Cleaning Chrome with Oxalic Acid - a how to

[felkman]

I wrote this up on Indyvinmoto but thought I would share it here also incase you aren't on the email list.
Using oxalic acid for cleaning rust off of chrome. Forget using SOS pad or aluminum foil. Oxalic acid will not scratch the chrome.

(WEAR SAFETY GOGGLES AND RUBBER GLOVES)


(PLEASE NOTE - DO NOT USE ON ALUMINUM OR CAD PLATED PARTS)



Here is what you need. Wood bleach (oxalic acid), a tub large enough to fit your parts in and some water. I usually use about 1 tub of wood bleach to about 10 -15 gallons of water (if you have a 5 gallon bucket use less acid). Mix warm water and wood bleach together in tub, put your parts in and check every 4 to 5 hours. This is not an instand clean, it can take up to 2 days of soaking for very heavy rust as seen below.

I am into old 1980s BMX bikes so I thought I would show a test on some rusty bicycle handlebars I had in the trash. These bars, as you can see are in about as rusty condition as they can be in. The first pictures are before they went into the Oxalic acid and water bath.







The next are after 4 hours in the acid mixture.







The next are after 16 hours.







As you can see there is still pitting if the chrome is too bad but if
you were to use an SOS pad on these bars, they would never clean up
like this.

(DO NOT USE ON ALUMINUM OR CAD PLATED PARTS)

[cb500bobber]

I have some exhaust pipes that are on my bike that I am definitely going to try this on thanks for the info

[leadkrm]

Thanks I'll be using this. Great right up

[Deleted]

fyi:dont use the wifes kitchen sink or bathtub when attempting this! sometimes they just dont have a sense of humor about certain things that make perfect sense to us. go figure!

[cb500bobber]

Now that's a good one oldfart lol

[leadkrm]

I have a cast iron wash basin sink hooked up in my basement so I don't have to work about the wife but I was too lazy this weekend and got yelled at when she came home and saw a rack of carburetors sitting in the kitchen sink soaking

[tango911]

so your saying 12 ounces of Wood bleach TO 10-15 gallons of water? right

[felkman]

Jun 29, 2011 12:59:12 GMT -4 tango911 said:

so your saying 12 ounces of Wood bleach TO 10-15 gallons of water? right

Yes, that is correct but you can make it stronger or weaker if you want. That is just how I did it most of the time. Back when I was a kid collecting rusty beer cans, a friend of mine always used super strong solution of acid and he had about the same results as I did, just a little faster!

[tango911]

ALso, where is a good place or way to get rid of the solution , can it be used over and over again? and for how long?

steve

[felkman]

Jun 30, 2011 15:16:04 GMT -4 tango911 said:

ALso, where is a good place or way to get rid of the solution , can it be used over and over again? and for how long?

steve

You can use it for a few months but after a while it will get moldy. I dumped it down my kitchen drain, I figured if it is safe enough to spray on a deck, it can't be that bad.... You don't work for the epa do you? ;D

[Owen Nevins]

I'm gonna try it on some exhaust tonight, any thing different with exhaust and mufflers.

[felkman]

Just wondering if anyone has tried this and if you were happy with the results? I have done it 25 times or more and am always shocked at the results.

[tango911]

I will be trying it on an old hunk of junk, if sucessful ill be cleaning my original 4-4 pipes for my CB750.

[Deleted]

where can you buy this?i looked at lowes and couldnt find it.

[felkman]

I have bought it at Ace and True Value stores in the past year and have also bought it at Lowes. I know the Ace in Irvington at 10th and Arlington always had it in stock. I bought some a couple months ago at True Value on 135 in Greenwood. It is usually by the paint stripper.

If you ask for wood bleach, you may get some help. If you ask for oxalic acid or say that you are using it to remove rust from metal, they will look at you like you are crazy!