Leaving the playground for a moment, IME sulphamic discolours stainless and chrome, whereas citric does not. Nothing is particularly effective on taps due to the problems of keeping it in position. Didn't somebody mention a citric gel used to clean cookers? Perhaps one of our eminent chemistry scholars would tell us how you "thicken" an acid.
Sulphuric acid is gelled for use in batteries with silica, producing a thixotropic gel. For taps I use vinegar, the trick is to heat the taps first by pouring a kettle of boiled water on them.
And I'm not considering myself an eminent chemistry scholar :)
NT
I have to agree with Steve here, citric is as feeble and ineffective as it gets. I try to avoid it at all times (for descaling), its really only of use when there is absolutely nothing else that can be used.
NT
I think this is stating the obvious though. With any acid, except citric, there are things you should not use it on. If someone doesnt know this, and doesnt look at the label on the HCl/sulphamic acid... I'd say they had a fairly serious problem, and would be surprised if they got as far as seeking advice on ukdiy.
Perhaps it should in an ideal world, but IRL they routinely dont.
I doubt it, the package warns you what not to use it on, and probably says if in doubt test an inconspicuous area first, leaving you with no wiggle room.
NT
Steve Firth typed
How do you grind an ace?
To what use do you put it?
Even my mother would know this one. Boil it up with a bit of cornflour, remembering to add hot to cold and not vice versa of course, works for everything else :-))
-- Holly, in France Gite to let in Dordogne, now with pool.
When honed to a fine edge, there's no better tool for splitting hairs.
IIRC the recognised thickeners (starches, gums, clays) fall apart in all but the weakest acid solutions. That's why I was interested in the citri-gel product somebody mentioned.
It's not pedantic to pick up on typographical errors in the context of usenet, it's boorish. But then boorishness and tedious stupidity are rather hallmarks of yours.
Nah, it's called falling over your own bootlaces. What he's trying to tell you is that he was a lab. technician.
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember snipped-for-privacy@care2.com saying something like:
Yep. School was where I learned to blow things up.
Living, as I do, in an extremely hard water area, I'm tempted to give sulphamic acid a try on my kettle. Any horrid taste after being rinsed out well?
The usual formic acid de-scalers are next to useless around here.
Even the branded products will damage Stainless steel. This is from practical experience, not theory (SWMBO used toilet descaler on the sink!).
MBQ
snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.comtyped
Ummm.... toilet descaler could be hydrochloric acid, which is stronger than descalers designed for kitchens and bathrooms. IIRC Harpic = HCl.
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