enamel cleaning

[leadpig]

what is the best thing for cleaning enamel on a old cast bath,customer has a big old cast bath that has some slight yellow/brown staining.they tried bleach
which cleaned the worst of it off.
i thought about the enameling kits,but not used them before and £125 is alot of money if they don't work.
he wants to keep it if it can be cleaned,if not dump it and put in a second hand spa bath he has
thanks dave

 

[dontknowitall]

Not sure if it will work, but Astonish is used for cleaning Agas. Around £5.00? for a tin of it - ironmongers usually sell it.

 

[NickH]

I've cleaned old toilet pans with Kilroc ( kettle cleaner) but not sure if it might eat the enamel.

 

[leadpig]

that's what im scared of

 

[Plouasne]

I have used Hydrochloric acid in the past, its nasty stuff, eats chrome plate and stainless steel like its going out of fashion, fumes than the wife, but it can clean off lime scale deposits, which other cleaners could not

 

[leadpig]

where would i get that,would the organic acid drain cleaner be any good
he really seems to want to keep it

 

[david williams]

hydrocloric acid/not allowed into drains/get from chemist now you may have to sign poisens book

 

[Bernie2]

Last time I got hydrochloric acid it was from an industrial chemists and they wanted a company address they would no sell it to an individual.

I don't know about now though.

It seems at one time it may have been widely used by Plumbers, but its highly dangerous stuff. Brick cleaner is usually a weaker version of the same thing.

 

[Plouasne]

Shows you what 20 odd miles of sea water can do does it not, because I can buy hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid, and other what you would call dangerous chemicals, in my local supermarket, decorating/cleaning materials section

 

[colinb]

I use oxalic acid for cleaning rust stains and other marks on my GRP boat. Apply, leave leave for 30 min rinse off. On the vertical surfaces I mix with some wallpaper paste to help it cling, works great, does not damage the gelcoat on the GRP, so I thought I might try it on an old enamel bath that I have. I will let you know how I get on.

 

[WHPES]

Oxalic acid is what I have always been told for enamel, but never used it myself.

Methyl Ethyl Ketone is good for some stubborn organic stains.

Be careful as some chemicals can damage the enamel.

 

[oldie]

An old trick for cleaning surface stains and very small scratches on glass, hard plastics and enamel ( its just a thin coating of glass,) is T Cut or the liquid type (and not the wadding) Brasso or better still if you can get it jewellers rouge it's hard work if you do it by hand, but light pressure with a re chargable Drill (not electric ) and polishing mop should do the job.
Oldie