Using Muriatic Acid On Concrete Floors

The good thing is that there are safer alternatives that are just as effective available in the market today.

Using muriatic acid on concrete floors.

Use ample amounts of water to dilute the acid as it washes away. Acid etching is the process of applying hydrochloric muriatic or buffered phosphoric acid to a slab then rinsing it off with water. Heavy duty cleaning muriatic acid can work wonders on filthy concrete and it can also be very useful in cleaning excess smears of dried mortar and grout or when attempting to alleviate tough rust. Using acid is dangerous.

Use a sprayer or watering can to distribute the acid. For many years it was a standard method of concrete preparation used by nearly all industrial commercial and institutional floor coating installers depending on the floor size and system to be installed. The solution begins to bubble and it lifts and removes the stain. Rather than pour all of the acid onto one spot of the floor which can leave some of the acid spent by the time it reaches the far corners of the concrete use a plastic sprayer or watering can.

Add small amounts of lime and muriatic acid until the leftover acid is all gone and the solution is no longer fizzing. Muriatic acid acts like liquid sandpaper by roughening the surface of the concrete. Leave it in place for 20 minutes. You roughen such a floor by etching it with muriatic acid.

It should be handled with extreme care. It also reduces the surface alkalinity of the concrete that can cause some paints to adhere poorly. Muriatic acid creates and acidic vapor that can suffocate you quickly. If you re just removing mineral deposits efflorescence use a much weaker mix 10 1 or 16 1 for muriatic acid.

This ensures a more even application. Slowly add the muriatic acid. Mix 3 to 4 parts water with 1 part acid or follow label instructions for a 10 concentration 15 for hard smooth concrete. Always wear a carbon activated mask.

Make sure you wear your respirator and gloves and lean as far away from the bucket as you can to minimize any danger of being splashed. Use a garden hose and sprayer to rinse away the acid once the stain is gone. Muriatic acid is diluted hydrochloric acid.