Re: What's a good way to get rid of rain surface rust on tools left outside

the white crud is from letting the pink slime dry. you have to really scrub it off, then it's gone for good.

When I used to do my aluminum wheels, the navel jelly would dry to a whitish finish. I then hosed it off.

Greg

Thanks for explaining what it is. I wasn't sure - but it kept showing up. It looked and felt like lard.

Now I know ... it's naval jelly dried up.

Thanks! Danny in the Santa Cruz Mountains

from a bottle of the loctite naval jelly:

"do not use on aluminum."

"If left on too long (hardens), apply more Naval jelly rust dissolver to remove"

I'm still not sure what the white crud itself is- maybe the goo that keeps the stuff slimy?

Naval Jelly and similar are about 1/3 phosphoric acid, dissolved in water, with a percent or so of thickener (the N.J. MSDS says "polysaccharide, proprietary" - might be something like a xanthan gum?).

Phosphoric acid itself is a white / crystalline solid at room temperature, melting to a viscous liquid at roughly body temperature.

Considering the concentrations involved, I'd guess that the "white crud" or "lard" is mostly phosphoric acid, left behind when the water evaporated. You could be seeing the polysaccharide gelling agent as well but there isn't all that much of it by volume.

Try warming the crudded object gently to somewhat above body temperature... if the crud turns to a clear liquid, this would suggest that it's the phosphoric acid.

The naval aluminum jelly, is the same product, with reduced concentration. I like speed of regular.

Greg