cleaning light fixture glass

[ScubaSteve]

Originally Posted by TimT

Use diluted muriatic acid. 1 part acid to 4 parts water. ONLY EVER ADD THE ACID TO WATER. NEVER WATER INTO ACID!!!

I spend a lot of time cleaning glass shields for lights at work that get get deposits on them (lab monkey in a solar research lab). I've found that muriatic acid (hydrochloride acid) and nitric acid work the best; in fact, mixing the two together works great. As Tim said, 4 parts water to 1 acid. I just leave them to soak for a while, rinse well, then give them a quick once over with windex to get rig of finger prints and streaks.

I had an Italian chemistry prof who used to tell us : "Do as you oughta, add acid to watta". (gotta say it with a super think Italian-American accent). A decade later and I can still hear him in my head every time I touch the acids cabinet.