Citric acid brass cleaner

[WallyM3]

Much better price than at the hardware store.

[wistlepig1]

I ran across a little problem with the C. Acid I mixed up about 2 weeks ago. It has what looks like Mold floating in it. I am not sure if I got something in it or is this is a common problem. I straned it and Mick'ed it til almost a boil and see if it comes back. This was both in the USED and the new. I would just about bet I got contamination in it some how, but thought I would ask. thanks

[357maximum]

I ran across a little problem with the C. Acid I mixed up about 2 weeks ago. It has what looks like Mold floating in it. I am not sure if I got something in it or is this is a common problem. I straned it and Mick'ed it til almost a boil and see if it comes back. This was both in the USED and the new. I would just about bet I got contamination in it some how, but thought I would ask. thanks

Could it be as simple as some oil floating on the surface? I have seen a slight "SLICK" on mine recently after doing some particularly waxy brass.

[wistlepig1]

357, not sure what it is but it was lite green, it was mostly round in shape, I didn't notice a smell. I will put it where I can check it a lot and report back if it come back. I all but boiled it and add about 2 Tbl spoons of Dawn dish soap.

[sagacious]

I ran across a little problem with the C. Acid I mixed up about 2 weeks ago. It has what looks like Mold floating in it. I am not sure if I got something in it or is this is a common problem. I straned it and Mick'ed it til almost a boil and see if it comes back. This was both in the USED and the new. I would just about bet I got contamination in it some how, but thought I would ask. thanks

You are 100% correct, that's a harmless mold. Them bugs will eat it. The mold spots don't affect the strength of the citric acid, as a few spots do not remove hardly any citric acid from the solution. This is true for citric solutions used for both brass cleaning and rust removal.

I know that most folks think of mold as contamination-- and it can be in food-- but in metal cleaning solution it's nothing to worry about. This is one of the side effects of using a biodegradable, 'earth-friendly' cleaning solution-- it will eventually be consumed by microbes. Anyone who was worried about pouring a citric solution down their drain will doubtless be reassured by the fact that mold will eat it. I mentioned earlier in the thread that citric acid is biodegradable, and I wasn't kidding!

Don't pre-mix and store the solution for future use. Mix up one batch and then use it until it's eventually lost it's strength, and then mix another. Store the working solution somewhere cool and dark. If you have a spare fridge, you can store the labelled solution refrigerated, and it'll keep virtually forever.

If you boil the solution, it will kill the mold. I use my solution hot, and reheat each time I use it. That kills any microbes, but I don't really ever worry about it. Eventually, though, if the solution sits for long enough the microbes will be back.

Hope this covers it, good luck!

[EMC45]

I used a coffee container the other day to clean brass. I put about 3 tbl sp lemon juice, 1 tbl sp Dawn dish soap and 3 tbl sp distilled white vinegar, and the rest water. Cleaned some 30-30 brass with it. It went well. They came out clean. I agitated (shook) the container and it caused my solution to "off gas". The lid domed up and I "burped" it and it didn't do it again. After cleaning my brass I took some Jbullets I had that were fuzzy and green and gave them a whirl....They gassed up as well, and I had to burp it again. They came out clean! Didn't look outta the box new, but all the green was gone.

[pjh421]

Yep. Mine had the same mold growing in it. For some reason I don't have too many more rusty parts sitting around these days. I dumped it in the dirt. The stuff in the ultrasonic cleaner isn't moldy yet but I dump that on a regular basis when it looks too dirty. I'm almost done with my second container of Lemi Shine and have two more standing by. Thanks Sagacious!

Paul

[DLCTEX]

I had an old Crescent brand wrench that was covered in red rust and I was going to dump my batch of C acid as it was really getting dirty after much use. I poured it in a styrofoam drink cup and decided to see what it would do with the rust on the wrench. After an overnight soak I am amazed! No rust up to the line on the handle where the solution stopped, just shiny, bare metal. I have another adjustable wrench that is rusted, frozen in place, soaking now.
I went and checked the wrench, it now turns freely and is free of rust up to the line on the handle where the solution stopped. It's got me looking for things to de-rust. BTW: the rust is turned to a black goo that easily brushes away with a wire wheel.

[Charlie Sometimes]

I tried the "Fresh Fruit" brand of citric acid this weekend. It was hard to find in the Kroger store. I mixed 1 tablespoon to a gallon (too much?). I bought some 222 Rem brass at the gun show taht was really tarnished (range pick up) and wanted to try the mix on it.
Was somewhat impressed, but it didn't get everything. The really dark brass lightened but didn't come completely clean. Left it in a little longer, and it just seemed to dull everything. Lightly diluted Simple Green works just as well, so far.
The "Fresh Fruit" product also has dextrose and silicon dioxide in it (the later prevents caking). Would the sugar in the mix effect efficiency? The mix also turned my fingers yellow- maybe from handling the brass?

I am going to mix some and try it on tools next. Got a rusty #5 hand plane waiting on some TLC. I tried some Evapo-Rust (from AutoZone) it works good and smells like it has oxalic acid in it, or acid of some type, and it is "environmentally friendly", so it can't be too harmful. It turns the steel hand planes gray or black after a while- etched cast iron? Too expensive to use regularly and won't buy any more of it, especially if this works as well.

[pjh421]

Evaporust is good stuff but citric is better because it gets similar results much more inexpensively. You can get a gel form of Evaporust that will cling to the bottom of a car or something you're not likely to immerse. We need to figure out how to thicken our citric acid mixtures to expand their utility. Anyone?

Paul

[WallyM3]

Try the crystals in absorbent diapers.

It turns water to jello.

[waksupi]

Try the crystals in absorbent diapers.

It turns water to jello.

I hate to think of how you even know this!

[lwknight]

I hate to think of how you even know this!

The amonia in used diapers would ruin the brass. YUCK!!

[Elkins45]

Hey

I read the first five pages of this thread and stopped. It seems the consensus is that citric acid is the gold standard for case cleaning because it passivates the brass.

So why do I need a tumbler? Back in the dark ages before I could afford one I cleaned my meager assortment of brass with the Birchwood Casey liquid cleaner. Once I stumbled into a few bucks I bought a tumbler.

Should I have just stuck with the liquid method all along?

[pjh421]

Do diapers and gasoline equal napalm?

If you just want clean brass the acid wash has no equal. If you want it shiny as well you'd better not sell your tumbler.

Paul

[WallyM3]

How I learned that jello trick is too long a story to relate, but it was all in the interest of money.

I tumble (well, vibrate) once the cases are dry.

[sagacious]

I tried the "Fresh Fruit" brand of citric acid this weekend. It was hard to find in the Kroger store. I mixed 1 tablespoon to a gallon (too much?). I bought some 222 Rem brass at the gun show taht was really tarnished (range pick up) and wanted to try the mix on it.
Was somewhat impressed, but it didn't get everything.

Charlie,
If the citric solution doesn't do a dy-no-mite job on really tarnished range brass, something is not quite right with the solution. In this case, your solution is not strong enough.

I mix 1 or 2 teaspoons citric per quart water. That's 8 teaspoons per gallon. Since 1 tablespoon equals 3 teaspoons, you should to mix 3 tablespoons citric per gallon water to equal the recommended solution strength. Use hot water and your range brass should look a lot better. With hot water, the brass cleaning happens almost instantly.

The "Fresh Fruit" product also has dextrose and silicon dioxide in it (the later prevents caking). Would the sugar in the mix effect efficiency? The mix also turned my fingers yellow- maybe from handling the brass?

The other ingredients could possibly make a difference in how effectively the citric cleans metal. I'm not sure either way, but it is possible.

If anyone else is using the "Fresh Fruit" citric, maybe they can chime in and report on their results.

[sagacious]

I read the first five pages of this thread and stopped. It seems the consensus is that citric acid is the gold standard for case cleaning because it passivates the brass.

So why do I need a tumbler?

The citric will clean inside and outside very well, but it won't polish like a tumbler will.

Some folks want clean, some want shiny. Let your muse be your guide.

[sagacious]

Evaporust is good stuff but citric is better because it gets similar results much more inexpensively. You can get a gel form of Evaporust that will cling to the bottom of a car or something you're not likely to immerse. We need to figure out how to thicken our citric acid mixtures to expand their utility. Anyone?

Paul

One could try using ordinary gelatine to mix up a citric acid glop. You'd want to test it to see how effective it would be. It wouldn't be as effective as a soak in citric/water solution, but it might be good enough for the type of situations you describe. Good luck.

[Molly]

> We need to figure out how to thicken our citric acid mixtures to expand their utility. Anyone?

You might try stirring in some Jello. Or some of that really thick hair stuff.