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Post by Michael John on Oct 22, 2008 0:51:38 GMT -5
I have quite a nice little collection of various crystals (well, to me anyways), but most of them are "dirty". I've tried a toothbrush and toothpaste, but that doesn't have any affect.
Is it true that muriatic acid is what should be used to thoroughly clean them? If so, is there a particular procedure and precautions for doing it?
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mirkaba
spending too much on rocks
Member since August 2006
Posts: 321
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Post by mirkaba on Oct 22, 2008 16:09:44 GMT -5
Hi........Its best to use oxalic acid for crystals. It comes in a powder and you mix it with water. As with any acid it is best to do out of doors. Keep a cover on it. I use latex gloves and neutralize with baking soda solution. Good luck............Bob
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Post by texaswoodie on Oct 22, 2008 17:50:23 GMT -5
It depends on what kind of crystals. Acid will do wonders for quartz, but will dissolve calcite and other minerals.
Soak in water for one day.
Soak in warm acid for one day or until all the iron is gone.
Wash under running water about 30 minutes.
Soak in water for a day or two.
Curt
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Post by Michael John on Oct 22, 2008 21:57:45 GMT -5
Hmmm ... I think a few of them might be calcite ... what do I do to clean those?
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Post by texaswoodie on Oct 23, 2008 6:04:20 GMT -5
Warm water, soap, and a toothbrush.  You might try acetone. Test a small piece before you do any of the nice stuff. Curt |
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DeanW
has rocks in the head
Member since December 2007
Posts: 721
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Post by DeanW on Oct 26, 2008 23:31:01 GMT -5
For softer ones like calcite I've also heard that vinegar might work ok. Please be extremely careful with any kind of regular acid - they are ALL very nasty!
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Post by Woodyrock on Nov 10, 2008 13:39:11 GMT -5
I use a dry cleaners spot cleaning gun to remove mose of the dirt using water with a drop of dish soap to make it wetter. The Mystic spot cleaning gun is only about $50.00. It is a minature pressure washer that has a small spray strong enough to penetrate your skin, so you must where a strong rubber glove on the hand holding the crystal. Superior Screen Printers Supply www.valleylitho.com is a good source for these guns. There is nothing that will clean polish out of druzy better than one of these guns. Woody |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Member since January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2008 15:29:14 GMT -5
I would have never thought of that Woody! How convenient that my mom owns the local Dry Cleaners here. Course she would probably throw a fit if she saw me using it on crystals.
Shannon
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Nov 10, 2008 15:56:37 GMT -5
A sometime poster here, Rodney (aka jxr_rox and Dixie Euhedrals) also sells these, sometimes on eBay. I see that he has them currently for $95 + $15 shipping. Here's his blog: dixieeuhedrals.net/wordpress/I have no affiliation with him nor have I bought from him. I have wondered what the original purpose of the gun was, though. I couldn't find the gun on valleylitho. Cheapest web price I found just now is $85. One bit of advice: make sure that's really dirt you're cleaning out and not individual crystals of other material! Thanks for the tip Woody! Chuck |
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Post by Woodyrock on Nov 10, 2008 23:02:14 GMT -5
The telephone number for Superior Screen Printers Supply is 800-826-6781......it is a free call. Just ask for Mystic spot cleaning gun.
Sounds like Shannon does not have to buy one! Mums get over alternative uses of their things, cleaning crystals sure would not be abusing it, and accidentaly shooting your self with water is not life threatening like it would be with dry cleaning fluid.
Woody
Woody
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Nov 11, 2008 7:48:45 GMT -5
Thanks for the additional info. Woody! I should have thought of calling. Doh! For the DIY crowd, I also remembered this from Kreigh's Homemade Lapidary Equipment: tomaszewski.net/Kreigh/Minerals/Homemade.shtml"Make A Pressure Sprayer for Cleaning Rocks Most (city) water systems supply the liquid at 60 psi. You can make a poor man's water gun with a hose and a brass end cap. Using the smallest drill you can find, run a hole thru the center of the brass end cap. From the inside of the cap, and using a large drill, bevel the inside of the hole - but don't go more than 1/2 way thru the brass. Put the cap on the hose, hook the hose up, and turn it on. You should get a very find stream of water coming out with at least 60 psi of pressure (I have been told hydraulic effects can increase this up to 200+ psi). If all you get is a fog, your hole is too small, or is not smooth (or is plugged with sediment from the pipeline). Its nothing like an expensive unit (which I have used but don't own), but it does do a reasonable job, and it probably won't damage the delicate crystals a manufactured unit would. And using it with a small (soft) toothbrush does wonders." Since I've exhausted my rockhounding funds for this year, I'm thinking of making one using a washing machine hose and the appropriate adapters so that I can connect it to my laundry tub. Just trying to make Dr. Joe happy. :-) Chuck |
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drjo
fully equipped rock polisher
Honduran Opal & DIY Nut
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,581
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Post by drjo on Nov 11, 2008 21:08:00 GMT -5
I am pleased ;D
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lparker
fully equipped rock polisher
Still doing too much for being retired!
Member since March 2008
Posts: 1,202
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Post by lparker on Nov 13, 2008 16:16:40 GMT -5
I might go with oxalic acid from a rock shop. I've got a batch of crystals soaking 3 + weeks now in wood bleach (oxalic acid) from the hardware store. Not happy with the way they look yet. I suspect that it's not 100% oxalic acid and more expensive.
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Post by texaswoodie on Nov 13, 2008 16:41:58 GMT -5
Lee
Go to a store such as Home Depot, Walmart, etc. and buy some Super Iron out. Mix it Strong with warm water. Does a great job. The longer you can keep the water warm, the faster it will work.
Curt
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lparker
fully equipped rock polisher
Still doing too much for being retired!
Member since March 2008
Posts: 1,202
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Post by lparker on Nov 14, 2008 20:32:26 GMT -5
Thx, I'll give it a try next time.
BTW Curt, I'm taking shirt orders.
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Post by Woodyrock on Nov 16, 2008 21:20:32 GMT -5
Superior Screen is running special on the spot cleaners. 1 for $59.95, 2 for $49.95 ea, 3 for $39.95 ea, 10 for $34.95 ea, and 20 for $29.95 ea. If several of you want one combining an order would save a few dollars.
Woody
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navi
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since November 2008
Posts: 229
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Post by navi on Nov 20, 2008 12:29:56 GMT -5
DON'T use vinegar on calcite. it will somewhat disolve and look burned/dryed out !!!
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88pathoffroad
spending too much on rocks
Oregon ROCKS!
Member since August 2008
Posts: 305
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Post by 88pathoffroad on Nov 22, 2008 23:34:55 GMT -5
I've used oxalic acid in the past on quartz that has matrix attached and dirt-colored rust stains to completely clean them. It needs to be done hot and outdoors. I do mine outside my back door. Whatcha gotta do is...get an old Crock Pot. Then get some powdered oxalic acid at a paint store. I recently bought some, I believe it cost $7 or so for 1 lb. Using a bucket, mixing bowl or pitcher, mix a cup of acid into a gallon of hot (not boiling) water, stir well. Take care not to splash. The acid won't burn you immediately but I'm not too sure I'd want to leave it on my skin for long. Wash your dirty crystals or drusy pieces in hot water to preheat them. Place the quartz in the Crock Pot. Carefully pour the acid solution into the pot. Cover, allow to cook on High (topping up the acid solution as needed) for 24 hours. The acid solution will slowly turn green as iron dissolves into it. Check the crystals to see if they appear clean enough. If not, cook until clean. When they're clean, turn the Crock Pot back off and allow it to cool. Rinse as described above, water bath, then soak in water with baking soda stirred in for a while (it neutralizes the acid, which can cause problems later), then rinse one more time and enjoy. Here's a piece I cleaned: my one-pound, 10 ounce Heart of Lilac quartz cluster from the Calapooya River valley in Oregon. Her heart's actually more pink at the very center but the rest has a faint lilac hue. I'd never have guessed it had this much color! Before (toothbrushed with soap and water):  After (hot oxalic acid bath):  |
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Post by Hard Rock Cafe on Nov 25, 2008 17:06:29 GMT -5
I used to use oxalic acid to clean the rust off of beer cans (back when I collected them). It won't burn your skin, but it will dry it out. Don't breathe the fumes if you can avoid it. Oxalic acid and iron will turn green over time if not thoroughly washed/neutralized.
In addition to dissolving iron oxide, it's a pretty strong bleach on organic materials. Since quartz is typically porous, I wonder if you're actually bleaching out the color by removing other oxides...
Maybe I'll run a test with some scrap agate and see what happens.
Chuck
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NorthShore-Rocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since December 2008
Posts: 1,004
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Post by NorthShore-Rocks on Dec 11, 2008 17:18:24 GMT -5
That was gonna be my next question Chuck. Will it burn the bands of color off Lakers? I've soaked large ones in lemon juice to remove organics, but I could always use a better or a bit stronger solution.
That crystal above is an amazing transformation.
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