Descaler

[Tony Tiler]

Can anybody recommend a decent limescale descaler? I need to descale my burco.

 

[Wilfy]

I find citric acid good for getting the crud from the element in my HLT.

 

[simon12]

+1 for citric other things work but citric acid is best and if added to hot water 1 quick fizz all limescale is gone. You can get in from wilkos if theres one near you.

 

[Dutto]

In industry they tend to use a mixture of Citric Acid and Acetic Acid (aka Lemon Juice and Vinegar).

Mixed 50:50 the two acids get rid of most scales and with a decent rinse with fresh water don't leave behind any bad after-tastes. :thumb:

 

[Tony Tiler]

Thanks for your help folks, that'll be this weekends job..

 

[MyQul]

In industry they tend to use a mixture of Citric Acid and Acetic Acid (aka Lemon Juice and Vinegar).

Mixed 50:50 the two acids get rid of most scales and with a decent rinse with fresh water don't leave behind any bad after-tastes. :thumb:

Might do me bathroom taps using this. Wont take the chrome off will it?

 

[Dutto]

I shouldn't think it will harm a chrome tap, but I've only used it to de-scale a 1,000 ton per day Reverse Osmosis Unit and my own kettle at home! :thumb:

Another easily obtainable de-scaling liquid is Uric Acid but, for some reason it doesn't seem to be as popular as Acetic or Citric Acid.

I well remember travelling on the Aberdeen > Shetland ferry and noticing that the centre bit of the brass plughole fitted to the sink was missing. As the nearest toilet was on the deck above I decided that the sink had probably been "descaled" on many occasions!

Happy Days? :thumb:

 

[MyQul]

Another easily obtainable de-scaling liquid is Uric Acid but, for some reason it doesn't seem to be as popular as Acetic or Citric Acid.

I dont think MrsMQ will be too chuffed if suggest I descale the taps in this manner

 

[Dutto]

Legend has it that during WW2 the American Marines had a problem storming up the beaches of Pacific Islands because the sea-bed was covered with sea urchins. Whenever a Marine stumbled they would often kneel on one of them, the spines would puncture their knees, snap off at the tips and then go septic.

Research into the problem showed that the locals all used naturally produced uric acid to neutralise the poison and dissolve the spines. Not wishing to issue orders to follow the local practice the Marine Corps issued bottles of sterilised piss instead!

I dearly hope that the tale is true and knowing the squeamishness of some American managers I can well believe it!

 

[foxbat]

Might do me bathroom taps using this. Wont take the chrome off will it?

I use citric for our taps and it works quite well. I soak a cloth in it and drape around the taps because it takes time for the acid to dissolve away the carbonate. It usually takes several goes to get them shiny.

You can get packs of it on Ebay if you don't have a wilkos.

 

[Wynne]

For descaling I find boiling a few rhubarb leaves (which contain oxalic acid) usually does the trick. A proper rinse with water is required as oxalic acid is poisonous.

 

[MyQul]

I use citric for our taps and it works quite well. I soak a cloth in it and drape around the taps because it takes time for the acid to dissolve away the carbonate. It usually takes several goes to get them shiny.

You can get packs of it on Ebay if you don't have a wilkos.

Thanks fort that. I was wondering how I would do it.

I have a wilkos near work

 

[Dutto]

For descaling I find boiling a few rhubarb leaves (which contain oxalic acid) usually does the trick. A proper rinse with water is required as oxalic acid is poisonous.

So was the Rhubarb Wine that a mate of mine made after he halved the amount of sugar in the Recipe he was given.

Roy would have loved this Thread as an excuse to clean his bath with it because his wife made him drink every drop ...

.. apparently with that smug "I told you so!" look that only a wife can conjure up!

 

[Druncan]

We kitesurf. In Hugharda I went out with a big kite in low wind over the reef. Wind died and I walked /body dragged myself back to the beach. I looked like a sad boy porcupine cross in a sea of blood. Black urchin spines right through my feet/legs and coral scrapings everywhere. The love of my life sat on the beach said 'I thought it looked a bit light to go out that deep' are you OK? Then I started the lemon juice to dissolve the spines. The pain was more extreme than anything I have experianced. Even worse the coral actually grew on/in me for quite a while,, In fact i may actually be the first human reef on Tiree,,, However, Citric acid is now my mainstay out here. Hard water and a reason I am still mainly an extract brewer. Unless anyone has a way forward? Unless you're going to take the *iss?

 

[Drunkula]

Make sure you go to the laundry section of Wilkos and get the citric acid in a bluey box, not the rip off from the brewing section. You get 250g for £1.75 rather than 50g for a quid. Yes, I do eat it and make booze with it - but it might not be food grade wehh wehh.

 

[Dutto]

............ The love of my life sat on the beach said 'I thought it looked a bit light to go out that deep' are you OK? Then I started the lemon juice to dissolve the spines. The pain was more extreme than anything I have experianced. ............

The female of the species are noted for having 20:20 hindsight and letting their partners know it on every occasion!

Sea-urchins have survived for millions of years because their spines provide excellent protection!

Even wearing 4mm thick neoprene diving gloves and handling them as gently as possible can easily result in a skin puncture (I soon learned to not pick them up) so I shudder at the amount of damage that could be done when walking over them in similar bootees; especially the little black ones with the long spines!