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Techniques for CollectorsCleaning in Apartments?

28th Mar 2008 19:45 UTCAaron

I was thinking about cleaning some quartz specimens.I was curious to know if it was cundusive to clean specimens in an apartment? I also was curious to know the best and safest way to clean them in a condition such as an apartment? If you know that would be great to know, thank you.

Aaron Miller

28th Mar 2008 21:02 UTCNH

It depends on what is on the crystals and what you plan to clean them with. Cleaning with just water or super iron out should be fine, but some apartment managers might not allow things like hydrochloric acid.

Hydrochloric acid is somewhat nasty as it emits HCl fumes that corrode any iron/steel nearby. Never use it in a garage. Always use plenty of ventilation when working with chemicals that might produce dust or fumes.

29th Mar 2008 15:59 UTCAaron

How about Oxalic acid? Is it condusive to clean to with in apartments? I also need to know how to how to clean petrified wood? I would be afraid that it could possibly fall apart a bit within it's grains? If you could help that would be great. Thank you.

Aaron M.

1st Apr 2008 00:54 UTCNH

Oxalic acid shouldn't produce any fumes (unless heated strongly), so I don't see any problems with it. It is toxic however, and you should dilute it before washing it down the drain (silver oxalate is explosive, but I think the lead and copper salts are stable enough that they will not present a hazard if formed in drain pipes).

A word of warning on oxalic acid: it will remove iron oxides from quartz, but if there are even small amounts of calcium (as calcite) present, an insoluble precipitate of calcium oxalate will form. As this precipitate is very hard to remove, and as calcium is very common, you should test the oxalic acid on a low quality piece before using it.

1st Apr 2008 03:41 UTCAlfredo Petrov Manager

The main difference between cleaning in an apartment, rather than a house with a garden, is that your waste liquids have to go down the plumbing fixtures, potentially damaging them, or causing downstream pollution. If using oxalic acid, you'd better neutralize the waste acid with CaOH, which will precipitate insoluble Ca-oxalate. Wait for it all to settle before decanting the liquid to tip down the toilet, then the muddy precipitate can be scooped out and dumped in the trash, with no danger to your plumbing.

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