Sciencemadness Discussion Board - Getting rid of rust stains from a lino floor

Getting rid of rust stains from a lino floor

NEMO-Chemistry - 1-8-2016 at 16:28

Hi
I have left various bits including an old empty gas bottle on the back porch, we dont use that entrance much but i finally got told to shift my shit from it.

I moved everything and found some pretty bad rust stains on the lino flooring, major ear ache is heading my way!

Its connected directly to the hallway in the house, so Conc HCl isnt really an option, i tried dilute but nothing much happened, unless it needs alot of time?

Tried citric acid as google suggested lemon juice, didnt really do much.

So anyone got any good ideas how to get rid?

Morgan - 1-8-2016 at 16:42

You might try oxalic acid.

careysub - 1-8-2016 at 17:48

Bartender's Friend is a readily available oxalic acid preparation, used specifically for rust strain removal.

NEMO-Chemistry - 2-8-2016 at 03:18

Cheers i will give them a go. I need to look up bartenders friend and see what is in it, sounds like a USA thing so need to find the uk equiv.

Tried ethanol and magnesium nitrate crystals, some came off but not enough. Oh and a large tub of elbow grease!

AJKOER - 2-8-2016 at 04:18

H2C2O4 is good for the removal of Iron stains by forming an oxalate complex. Note, Oxalic acid is toxic, so gloves,.., recommended.

However, your 'metal can' may have an interior coating of Tin. If Sn is in the mix, not sure if your problem is going to wash away with the Oxalic acid. If not, try ammonia/H2O2/NaCl mix giving it time to work. Caution: wear eye protection and gloves as some small amounts of NH4NO2, reputedly highly toxic at least upon ingestion, could form.

An alternate more safe route is use Lemon juice/H2O2/NaCl/sunlight. Or, liquid chlorine bleach (NaOCl), vinegar, sea salt and sunlight producing strong fumes of chlorine/chlorine oxide.

Just speculating based on my (likely limited) understanding of the chemistry, so you may wish to test on a small area first.

[Edited on 2-8-2016 by AJKOER]

NEMO-Chemistry - 2-8-2016 at 09:37

Cheers i will give it a go. Its a shame it isnt in an area i can just nuke with HCl.

PHILOU Zrealone - 2-8-2016 at 10:08

Also you have to start dilluted and smooth to avoid destroying the lino...this implies patience and repetitions...
--> Otherwise change the lino

or rebuilt the house

after nuking it

Morgan - 2-8-2016 at 11:13

Quote: Originally posted by careysub

Bartender's Friend is a readily available oxalic acid preparation, used specifically for rust strain removal.

Bar Keepers Friend "Once tried, always used"
http://www.greendepot.com/greendepot/assets/images/docs/BarK...

NEMO-Chemistry - 4-8-2016 at 10:00

WEEeeeeeeee Got it done! I ended up using potassium permanganate! and Sodium Hydroxide as a wash after to get rid the red stain.

In the end i tried some patches with salt some with other to try out the various methods. I didnt have Oxalic but i do have a spare corner of rust i will try it on when it gets here.

It took ages! But it all worked out in the end

hyfalcon - 4-8-2016 at 15:41

Quote: Originally posted by careysub

Bartender's Friend is a readily available oxalic acid preparation, used specifically for rust strain removal.

I second this! I use this all the time. Amazing how well it cleans a stainless steel sink after some "chemistry".

feacetech - 4-8-2016 at 16:19

baking soda and vinegar/lemon juice paste.

or possibly large amounts of EDTA or similar chelating agent?

NEMO-Chemistry - 5-8-2016 at 15:33

Quote: Originally posted by hyfalcon

Quote: Originally posted by careysub

Bartender's Friend is a readily available oxalic acid preparation, used specifically for rust strain removal.

I second this! I use this all the time. Amazing how well it cleans a stainless steel sink after some "chemistry".

I had a small amount of Oxalic acid not so long back, i tried to get some more from my normal vendor and lucked out, looking around it seems more scarce than it was!

Funny how some chemicals are abundant for a while then seem to drop off the planet for a period of time.

Having total nightmares trying to dry my calcium chloride!! waste of time trying to make any decent quantity of it!

Herr Haber - 7-8-2016 at 05:29

Oxalic acid should be available from art stores where they sell stuff for woodworking. At least I've seen it in the same places as shellac, red gum, toluene, MEK and other useful chemicals. Oh, and gold leaf too, so sad they didnt have platinum, I could have used that!

j_sum1 - 7-8-2016 at 18:10

Quote: Originally posted by Herr Haber

and gold leaf too, so sad they didnt have platinum, I could have used that!

Here you go.
https://www.goldleafsupplies.co.uk/

I have not purchased from them but am impressed with the range they stock. Pt leaf seemed like a good idea for element collection and may have other uses. High surface area is not to be sneezed at.
Tin leaf and other metals might have its uses too.

[/off topic] If anyone wishes to continue this line of discussion then maybe start a new thread and quote this post.

zed - 8-8-2016 at 14:15

Seems to me, I had some luck removing such stains from a porcelain tub, by rubbing them with aluminum foil. Then maybe soaking with a touch of bleach. It's been a while.

The idea being to deposit metallic Aluminum in contact with the insoluble Iron Oxide. Then, hopefully, with the aid of bleach, encouraging the Aluminum to aid in converting the Iron to a more soluble salt.

Seems like the stains turned green and rinsed away.