Rust removal, cheap: citric acid

I buy citric acid granules, it's plenty cheap and makes a lot of acid. I found it more effective than vinegar, much faster. So far always done after an overnight soak.
As a bonus it also makes millscale into a slime that just wipes off hot-rolled steel.
Also dissolves zinc galvanising.

Never sure of actual mix ratios, I just hoss some in and see what gives..

Here's a couple of pics of test bits, soaked over a night. The angle steel shows the millscale thing, where it's black it was above the waterline (well, acid line).

 

Where do you buy? Perhaps in The metropolitan San Francisco area ...


Poverty leaves an impression

 

Buy it over the net, there's loads on UK ebay so probs the same in the US, it's used for 'bath bombs' and wine making and stuff.

 

its used for cooking as well, mostly cakes and sweets, its the sugary stuff that covers the jelly candies.
most food stores should have it, specially indian shops.

thanx for the heads up.

 

Just got 6 hits on ebay.Looks like herbal/natural stores might carry it.Is pretty cheap,will give it a try.
Thanks for the tip.

 

Here are a couple to try...
http://www.thomasnet.com/northern-california/citric-acid-224600-1.html

 

I believe they also use citric acid for removing stains and rust spots from driveways before they stain or paint them here in Florida.

Try it you just might like it!!!

 

Ah OK, though there'd be more hits on the Bay of Flea over there; I got 150 just now on the UK bay.
It works out pretty cheap, I buy 2 lbs of powder for around £6 delivered, about 9 bucks at a guess. Half the cost is post.

Good stuff, but doesn't seem to like being mixed and left, needs to be mixed and used within a week. Seems to lose power when a few weeks old premixed, and turns a spooky urine-specimen green....

 

Still new on here so don't mind me for askn' a dumb question, so would these citric granules still do the job on bigger hunks of metal? say fenders or hoods?

 

That would be muriatic acid.

 

Best is to soak a part, but I heard of a guy who makes up a gel using wallpaper paste with citric acid... Slap it on, put clingfilm/cellophane over to stop it drying out. OK for small areas you can't dunk. Messy for a big area. Those are probably best done mostly with a strip & clean fibre disc?
A company here sells rust removers both as powder and gel, they're basically citric acid dressed up and with fancy prices on..

 

amazon.com 5 lb. bag under 20$

 

I still use oven cleaner from the dollar store works great on rust and grease! Bruce.

 

[ Seems to lose power when a few weeks old premixed, and turns a spooky urine-specimen green....[/QUOTE]
ummm.....if your urine-specimen is green,you got other issues-lol

 

How does it compare to molasses?

 

I think mole asses smell worse than citric acid.

 

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing this.

 

I've used citric acid and it works great.If i remember right its over week long process with the molasses,with the citric acid it will be a day or 2.If you can keep the water warm somehow,the process will be faster.I've used 4% mixture,when i've messed with this stuff.Its great with the sheetmetal etc,but it will ruin spring steel or casted parts.
I dont know where to buy it from US,but in here we can buy it from stores that sell farm equipments.
I've heard that they use the citric acid in here as a medicine for the pigs that have a diarrhea and bleaching the piggery walls.