If you re just removing mineral deposits efflorescence use a much weaker mix 10 1 or 16 1 for muriatic acid.
Cleaning a concrete floor with muriatic acid.
Muriatic acid acts like liquid sandpaper by roughening the surface of the concrete.
It is however one of the oldest and most pervasive methods of cleaning concrete used by coatings installers and powerwashers.
Muriatic acid can work wonders on filthy concrete and it can also be very useful in cleaning excess smears of dried mortar and grout or when attempting to alleviate tough rust stains.
Always wear a carbon activated mask.
It also reduces the surface alkalinity of the concrete that can cause some paints to adhere poorly.
Acid etching is the process of applying hydrochloric muriatic or buffered phosphoric acid to a slab then rinsing it off with water.
Muriatic acid is the strongest acid available to the public.
If the acid comes in contact with skin wash it away with large amounts of water.
With proper use it removes stains when other cleaners fail.
These solutions are for etching the concrete.
Cleaning concrete bricks and pavers with an acid most often referred to as acid etching or acid washing is a very bad idea and no longer recommended by many coatings manufacturers.
A smooth concrete floor must be roughened before paint will stick to it.
Muriatic acid is a strong acid cleaner used on masonry surfaces to clean stains.
The paint will not stick efficiently to the concrete unless you roughen it up a bit first with the acid.
For many years it was a standard method of concrete preparation used by nearly all industrial commercial and institutional floor coating installers depending on the floor size and system to be installed.
It is excellent for cleaning away rust stains and efflorescence but must be used with extreme caution.
Using acid is dangerous.
If you plan on painting your basement s concrete floor you need to prep it first with muriatic acid.
Muriatic acid should never be used indoors and has to be thoroughly neutralized before disposal.
Mix 3 to 4 parts water with 1 part acid or follow label instructions for a 10 concentration 15 for hard smooth concrete.
Muriatic acid creates and acidic vapor that can suffocate you quickly.
