Vinegar.
Besides filling the air with vinegar odor, it just does not work very well. Singerman Labs' testing showed that vinegar simply is not strong enough to remove all of the hard-water deposits from industrial and commercial equipment.
Sulfamic-acid-type cleaners.
These are marketed in two forms, a powder and a liquid. The liquid is the same as the powder, except dissolved in water. In either case, sulfamic acid is a strong acid. It is corrosive and it is irritating to the skin and mucous membranes. In our tests, sulfamic acid took twice as long as Navasol* to dissolve hard-water deposits. When sulfamic acid is dissolved in water, it gradually turns into ammonium bisulfate, which is used in hair-waving preparations. Before all of the sulfamic acid is turned into ammonium bisulfate, an equilibrium mixture is established which contains ammonium sulfamate, widely used as a weed killer.
Citric acid.
Normally marketed as a solid or as the solid dissolved in water. Citric acid is a non-hazardous, natural product. However, our tests show that its cleaning power is substantially inferior to Navasol's. The reason may be this: Citric acid can combine with hardwater deposits in your equipment to form calcium citrate, which is not soluble in water. This replaces the hard-water deposits with another insoluble deposit. The problem can be overcome by using enough excess citric acid to solubilize the insoluble calcium citrate and wash it out of the system. But how do you know how much citric acid to use to avoid insoluble deposit formation?
Hydrochloric (muriatic) acid.
This is a very strong and dangerous acid. It is corrosive to skin, eyes, and mucous membranes, and it is toxic. If allowed into the air, it will corrode the metal surfaces of industrial and commercial equipment and the metal buildings they may be housed in. Hydrochloric acid should be handled only by trained personnel.
Phosphoric acid.
Phosphoric acid is classified as a poison under the Federal Caustic Poison Act. It is “a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer.” It also causes eutrophication of bodies of water when allowed to get into the water. That is, it causes excessive growth of aquatic plants, especially algae. The water is depleted of oxygen resulting in fish kills. Phosphate-containing products should not be used if a phosphate-free alternative is available.
* Navasol is a trademark of Singerman Laboratories.
The above data are based on tests and experience which Singerman Laboratories believes reliable, and are supplied for informational purposes only. Singerman Laboratories disclaims any liability for damage or injury which results from the use of the above data and nothing contained therein shall constitute a guarantee, warranty or representation by Singerman Laboratories with respect to the data, the products described or their use for any specific purpose.
