Aluminum Brightener

[Craig/PowerWashUnlimited]

Hey Truck Washers? Went and bought me some of that there Aluminum Brightener and needs some info!!! How much do i dilute that there stuff before spraying it on that big ole truck trailer. Got me a shurflo pump to throw it out there, but just not too sure on how much to chunk on that white trailer. I thinks i got that second step of the 2 step down, i thinks. Thanks.



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Craig Knight
Power Wash Unlimited
www.powerwashunlimited.com

 

[Scott Stone]

If there were not directions on the bottle I would cut it way down, at least 40-1 and then gradually strengthen it until it works like you want. If it is Hf or hydroflouric acid based be really careful, really really careful. Where personal protection gear, and whatever else it takes. This stuff can kill you and can kill you fast. I might add that it is not a really pleasant death, and you are burned before you realize that you have a problem. This is bad stuff, and I don't carry it on my truck or let anyone else use it. I have seen some really stupid things happen with it and have a lot of fear and respect for this stuff. If you have a choice always get phosphouric acid based acid cleaners. They are a lot less caustic than Hf and a lot safer. Remember this is the stuff that killed the guy that owned Soap Warehouse. He was really used to being around it and spilled some on himself. He was dead that night.

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Just a guy driving around tying to make a living washing trucks, Wouldn't know a deck if it bit me in the hind quarters,

 

[Rob Blair]

Hey Craig,

The only thing we wash is fleets and heavy equipment, could be using Hydroflouric acid everyday, but choose not to, I agree with Scott, it is nasty stuff. I have been burnt by it a couple of times. As far as my business is concerned it is not worth using. I will not expose my crew to it. I do have some and I do use it on a rare occasion and everbody backs up! Man, use something else if at all possible. If it is just a painted surface you want to brighten use soap and wax! Hope that doesn't scare you away, life is short, be careful...........Rob

 

[LightningClean]

Craig,
Hydrofloric acid is nasty stuff, I know a guy that got 1 drop of hydrfloric acid on the palm of his hand and washed his hand right away, 4 hours later under his thumb nail started burning so bad it made him cry. It wat the hydrofloric acid forcing its way out, he lost his thumb nail. Be careful I will email you about some safer products

Rob/GetSealed



[This message has been edited by Dan Flynn (edited February 18, 2000).]

 

[Rob Blair]

Hey Rob,

Good to hear ya! Haven't seen any posts for awhile, hope you share your insight with us, appreciate your efforts. Would it be possible to email me that info too, need to brighten so Aluminum but keep putting off the Hydrofloric Acid........Rob

Originally posted by LightningClean:
Craig,
Hydrofloric acid is nasty stuff, I know a guy that got 1 drop of hydrfloric acid on the palm of his hand and washed his hand right away, 4 hours later under his thumb nail started burning so bad it made him cry. It wat the hydrofloric acid forcing its way out, he lost his thumb nail. If you want a safe aluminum brightener call me 815-437-2218 and I have one that works like hydrofloic but has no hydrofloric. I am sending you an e-mail about it, tell me what you think.

Rob/GetSealed

 

[Barry Loy]

Rob / Get Sealed, Would you mind e-mailing me as well about the 'safe' brightener you mentioned. Thanks ...
barry.loy@mciworld.com

 

[repobill1]

hello all. im new to the board and relatively new to the business. we have been using soap on fleet trucks since day one. but, we just tried using acid and love the way it cleans. i just read about the dangers, and really need some input on safe ways to use acid. as i said, relatively new and im looking for those with more experience in fleets to give some suggestions.
thanks

 

[ron]

acid

some state's have outlawed sales of HF and some hace changed to HC hydrochloric [muratic acid]
Some chem co. offer BUFFERED HF to slow obsorbtion of the acid into the skin.
Also look into eachchem and their NMD80 as a safe alt. to non-buffered HF.
You can also look at a product they sell called SABER.
Also you can use PH [phouspheric acid] but wont get white alum.
Is the objective to get white aluminumin or just use the chem reaction of base meet's acid to pop off the dirt?
Some citric acid based cleaners can be used to accomplish this.

 

[Gwas]

Why the big fear of acid ????? The stuff works wonderful. Nothing better. You need to carry the reaction cream ($50.00 per tube).

 

[repobill1]

Originally posted by Gwas
Why the big fear of acid ????? The stuff works wonderful. Nothing better. You need to carry the reaction cream ($50.00 per tube).

reaction cream? what is it and what does it do?

 

[Scott Stone]

It is stuff that you apply if you get any acid on you. If you don't Hf will eat a little hole in you rskin and burrow down towards what ever calcium you have in your body, namely your bones. If you get a lot of it on you, then it will just keep eating until it is satisfied, and gets neutralized by the calcium. People tha do not worry about hF do not undertand hF acid.

Scott Stone

 

[Cody]

<font color=e87400>SO does all this mean that HF is still the best aluminum brightener & that unfortunately it is also the most dangerous chemical for "us" to use.

I've been wanting to get some, or something, for a few weeks now. I have a pontoon boat that looks pretty rough. It is the standard non-coated aluminum pontoons. What would give me the best results, HF? Is there something safer that'd come close?

Just curious since the subject was up.

 

[Larry L.]

Yes,

I have seen nothing better than HF for non-coated aluminum.

 

[Austin]

Ron, Hydrocloric acid is NO alternative to HF. It will start to rust metal on contact and it only takes the slightest bit of overspray to kill any chrome on the truck, bumpers, quarter fenders, mirror posts, headlight bessils, lug nut caps, and hub caps. It only takes one wash to to cause rust regardless how much you dilute or rinse.

 

[ron]

austin, im sure you are correct. I have just herd of guy's useing that stuff, never tried it.
Catch a facefull of overspray a couple of times and watch HF eat your teeth.
It cost's a lot and ive not tried it yet, but look at eachchem
sabre or nmd80.
very buffred.

 

[Scott Stone]

These trucks have been washed with HCl since new. It all depends on the inhibitors.

 

[Austin]

I've used the Inhibited 20be hydrocloric (may not be what you are using) My distributer claims it won't attack the metal but I got the same results. How ever the Muratic Acid a form of hydrocloric which Ron was refering to should never be used on those types of trucks. I use it on lime trucks, and of course they know what to expect.

I would like some insight on the types u use. We have Vopak/ or Univar now which is a large chem man. and I don't think they carry any HC that is safe for washing these nice trucks.

 

[Scott Stone]

First off, those are not my trucks. They are some a friend of mine does.
Muriatic acid and HCl are the exact same thing. One is just a trade name.
What seperates the chemicals that we use from pure acid that a lot ofp eople like to use on concrete and other places is the inhibitors and surfactants that can be put in the acids. These can do a lot of things, including increasing the dwell time, reducing the reactivity, slowig down the reactivity, or increasing the volatility(using volatility as a term for a chemical reaction) It all depends. In this use you would not wanttsomethign that was super strong, and you would want a long really good wetting agent. The chemical does not react as quickly when it is wet as when it is dry. Most chemicals are this way, that is one of the reasons why they always state that you should notl et the chemicals dry on something. They will actually etch in to the paint and the glass if you do. This is a tough sell where I live. Ever try to wash trucks in 110 deg heat and 20% humidity? Everything dries on contact.

Anyway, that is the little chem lesson for today.

Scott

 

[Austin]

I realize that HCI is the formula and Muratic is the trade name that it is sold under. And I also realize what the inhibitors and surfactants can do but if you don't need a chemical that strong then why use it for trucks like these. The detergent I use can alone get these trucks as clean as they are. What purpose does the acid serve here? Surely you would use another detergent of some sort after the use of acid? It would seem like it would be a waste of money. And in a situation where acid does apply (and it may here don't get me wrong I have not seen these trucks dirty) at a third of the cost of HF not to mention a safer chemical why are there not more people using this method. Just curious.

 

[Austin]

I might have posted this around the time the board went down. I would still like some insight on this if you get a chance to Scott. Thanx.