have a plastic canister I put the siphon in when I am not using it. If your bottles are etched the etching will still be there. I use mine to bathe the bottles after I have had them in my bottle polisher so that is my main use, but I do bath them if they look like they have stuff on them. Be sure to rinse the bottle thoroughly after you take it out of the bucket. Use in a well-ventilated area. I take mine outside when loading and unloading but have done it inside on poor weather days. Just avoid breathing the fumes. Don't splash it.

All good advice. Also consider goggles or a mask -- better safe than sorry; a splash can occur when you least expect it.

And, an issue that most people are not aware of: that when diluting a concentrated acid, it is recommended to add the acid to the water, and NOT the water to the acid -- well explained below. I remember this well from my undergraduate Chemistry days, but I don't recall ever seeing the results of water-into-acid -- probably because the proper method was drilled into us, so we always took the acid-into-water route.

From:

Add Acid to Water or Water to Acid? Safely Diluting Acids

Learn whether to add acid to water or water to acid when making an acid solution. Find out what happens if dilute sulfuric acid improperly.

sciencenotes.org

When you mix strong acids and water, it makes a difference whether you add acid to water or water to acid. Always add acid to water and not the other way around.

If you add a little water to a lot of concentrated acid, the resulting solution is still concentrated. The hydration reaction uses all the water (acid is the limiting reactant), generating a lot of heat. The solution violently boils, spitting concentrated acid out of its container. If you add a little concentrated acid to a lot of water, water is the limiting reactant and the resulting solution is more dilute. Here, all the acid reacts, but there is extra water to absorb the heat, lessening the chance of boiling.

Why Add Acid to Water​

There are a few factors that make it better to add acid to water. Diluting acid with water is exothermic, so it’s easier to boil and splash water added to acid than acid added to water because water has a high heat capacity and can absorb a lot of heat. Also, some strong acids have a higher specific gravity or density than water. So, if you put water on top of acid, the heat that’s generated is at the acid surface. In this situation, the liquid readily boils and spits. On the other hand, if you pour acid on top of or into water, the water rises over the acid before mixing and contains the reaction.

Diluting Sulfuric Acid​

Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is the most dangerous common acid to dilute. Partly, this is because it reacts so violently with skin and clothing. Sulfuric acid quickly dehydrates proteins and carbohydrates in skin and muscle. The acid is much heavier than water, so water added to it reacts with the top layer first. A lot of heat gets generated, even when sulfuric acid and water are mixed properly. Mixing 100 ml of concentrated sulfuric acid and 100 ml of water at 19 °C reaches a temperature over 131 °C (well past the boiling point of water) in under a minute.

It’s the hydration reaction that generates all that heat:

H2SO4 + H2O → H3O+ + HSO4–

Similarly, sulfuric acid readily strips water from organic molecules, dehydrating them.

Dilution Safety Tips​

In general, the higher the concentration the acid, the greater the greater the heat increase and the higher the chance of boiling and splashing. Be extremely careful diluting any concentrated strong acid. Always wear proper safety gear and work under a fume hood.


(Muriatic acid is not sulfuric acid. It is hydrochloric acid, HCl. Perhaps not as bad as sulfuric, but the potential for injury is real. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Figure out the dilution you want, the amount of water you need, put it into a suitable container, and add the acid slowly, with eye protection.)

 

[GAjosh]

All good advice. Also consider goggles or a mask -- better safe than sorry; a splash can occur when you least expect it.

And, an issue that most people are not aware of: that when diluting a concentrated acid, it is recommended to add the acid to the water, and NOT the water to the acid -- well explained below. I remember this well from my undergraduate Chemistry days, but I don't recall ever seeing the results of water-into-acid -- probably because the proper method was drilled into us, so we always took the acid-into-water route.

From:

Add Acid to Water or Water to Acid? Safely Diluting Acids

Learn whether to add acid to water or water to acid when making an acid solution. Find out what happens if dilute sulfuric acid improperly.

sciencenotes.org

When you mix strong acids and water, it makes a difference whether you add acid to water or water to acid. Always add acid to water and not the other way around.

If you add a little water to a lot of concentrated acid, the resulting solution is still concentrated. The hydration reaction uses all the water (acid is the limiting reactant), generating a lot of heat. The solution violently boils, spitting concentrated acid out of its container. If you add a little concentrated acid to a lot of water, water is the limiting reactant and the resulting solution is more dilute. Here, all the acid reacts, but there is extra water to absorb the heat, lessening the chance of boiling.

Why Add Acid to Water​

There are a few factors that make it better to add acid to water. Diluting acid with water is exothermic, so it’s easier to boil and splash water added to acid than acid added to water because water has a high heat capacity and can absorb a lot of heat. Also, some strong acids have a higher specific gravity or density than water. So, if you put water on top of acid, the heat that’s generated is at the acid surface. In this situation, the liquid readily boils and spits. On the other hand, if you pour acid on top of or into water, the water rises over the acid before mixing and contains the reaction.

Diluting Sulfuric Acid​

Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is the most dangerous common acid to dilute. Partly, this is because it reacts so violently with skin and clothing. Sulfuric acid quickly dehydrates proteins and carbohydrates in skin and muscle. The acid is much heavier than water, so water added to it reacts with the top layer first. A lot of heat gets generated, even when sulfuric acid and water are mixed properly. Mixing 100 ml of concentrated sulfuric acid and 100 ml of water at 19 °C reaches a temperature over 131 °C (well past the boiling point of water) in under a minute.

It’s the hydration reaction that generates all that heat:

H2SO4 + H2O → H3O+ + HSO4–

Similarly, sulfuric acid readily strips water from organic molecules, dehydrating them.

Dilution Safety Tips​

In general, the higher the concentration the acid, the greater the greater the heat increase and the higher the chance of boiling and splashing. Be extremely careful diluting any concentrated strong acid. Always wear proper safety gear and work under a fume hood.


(Muriatic acid is not sulfuric acid. It is hydrochloric acid, HCl. Perhaps not as bad as sulfuric, but the potential for injury is real. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Figure out the dilution you want, the amount of water you need, put it into a suitable container, and add the acid slowly, with eye protection.)

What concentration of muriatic acid are you guys starting with? I dont know of anywhere you can buy it pure and everywhere i see it for sale, its pre diluted but some are different strengths.

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[CCB420]

I was working on a bricklaying crew before many current job (with a college degree but that's a totally different story) but we used muratic acid to clean mortar from bricks!! Maybe we're all crazy or just too redneck, but we never used any protection!! Never felt any ill effects from submerging full arm in a bucket!? The mortar would affect my skin way more than the acid

 

[UnderMiner]

I think Muriatic acid is only 30% Hydrochloric Acid by concentration.

 

[CCB420]

However one time we were working at a big plant of P&G where safety is at the top of their list, above god, county, family, etc!! But they get ignorant with their safety guidelines!! It was mid August in Louisiana, for those whom have never been here during peak of summer, words can't accurately describe the 100+ temps with 150% humidity!! You just hafta experience to understand this heat! Anyhow, these educated morons had us in full hazmat suits (we called em monkey suits) steel toed rubber boots, rubber gloves past elbow, goggles, with a face shield, and a respirator!! Now add that equipment to satan's sauna outside with not a shade tree in sight!!! Took us over a week to wash bricks that would've taken bout half a day under normal brick washing conditions