The truth about Acid Washing

The purpose of this article is to inform, educate and raise awareness on a topic that is so widely sought after, Acid washing. So be informed, be educated and raise awareness. Feel free to leave me your comments, questions, concerns and I will gladly answer them in any way I can. Brands and names of products will not be released.

Have you ever wondered why your trailers metal starts pitting, looking rough? Have you ever run your fingers over your paint and you have white chalky residue on them? Or how about the visual of your paint actually running, ruining your decals and thinning to where you see silver metal? Then this article is for you. These are some of the questions I had when I was forming my company, so I researched and researched on the effects of acid washing online, in forums, MSDS sheets, the CDC, acid wash manufacturing companies, trailer manufacturers, metal manufacturers, the list goes on and on. What I found, is that the information on this topic is lacking, unless you really (I mean really) look for it, and when you find the answers to your questions, it only raises more questions. One article in particular that I found very interesting stated, that if you don't properly clean and maintain your trailer to the manufacturers standards, then it can void the manufacturers warranty. Well, if you do what the manufacturer tells you for cleaning and maintenance, which, through my research of what I've been told, is to acid wash it annually, which is creating the cycle that over time, it will void your warranty and eventually may have to be replaced due to deteriorating materials. This is the grey area, the things they don't want to tell you, the lesser amount of information they put out there, will only keep them in business. 

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Let's dive into the "Why"..

The "why".....Why is my trailer dull, why is my paint running and ruining my decals, why is the metal pitting, why is my $30,000 investment that I worked so hard for, deteriorating? The answer: Harsh, Abrasive, Toxic acids and chemicals that are slowly eating away the metals, oxides and finishes. ALL acid wash products, include acid. The more commonly used acids include hydrofluoric acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, muriatic acid and nitric acid. Here in this article, we are going to dive into some facts on hydrofluoric acid, phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid, all of which are common additives to the acid wash products that are being used over and over on your investments.

                                                 BUT before we dive in here's a crash course on the pH scale...

#1 Hydrofluoric Acid - pH Level 3.17 (Red side of scale)

• Hydrofluoric Acid is a colorless, odorless chemical that is highly corrosive, capable of dissolving many materials including metals and oxides
• Symptoms of exposure may not be immediately evident due to its colorless and odorless properties, and this can provide false reassurance to victims, causing them to delay medical treatment
• If left untreated, exposure can cause severe, deep and disfiguring burns. Absorption of this chemical into the body can cause the heart to beat irregularly, and can be fatal
• In the body, hydrofluoric acid is a contact poison and reacts with the ubiquitous biologically important ions Ca2+ (Calcium) and Mg2+ (Magnesium).
• Hydrofluoric acid chemical burns can be treated through seeking immediate medical attention with a water wash and 2.5% calcium gluconate gel or special rinsing solution

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 #2 Phosphoric Acid - pH Level 2.26 (Red side of scale)

• Phosphoric Acid is a colorless, odorless mineral acid
• It is incompatable with strong bases (e.g. sodium hydroxide), strong oxidizers (e.g. perchloric acid), and certain metals (e.g. aluminum)
• Phosphoric acid will attack many metals and drive the formation of highly flammable and potentially explosive hydrogen gas
• Highly corrosive to carbon steel, aluminum, and other metals
• Contact and exposure can cause severe skin burns, eye damage and internal organ damage
• Phosphoric acid will attack many metals and drive the formation of highly flammable and potentially explosive hydrogen gas

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 #3 Sulfuric Acid - pH Level 2.75 (Red side of scale)

• Sulfuric Acid is a colorless, odorless syrupy liquid that is soluble in water, in a reaction that is highly exothermic
• It attacks reactive metals, such as iron, aluminium, zinc, magnesium and nickel
• Its strong oxidizing property makes it highly corrosive to many metals and may extend its destruction on other materials
• It's highly corrosive properties can be mainly ascribed to its strong acidic nature. It is also hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs water vapour from the air. 
• Sulfuric acid at even moderate concentrations is very dangerous upon contact with skin
• Upon contact, it readily decomposes living tissues, such as skin and flesh. If ingested, it damages internal organs irreversibly and can be fatal

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I'm using this on my trailer? I'm putting my horses in this trailer!

The facts based on the pH acidity levels, hazards and effects on the human body, the toxic fumes being released into the atmosphere, the acid wash being rinsed off, draining into the grass and soils, and the incompatibilities and reactions with metals and oxides are just a few things to consider when you go to acid wash your trailer.  Based on these things to consider, I conducted a study and researched common acid wash products and aluminum brightener products. This is what I discovered:

• The above referenced facts of the active ingredient chemicals/acids that are in these products being used to wash trailers
• The effects, hazards, environmental impact and incompatibilities of these chemicals/acids
• Aluminum brighteners and acid wash products disclose on MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) and explain in detail, the product, the products hazards, corrosiveness, environmental impact, and incompatibilities of the product
• These chemicals are toxic, corrosive, abrasive, harsh, and can deteriorate certain materials
• Since these chemicals are toxic and pose imminent hazards to humans, and deteriorating a plethora of materials in their way, what do you think it is doing to the environment we all live in, or how about the grass and soils that are on the same property that your horses are consuming?

Wait, it gets better...

So having the questions in mind of why my trailer is pitting at only 6 years old, my paint is starting to run, destroying my decals, and I can see the bare metal showing through the paint runs, so bad to where it looks like I need a new paint job, I decided to dig a little deeper and researched ALOT of the most commonly used/best seller products by referring to the MSDS sheets. These aluminum brighteners and acid wash products MSDS sheets specifically state, "Materials to avoid: aluminum, magnesium and other reactive metals, leather, oxidizing agents, alkali/bases, chlorate, nitrates, sulfides and sulfites." So the aluminum brighteners and acid wash products that are full of toxic and abrasive acids, are also incompatible with aluminum. So go figure, your trailer is pitting? Your paint is running? No wonder.

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So how do we fix this?

Right now I'm sure you have the same thoughts that I did when I was finished with my research...

• But I was told by my trailer manufacturer or trailer service company to acid wash my trailer annually or every 6 months for heavy travel?
• I've acid washed it for the past 6 years...
• I didn't know any of this information, why would they recommend something that I can visually see deteriorating my investment?
• What do I do now?

These are just some of the thoughts that I had, but everyone knows that knowledge is power, and this is knowledge that hasn't been put together or brought to light in this way before (not that I found after months of digging anyway). I had a most difficult time finding out the answers to the questions I had on acid washing and actually finding any helpful information, which is exactly why I set out to put this article together to help educate my fellow equestrian. So, if you are interested in restoring your investment after years of acid washing, preserving your investment for its longevity and safety (seeing as though it is hauling your beloved horses) and interested in not having to refinish or repaint your trailer, then seek alternative methods. There are DIY home products that can be used, there are eco-friendly or biodegradable products that can be used, just because your trailer manufacturer recommended the acid wash, does not mean that's what you have to do....they probably don't want you to be educated on this subject and know what those products are really doing to your investment. The lack of knowledge over the years on this subject, aside from the equestrian community continuing to expand, has probably helped keep them in business. Let's work together to be educated and have knowledge on this subject, so that we may make the best decisions when choosing what to wash our trailers with. We can fix this, we can choose to use safer alternatives to clean our trailers, by NOT using products that are toxic, highly corrosive with deteriorating effects and have a negative impact on our environment, not only to promote our investments longevity and safety, but also to promote our own longevity and safety.

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I'll leave this with you.