Richard Leon said:
Have things changed since I was at school?
In England, muriatic acid is known as hydrochloric acid. I seem to remember it was quite commonly used in chemistry classes but apart from goggles, I don't think we used any other protection.
Maybe that's why I was never very good at chemistry!?
Just don't try playing with either one while in an enclosed space with no ventilation. Cut it with water.
Don't add the water to acid, especially if "hard" water. Add the acid, with care, to the water.
Whenever working with Muriatic acid (that may have been a trade name for hydrochloric acid. I am not a chemist either.) I made sure my eyes and nose were well protected. I only used it a very few times. I found other more benighn (sp?) "organic" acids that were less active. For me, it was more important to do my work with care rather than to expect a need to do any type of acid wash. As mentioned in previous post, i steered away from muriatic acid. The one time i tried it extensively led to an interesting adventure. Even the other "organic' acids i occasionally used were also somewhat dangerous in that eyes and respiratory damage was a possibility. They were by far, safer to use, but precautions were necessary. Muriatic acid could "burn" and discolor masonry, or any other materials they might come in contact with. The "organic" acids were not strong enough of reaction to burn much of anything. Even so, they were capable to do damage.
I got myself into a situation with muriatic acid, just once, where i became concerned for the safety of my lungs. From that time forward, with the exception of my above story, I strictly avoided use of the muriatic acid inside of any enclosed structure, or any place else, inside or out.
One of my first extensive use of one of the "organic" acids, I managed to spatter a little on an asphault shingle roof. (I had constructed a pink marble fireplace and used the same material outside for the chimney.) I had been told explicitly that the material would not damage anything except the masonry to which it was to be applied to. Some suppliers will tell you anything to make a sale. I was quite skeptical and even tho i used care in the application, i ended up with some roof repair before i could present my billing. The very white shingles had ended up with some very black patches on the area immediately adjacent to the copper flashing. One could not see the spots from the ground, but one never knows when some hotshot will fly low with a helicopter.
The copper flashing got the patina of aging and the owner stopped me from making a repair to the copper while i was re-shingling the small patch of roof. Any material capable of cleaning masonry will have some sort of acid base and therfore, will have an inherant danger, no matter how slight, to he/she who uses it. The danger is always present to cause damage to any other materials that gets spattered around the area, no matter how slight.
The periods covered by my mistooks were well noted by yours truly. I was in my early to mid twenties, somewhat reckless of 'tude and maybe just a bit unheedful of those who advised caution with any thing i might have ventured in to. i will continue to forward such warnings as long as I am in a situation to forward such. in many cases, there will come forth a story of my own misadventure. As in the above story, they often have ended up with a twist of humor. I have always been very fortunate in that respect.
Tinker
