HELP- Battery acid mess

[redman34]

I am looking for some fast , good advise with the following situation :

I replaced a guys cart batteries, and I have a mess outside his house and in the gutter.

I cleaned his battery holding tray area with baking soda, as well as some spray on battery acid cleaner. Then I hosed everything off , let it dry, then i spray painted the area.

All the time we had a hose running. Today i drove by his house, and there is a rust stain, from his house, and down 3 more houses, in the gutter.

I realize, that it is probably too late to do anything about that crime scene, other than to not answer my phone and find a different route home.

But I plan on replacing more peoples batteries, and this battery corrosion cleaning is definately a problem. I live in a NEW gated community, and this sucks.

So can you tell me anything that will help with containing, cleaning, etc. I don't want to get thrown out of here or fined!

I hope to be cleaning battery trays in front of houses for awhile.

Please help.

Thanks

[Stoney]

Muriatic acid should do the job. Buy it at Lowe's or Home Depot.

[dougmcp]

I agree with muriatic acid, it's about the only thing that will touch the staining.
I also live in a community like yours and have a stain in my own driveway.
I would avoid cleaning anyone's battery trays in their driveway.
I personally use the golf course's cart maintenance area but I'm not sure how you would handle more than your own cart.
It sounds like a PITA but you really need to either trailer or drive the customer's cart to an area that you can do the washdown. Even putting the cart on a trailer and taking it to a self serve car wash or an area away from the community and use a power washer.
I thought about cutting a gate in my fence by the driveway and putting down some gravel drainage out of sight and letting the ground soak it up but haven't progressed that far yet.

[redman34]

Since most of the people here have gravel in their front yards, somewhere, maybe i can pull the cart onto the gravel.

Fortuanately the gravel is a mixture of tan and brown, like the rust color.

[dougmcp]

Since most of the people here have gravel in their front yards, somewhere, maybe i can pull the cart onto the gravel.

Fortuanately the gravel is a mixture of tan and brown, like the rust color.

I think you have found the solution.

[Michael Eddie]

All the time we had a hose running. Today i drove by his house, and there is a rust stain, from his house, and down 3 more houses, in the gutter.

I realize, that it is probably too late to do anything about that crime scene, other than to not answer my phone and find a different route home.

You must have lived at some time in New Jersey!

[andy4639]

They make diapers for vehicles to sit in and do the dirty work. Doug hope EPA isn't watching this site. Doing batteries in the yard is a no no!

[dougmcp]

I agree Andy dumping acid in the groundwater is a no no.
If it was concentrated I would worry but an individual cart in a desert yard, I'd be with the don't ask, don't tell crowd.

[andy4639]

I agree Andy dumping acid in the groundwater is a no no.
If it was concentrated I would worry but an individual cart in a desert yard, I'd be with the don't ask, don't tell crowd.

Man you should see the things we have to do at work. If you drive a older car without the over flow they let you know it;s not welcome at the plant after a few times.

[dougmcp]

How true, I'm out here in California and you almost have to call a hazmat crew if your radiator overflows or some gas leaks from something.

[redman34]

Hey andy, tell me more about these "diapers".

Do you have a picture of them?

Any info on them at all?

Also, what kind of plant do you work at, or are you talking about?

Thanks

[andy4639]

Hey andy, tell me more about these "diapers".

Do you have a picture of them?

Any info on them at all?

Also, what kind of plant do you work at, or are you talking about?

Thanks

I work at Oconee Nuclear station in maintance. 33 years on Jan. 15.

Something like this.

[Front 9 Restoration]

Hi,

I can help.

Number one, DO NOT USE MURIATIC AKA HYDROCHLORIC AKA POOL ACID on your concrete! The stain you see is not rust, but "acid burn" that can travel up to 2" deep into the concrete. Hydrochloric or any rust remover currently on the market will contain an acid that eats away the "paste" layer in your concrete. Since these acids eat a layer of cement away, the stain will remain (although about 35% lighter) and you will have an even larger problem on your hands... concrete that has exposed aggregate. It will not match the broom finish of the rest of the concrete and it will now be more porous.

This is why we are here. I have been in the concrete restoration business for 12 years and we have a cleaner that is FORMULATED to remove acid burn.

Look up www.ecofriendlypw.com and look at the golf cart stain pictures.

We will be ready for distributing product in about 2 weeks to a month. You may call or email me with questions. The product is awesome and it works. Spray on, let dry, watch the years of deep orange stains vanish and then rinse the concrete with water.

Thanks
Craig
760-774-5306