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How to Clean With Oxalic Acid

Oxalic acid is a low-powered acid that often occurs naturally in vegetables like spinach. It can be used to clean and bleach wood, but it's also used to clean a variety of minerals and rocks, particularly those that boast iron oxide stains on them. Oxalic acid is fairly safe and easy to work with, assuming you have the proper instructions and the proper materials to ensure a deep cleaning on your minerals.

Things You'll Need

1 pound box of oxalic acid
1 gallon container, plastic
Plastic container (large enough to hold minerals being cleaned)
Plastic gloves

Instructions

- 1
  Fill the 1 gallon plastic container 3/4 full with warm water, and then mix the oxalic crystals into the water. Stir this concoction for at least five minutes until all of the oxalic acid flakes have been stirred into the water. Once no more flakes are visible, fill the container up to a full gallon.
- 2
  Place the rocks or minerals that you want to clean in a separate plastic container. Ideally this container should be deep enough so that your minerals are below the edge. Pour the oxalic acid solution over your rocks so that they're completely submerged in their container and then leave them that way for two to three days.
- 3
  Remove the rocks from the oxalic solution bath after all of the brown stains have vanished. Make sure that you're wearing rubber gloves and carefully wash the minerals under hot water for three hours. After the initial washing, keep the rocks in a bath of clean water for a day, and change the water in the bath fairly often (every few hours should do).

Rocks & Minerals