Cleaning Rocks With Acid

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

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[@susantipsyhealy7655]

we have extremely iron rich and carbon rich soil here in North Texas. so we get both deposits. I have used both muratic acid and separately will use something like iron out. i dilute the acid into a black hdpe bucket with a black lid and let it bake in the texas heat. I keep a second bucket of baking soda next to it to rinse my gloves and tongs after use. i also have plastic tongs and slotted spoons to help in retrieving stones. another highly recommended safety device is a full respiratore and splash goggles. i also soak the stones in the backing soda water for equal amount of time as the acid wash or iron wash to make sure the acid is neutralized. keep up the videos. love watching

[@nissmopwer]

I've went as far as cleaning with acid in an ultrasonic cleaner lol really cleans out the crevices

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I've never tried an ultrasonic cleaner for rocks, but I have on small metal parts and it sure does work.

[@mwilson14]

Thank you for the upload and taking the time to explain the dangers of using acids or other chemicals to clean rocks and minerals. Some of the byproducts in the acid waste solution are very nasty. I've got byproducts ranging from arsenic to thallium which I've been spending a lot of precious time and energy to handle the hazmat. At least I collect elements from the periodic table, so I'm actually quite fond and proud of my arsenic mirrors. :)

[@thirstfast1025]

Definitely nice pieces! Well done on the etching!

[@mikedodge3910]

I knew I should have looked to your videos before asking how to clean with acid to the Facebook group. Thank you.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Yeah.... Facebook groups are well.... Ummmm I'll bite my lip here.

[@mikedodge3910]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding lol!

[@whattherock1964]

Will definitely have to grab some of this! Currently using my super professional warm water and spare toothbrush technique 😂

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Hey if it works it works! Hot water and a brush is what we used for years.

[@whattherock1964]

Currently Rockhounding been working pretty well for me but I’m sure this acid could really help us with some of the tougher stuff and harder to reach spots!

[@dimracrhamacid1756]

ive recently thought of using an industrial vinegar, 30+%. Is this something you have tested as an alternative?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I have used high percentage vinegar but I don't really have a dedicated video up on it.

[@EDLaw-wo5it]

I also use cleaning vinegar which is good alterative between vinegar and HCA. It can be bought at most major food stores. It just makes a little longer is all. Good vid my friend. Havagudun.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

How long do you normally soak in the cleaning vinegar?

[@EDLaw-wo5it]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding I really just check for the fizz. If it is heavy amounts of calcite it may take 2 days or so.Your limbcast I would guess a full day. I have had heavy calcite that took 2 days but that was in very rough rocks. It is a little cheaper than HCA and not as dangerous. I think you might like it. Good luck.

[@lorenebroncheau6386]

What do you not use it on? I have a hard time cleaning some minerals on my stone's

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

You can damage some minerals when cleaning with acid, and that can range from etching things you don't want to etch or even fully dissolving them. The steps to figuring out would be asking yourself what is exactly you want to clean and what exactly are you trying to remove and go from there.

[@patriciamckean4186]

I have a small piece of possible petrified wood or petrified bone. Not sure. Will soaking it help me determine what it is?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

That's a good question and also not something I think I can really answer.

[@jlj209]

Very informative. Where does one buy this acid magic?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I have seen it on Amazon and at Home Depot.

[@thirstfast1025]

Dude, love the thumbnail!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Ha, I tried to make it clickable!

[@MarlainaAtkins]

Great video. They're looking good!🐾

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Thank you! I hope all is well with you.

[@joancantu1000]

Also, I bought some iron off. Is that safe, too on Emeralds stone crystals ?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Are you trying to remove iron from them?

[@UtahGold]

Excellent, thank you.

[@paulcarder8032]

What recipe do you use for the baking soda solution? I've several pounds of Montana Agate covered with the white stuff!

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I do about 3-4 tablespoons of baking soda to about a gallon of water. I have no idea if this ratio is the best but it does work.

[@susantipsyhealy7655]

i buy big 12# bags of baking soda during summer (pool supply sections of stores) , but i dunk the stones in dry baking soda than to another bucket and add just enough water to cover. swish it well periodically as they soak. rinse with lots of fresh water

[@lisunovroman]

Hi! I’ve done it for the first time in 35% HCl for about 2 days (some people say they use it for weeks), and what I found is some greenish stains on them. Did you experience anything like this?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

There is no real hard rules to it, it just depends on what you are trying to remove and from what.

[@ellijaygal]

Can you reuse the acid?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

You can but it gets weaker with time.

[@sarahsandberg3413]

Where do you dispose the left over acid you don’t use?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Once you naturalize it with baking soda you can just dump it out.

[@tracynunes1]

When i used that brand muratic acid to clean my rocks it didn’t bubble like that. And then it wasn’t as clean as i expected even though i left it in for a couple days. I left it in longer since it didn’t have a reaction. I tried diluted and full strength. Any ideas what i’m doing wrong?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

This only works if what you're trying to dissolve is reactive to it.

[@tracynunes1]

It was quarts crystals, smoky quartz, jaspar, possible flourite,

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

@@tracynunes1 What are you trying to remove?

[@tracynunes1]

Iron staining, i think some of it is quartzite, river scum, crud in crevices. It’s working some on some of them but not on others.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

@@tracynunes1 If it's working on some and not others, you might be trying to remove something that is mineral based in a way that the acid will never remove it.

[@marckrulewitch2403]

No need to dilute the muriatic acid? Just use directly out of the bottle?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

Both are acceptable.

[@eyeofthedragonoregonfireop3973]

So after you did those two pieces in the acid, can you reuse that acid and put more pieces in it

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

You can! I wouldn't dump it back into the bottle, just store it in a glass jar. Sometimes adding just a little bit of new acid can refresh it and reactivate it in a way.

[@eyeofthedragonoregonfireop3973]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding could you use a brand new 5 gallon bucket with lid

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

@@eyeofthedragonoregonfireop3973 I'm not sure, it needs to be that same kind of plastic that the acid came in so it doesn't eat through it.

[@jameswaffle7604]

Very cool!

[@jimedgar6789]

Tried the vinegar cleaning concept on some agate nods and geodes. Overnight. Nada. Not impressed. Maybe the pH is not low enough? Going to the Depot today and grabbing some of this muriatic stuff. Looks like it is about 1pH lower than vinegar.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

What exactly are you trying to clean off?

[@jimedgar6789]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding I have some agates nods and geodes that have some nasty rinds. It might not be anything that can be dissolved, tho. I am not sure how to determine if it is a calcium compound or not. I did use some CLR on some geodes I had, small ones, and it cleared a lot off. The rest was done with a wire brush.

[@jimedgar6789]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding I did pick up some of the m. acid today and following myriad YT videos, no fizzing, nothing. Though a dusting of sodium bicarbonate evokes quite a reaction. Same cohort of rocks as well; location, size, etc.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

@@jimedgar6789 Without even seeing them, I think you're not going to be dissolving the rind off with any store bought acid.

[@jimedgar6789]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding Thank you for the advice. I did toss some other local rocks in there and sh!t went crazy. Local rocks from Snoqualmie River. Full of gunk LOL.

[@joancantu1000]

Can u use it on Emerald stones ?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

What are you trying to remove?

[@EDLaw-wo5it]

Cleaning vinegar is 10% acid where household vinegar is 5% BTW.

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I honestly didn't know there was a difference.

[@mwilson14]

@@CurrentlyRockhounding If you need stronger stuff, it's easy enough to make your own glacial acetic acid (I make my own because it is fun), or you can buy it from eBay and save yourself time and money. :) You can also buy 30% acetic acid from Amazon, which is mainly what I use since it's not often I need glacial strength.

[@ryanstraight4219]

Will muriatic acid work on quartz clusters or ruin them?

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

It depends on what you are trying to clean on off of them. Muriatic acid doesn't work really on silicas.

[@majorkonfuzion1007]

Why my unopened bottle of acid , the acid is yellow?,. Are all muriatic brands are the same?,,,yours is clear .

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

What brand do you have?

[@majorkonfuzion1007]

cheap brand "proquin"

[@shawnnorrell1686]

You did not tell how much baking soda to mix in

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

I don't think there is an exact ratio to follow, throw some in and if you think you need some more just add some I guess. Sorry I can't be more helpful with that.