How can I make an acid cleaning solution?

Question

I just moved into an apartment (well, it's a section of a house) and the bath has sliding doors. On the slider where the rollers are, there is quite a bit of mold and stuff that has collected over the years and I really would like to get rid of it. I've tried traditional cleaning agents...including comet, and even let it sit there over night but it doesn't do anything.

Is there any time of acid I can make easily that will burn through that gunk? I figured it'd be more fun to make it. I heard you can buy HCl but it's like $100 for a gallon but I don't have that kind of money.

Any ideas from genius chemists out there would be helpful : )

(I tried searching on Google but I only found forums where everyone would just say "vomit" and other stupid answers.

Answer 1

Forget the acid cleaning solution. The owners, landlord, superintendent was suposed to thorough the apartment before renting it out.

Have them take care of it.

Good Luck.

Answer 2

There are a couple of ways to do this.

The first way is to go to the hardware store. Hydrochloric acid sells there under the name "muriatic acid". They charge only one dollar for a gallon of the stuff.

Second, you could make an acid that is nearly as strong as HCl at home with table salt, vinegar, and a battery. This acid, called TCA for trichloroacetic acid is used dermatologically as a facial peel. However, do not use it for this purpose.

Materials you need:
1. a nine-volt battery
2. salt
3. vinegar
4. a stove

Now, you want to boil a gallon of vinegar in a large pot untilit has been reduced to about 1/4 of the initial volume. I reccomend that you do this outside on a grill or hotplate.

Now (while still hot), add salt until no more will stay in solution. Then, drop several nine-volt batteries into the mix. This will evolve chlorine gas and hyrdogen gas. A little chlorine will do you no harm (do not inhale). Now, expose the mix to sunlight for at least five minutes, then cover the pot tightly. Wait for an hour, and then remove the batteries with tongs. Then, let the entire mix sit in the darkness for at least a day.

When you are finished, the mixture will include TCA as well as hydrochloric acid (a byproduct of the reaction that forms TCA). When you are done, you should boil the solution down to crystals, and then put those in a jar for you to mix with water and use later at your convenience.

Answer 3

For safety's sake try a paste of baking soda and vinegar. Apply thickly and leave over night. Scrub with a brush in the morning... little crevices may take the use of an old toothbrush.

If that does not work, spray with Lime-away. It can be found in the cleaning sections of supermarkets and wally world. (Why would you want to reinvent the wheel .) Be sure to have good ventilation and to wear safety goggles and water proof gloves.

Answer 4

I believe that the solution is simple: During a night leaves the following solution, in the riel of the doors: 1. phosphoric acid concentrated 45 millilitres 2. water.... 50 ml. and nonylphenol 5 ml.( can be a liquid soap with a piece of this one).
It must be efficient.At the other day, clean well with a screwdriver and a piece of paper with water. wash your hands well, by precaution when finishing the job.

Answer 5

You can make a weak solution of hydrochloric acid by mixing vinegar and table salt. It's fun for cleaning pennies, but I've never tried to clean anything else with it. Good luck!

Answer 6

Use oven cleaner on that spot. Oven cleaner contains sodium hydroxide that will dissolve the mold. Just clean with soap and water afterward.

Answer 7

There is really no need to make a solution to clean your acid... If you are discomfited by a little dirt smudge on your tab, just lick it clean and "Drop It"!!! Enjoy! See you in MY world, Tripper!