# Muriatic acid



## pyshodoodle (Sep 18, 2008)

Could someone please tell me specifically how to use muriatic acid to clean bottles? I've read some pretty scary stuff online about what can go wrong, but haven't found a place that spells out what to do and what not to do in detail. Rather than keep looking, since I know a lot of you use it, I figure I'll just ask here. (That way, I'll be able to find the information again easily too[].)
 Thanks to all you experts for help!
 Kate


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## GuntherHess (Sep 18, 2008)

It is normally sold for cleaning mortar off brick. Your best bet is to read all the instructions and warnings on the containter. That should give you quite a bit of reading. Its probably not going to do much for you. Most sick bottles need tumbled.


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## Wilkie (Sep 18, 2008)

Hydrocloric acid works too.  The biggest mistake that I see people make, is they store it under their sink.  Even though it is capped, it will eat up everything metal under the sink, including your pipes, so store it separate from anything metal, and preferably outside, away from children and animals.  It works for some staining but not all.


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## glass man (Sep 18, 2008)

RIGHT ON ABOUT METAL,WILKIE. I have a friend that had a bucket of bottles soaking overnight in muriatic acid in his metal building overnight ,where he keeped his tools,lawn mower,etc. Next day every thing that could rust was as rusted as if it had taken years !


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## GuntherHess (Sep 18, 2008)

muriatic acid and hydrochloric acid are the same chemical. Muriatic is just the traditional name.  
 Acid fumes are definately corrosive.


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## NorCalBottleHunter (Sep 18, 2008)

i usually use it 2 to1, 2 water  1 acid, but becareful its a monster! if you have any cuts on your hands you will know it. use it in bucket with a lid


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## GACDIG (Sep 18, 2008)

I used it for a year. It would take all rust color and stuff off the bottles and leave a white cloud you could get rid of the WD-40. I keep it in my building in a open bucket. Like every one said, it turned all my metal to rust.[]. Use gloves also. One time I picked up a bottle out of it and I drop the bottle back in the acid and one drop splashed right back up into my eye.[] I thought my eye was going to melt in my head. I ran to the house and flushed it with water. I lived. Anyway, it will clean bottles. []


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