what chemicals do you use to remove rust stains from concrete ?

[steffysmom 14]

Have a customer that I will be cleaning concrete for in the next two weeks--two large rust stains where metal trash cans are sitting on the concrete--what do you guys recommend ?? I will be using my surface cleaner along with heat--getting pretty cold here in the North ! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

steffysmom

[flimmy 14]

SafeRestore works great on rust.

[PressurePros 248]

Caustic (butyl/sodium hydroxide/potassium hydroxide/sodium metasilicate or some blend of the above) to remove most of the oil and carbon. For the rust stains, Oxalic acid is the safest, cheapest and effective treatment. You may have to put several coats of the oxalic down. Acid is the only thing that removes rust. Safe Restore is also excellent but the cost makes it prohibitive on jobs like this.

[Craig 111]

I agree oxalic is the cheapest but not the safest. Oxalic is a poison and once it enters your system you cannot get rid of it. It can lead to impotence! (not speaking from personal experience though.. :^) Be very careful with Ox. I've had excellent results with DR-60 from Delco.

[CPS1 14]

Craig where did you get you information on oxalic I would like to read it.

[Aplus 525]

Here's a couple pertinantint sites regarding oxalic acid:

http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/o6044.htm

http://alsnetbiz.com/homeimprovement/oxalic_acid.html

[Russ Johnson 141]

That's why they make PPE.