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| Descaling aluminium? |
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| AdeV:
Hi, Does anyone know some Really Good Stuff (preferably available in the UK without having to sneak it out of a chemistry lab...) to descale aluminium with? e.g. Sodium Hydroxide would be no good as it'll dissolve the aluminium; Nitric acid might do (I know that fuming Nitric doesn't touch aluminium, but I don't know what effect, if any, it has on limescale)? Basically, I've been cleaning the water jacket of my Jaguar block with a brass wire brush on the end of a Dremel, and frankly I'm bored to tears. Plus even the Dremel can't get into some of the deeper and less accessible spots, so a really good chemical clean would be a good idea. I've got a Toluene bath ready to do th outside, but that won't touch limescale... Cheers! Ade. PS: it's REALLY important that the aluminium isn't damaged by whatever cleaner(s).... |
| vtsteam:
Can't promise it absolutely will not bother your aluminum, but our espresso maker instructions suggested periodic lime deposit cleanouts with vinegar -- and it's lasted 20 years. It has an aluminum boil chamber. It's run through hot, of course. Smells, but works! |
| dawesy:
Coca cola is also reported to work. Or get some cillit bang. That works too. Just test it on a small patch first ;) |
| awemawson:
Well Coca Cola's active ingredient in this respect is phosphoric acid. Cilit bang also has phosphoric acid but quite a bit more: http://www.wired.co.uk/magazine/archive/2010/08/start/what%E2%80%99s-inside-cillit-bang-power-cleaner |
| AdeV:
As it happens I have a nice big pail of 76% phosphoric lurking at the back of the shed somewhere, I'll give it a try. If I'm very careful, I should be able to descale most of the water passageways without damaging the block - I wanted to be lazy and just dunk it in a bath full of X for a week & have it come out all shiny & new... Coca cola - I'd heard that one too (it also dissolves teeth and cleans copper coins...) Cilit Bang is a new one on me (and how disappointing was it to discover that Barry Stark wasn't a real person?), Vinegar - I think I've got a 5ltr of white vinegar knocking about as well... Hmm, it's a Vee engine, I could use different acids in each bank & report back on results :zap: :lol: |
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