when brasso isnt enough , my taps are minging.

[Cloudscape]

:shock:

 

[judrop]

:?: Just to return to the point in question , I have no ideas, but would be interested to know if any of the above works , if you try them , GREAT taps too XX

 

[worms]

originally came from scottish gaelic

I think there is a CANOE equivalent here...if it isn't naval then it must be gaelic!

 

[DaveBrigg]

I understand that if used carefully, brick acid will remove limescale from porcelain far more effectively than any of these wonder cleaners advertised on the telly, bringing up festering toilets all shiny and new. Of course, since health and safety require it to be only used outside, you would need to disconnect all the plumbing and lift it out the door first. Not sure what it would do to brass.

 

[Cloudscape]

My dad always used... is it 'spirit of salts', or 'spirits of salt"? Diluted hydrochloric acid, I think, that I last saw in a plumbers' shop.

 

[Penners]

I've used weak caustic soda on limescale and tarnish. Afterwards, the metal doesn't show any discolouration. If you have ceramic insets, this might be too strong. It's nasty stuff.

I admit my A level chemistry is very rusty

Ah, that'll be ferric oxide, then.

 

[Nigel Watts]

My dad always used... is it 'spirit of salts', or 'spirits of salt"? Diluted hydrochloric acid, I think, that I last saw in a plumbers' shop.

This is potent stuff and will probably attack the brass. Best for getting heavy scale off ceramic or glass surfaces, eg loo pans, tiles etc. Last time I used it (neat, disobeying the instructions to dilute) it gave off copious quantities of Chlorine gas and started eating away at the grouting between the tiles.

 

[MdB]

Dezincification is what you need to worry about. It can turn brass into a copper Aero bar with no strength...

 

[robgil]

cheers guys , ive been told that the copper is only thin on the surface and can be polished out but id still rather avoid it if possible.

 

[JoceAndChris]

They're really lovely taps Rob, hope we get a pic of them cleaned and in situ when you've done! And a bit of marking/gunk on them can surely be put down to patina and charm?

 

[robgil]

arnt they beautiful , the end result of months of searching. i will certainly keep you posted and i agree,a lovely patina on old taps like these speaks volumes but green limescale basically says 'we are leaking and need new washers'.

 

[JoceAndChris]

:lol: I agree!

 

[Toby Newell]

minging, they don't look that bad.

Right all of you that took proper O levels (that's everyone then I take it) acid + base (alkaline as in Limescale) = salt + water. ANY acid will do hydrochloric acid is the best but why not try something gentler like vinegar (or industrial 'vinegar' that is 33% acetic acid) or lemon juice (or... citric acid) they shouldn't turn your taps pink. Are you sure in the past you didn't rub the taps too hard?! Brass plate is often plated on top of a copper layer (over the original base metal) to improve deposition efficiency (yes I did work as a research scientist in an international electro plating laboratory by the way) so it could be that. Brass is susceptable to colour change though as in with Nitric acid used in bronzing (my Grandfather was an expert in that)

Don't use caustic soda, alkaline see, won't do it for the limescale. Any acid and lots of rubbing, I would try 33% acetic acid, like vinegar on steroids and apart from the smaell, ha, forget viakal! oh and it's reasonably environmentally okay.

 

[robgil]

they dont look too bad in the photo but they have been permanently leaking and there is big heavy streaks of calcium from both tap handles and a few other places. ive just done some research on the pink phenomena , apparently , because brass is an alloy of copper and zinc , the zinc will dissolve in the same mild acids that dissolve limescale (calcium). zinc is highly soluble in these kind of acids. so when i rub acid into the brass what i am doing is dissolving a thin layer of zinc from the surface of the brass leaving a copper rich metal behind , hence the pink or coppery colour. the only ways to avoid this is to send the item off to a plating company which will have the more powerful oxidizing acids, like nitric acid, which can also dissolve copper, keeping the tone better. or , i can use a power buffer on a drill or bench grinder and mildly abrasive polishing compound to cut through the layer of copper rich brass and get to the ordinary or original brass underneath. i have sent off for a metal polishing kit and hopefully will have it by the end of the week.

 

[Jill]

Working in a chemistry lab i'm well familiar with acetic acid, so much so I can't smell it anymore. I wonder if you would be best warming diluted vinegar up and emersing the item in it, keeping an eye on the limescale as it dissolves. If it is warm/strong enough it should start dissolving rather quickly.

 

[robgil]

they are done guys , thank you for all you help.
i ended up using a small amount of mr muscle de scaler in the end on a small bit of wire wool , i rubbed it in until the lime scale had disappeared then i used a mildly abrasive polishing mop and compound on my drill to polish up all the bits. a finale polish with a finer mop and polishing compound and bobs your aunties granny.
ms robgil has been on the case to find out if they are authentic or not and she had an e mail from a nice man from a very popular antique taps dot com site verifying that they are indeed edwardian aston mixer taps. we are well chuffed , especially given what we paid for them.
so ,a few days work but well worth the effort for some nice bling for the bathroom.

 

[judrop]

CONGRATULATIONS ! They look amazing ! Well done you

 

[robgil]

thank you , all i need now is a bathroom to put them in.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

They're a bit grand for your little cottage though, aren't they? did ebay not have any "in front of the fire" tin baths? As also used for storing coal :lol:

 

[robgil]

i have to admit they are a bit grand , i could get them galvanized to match my flush pipe.