Sodium Hydroxide, how to clean?

[pOrk]

Got a barrel from work to make a rain barrel, it once houses sodium hydroxide. I rinsed it with water ( before reading the MSDS, durr ) and luckily nothing happened. If I rinses this a few times, will it be safe to hold water to use for watering the garden? Google isn't of much assistance today.

[JBs92Lude]

Sodium Hydroxide is a strong base, by mixing it with water you just diluted the base. To neutralize such a strong base (since getting the stuff on your hands can cause chemical burns or kill plants), I would probably use HCl (hydrochloric acid). The reaction of the strong acid and strong base results in water and NaCl, also known as salt. So I would add small amounts of HCl, since you probably have a very dilute concentration of NaOH, and test the PH of the water with litmus paper until the water is near a PH of 7. That way the only real cleanup is the salt (or just Na+ Cl- ions in water).

[twicks69]

To neutralize sodium hydroxide, you will need muriatic acid (or hydrochloric acid) as a cost effective way of chemically rinsing the drum.

Is this drum fully empty? or is there water still in it?

Do you have pH strips? (1-7 & 7-14)

If it has already been rinsed with water, I am guessing that the pH is still around 10-13 depending on what volume/concentration was originally in the drum. You can get a gallon of muriatic acid from Menards, then rinse with that. If you are going to dilute the acid, remember "ADD ACID TO WATER" -- NEVER ADD WATER TO ACID!!!

This way of doing it is rudimentary, but at least you can get it closer to neutral than where you are currently at. If anything, use a pH strip prior to adding acid to get an initial pH, then continue adding acid to the water in small quantities until you reach near a pH of 6-8 range.

I still recommend using safety glasses or a face shield, nitrile gloves, and long sleeved shirt/pants.

[twicks69]

Damn....got beat to the post due to my slow ass typing....

[JBs92Lude]

To neutralize sodium hydroxide, you will need muriatic acid (or hydrochloric acid) as a cost effective way of chemically rinsing the drum.

Is this drum fully empty? or is there water still in it?

Do you have pH strips? (1-7 & 7-14)

If it has already been rinsed with water, I am guessing that the pH is still around 10-13 depending on what volume/concentration was originally in the drum. You can get a gallon of muriatic acid from Menards, then rinse with that. If you are going to dilute the acid, remember "ADD ACID TO WATER" -- NEVER ADD WATER TO ACID!!!

This way of doing it is rudimentary, but at least you can get it closer to neutral than where you are currently at. If anything, use a pH strip prior to adding acid to get an initial pH, then continue adding acid to the water in small quantities until you reach near a pH of 6-8 range.

I still recommend using safety glasses or a face shield, nitrile gloves, and long sleeved shirt/pants.

Haha, it's ok. You added the extra stuff I forgot. Like safety. You added more good info though....

[That_Guy]

The works toilet bowl cleaner has hydro cloric acid it.

[JBs92Lude]

The works toilet bowl cleaner has hydro cloric acid it.

First, unless it says the concentration of it, you have no idea how much you will need.
Secondly, there are also a lot of other different chemicals in that product that will be added to the water. Kinda defeats the purpose.

[twicks69]

Muriatic acid is around $4.00 a gallon at Menards -- they are the cheapest for the stuff. It can be found near the paint isle.

The stuff is SunnySide Muriatic Acid -- White 1 Gallon bottle with yellow/red label. It is a 35% dilute concentration.

Here is the MSDS on it:
http://www.sunnysidecorp.com/pdf/msds710.pdf

You should be able to get pH strips at Menards as well, or any pool supply store.

The Works Toilet Cleaner is a 15-25% dilute concentration, and is more expensive for the volume purchased. Here is the MSDS for that if you go that route:
http://cctankwash.com/content/00/01/42/07/24/userimages/MSDS/The%20Works%20Toilet%20Bowl%20Cleaner%20MSDS.pdf