Soda blast, what now??

[decca]

I have had my Morris minor soda blasted and think I have dropped a massive clanger. Researching on Google tells me that the best way to remove the residue is washing out with soapy water and a jet wash. This will obviously cause rust. I have blown it over with an airline but as I understand it the soda works its way into the surface of the metal and needs to be cleaned out to avoid adhesion issues with the paint. Should have done my research before.

Has anyone any advice on how to clean the metal without water or with water and no rust.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Seadog]

De-ionised water would be my guess.

 

[Shox Dr]

De-ionised water would be my guess.

Would that still have impurities. probably better with Distilled. (I keep mine from the Dehumidifier for such use)

 

[bricol]

Water is the only thing to remove the residue - power wash with this stuff:

HoldTight 102 Flash Rust Preventer

Holdtight 102 :: The ultimate surface cleaner for steel. Removes salts and contaminants, prevents flash rust to extend the life of coatings. Available in small pack sizes at boatpaint.co.uk

www.boatpaint.co.uk

 

[decca]

I was looking at this, spray bottle on and wipe off. Anyone used it?

Eastwood After Blast Metal Prep - 1 US gallon 3.7 litre bottle | eBay UK

1 US gallon (3.7 litre bottle) 04.07.2025, 08:51:37. Simply spray onto the surface and wipe until clean. Protects against flash rusting. Not always. as you may require it in the event of a claim with your carrier.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Bullet2012]

Power Wash, use air to blow dry, then coat with phosphoric acid.

 

[Seadog]

Would that still have impurities.

OK, I should have said distilled de-ionised water

 

[fizzy]

In the UK there is more than enough moisture in the air to cause rust. Wash it and make sure you dry it properly and keep in a warm dry room with a dehumidifier running until you are ready.

 

[decca]

Power Wash, use air to blow dry, then coat with phosphoric acid.

Can yo prime over the phosphoric acid or does that have to be washed off before paint?

 

[Bullet2012]

Flat and prime.

 

[rcx132]

I would wash it, dry it. On spray day wake early and sand the whole thing.

 

[Ross365]

I'd wash it with lots of tap water, wipe dry with rags (or paper) and the wipe again with rags moistened with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) which is safe and cheap, then prime with zinc phosphate primer, all to be done one step following the other. The IPA will adsorb any traces of water from the surface. My own experience is that using phosphoric acid treatments achieves no advantage compared with using zinc phosphate primer on its own (I have done comparative tests on steel samples!).

 

[peter wardley]

I used to own a soda blasting company (Ecoblast) , we used Coca-Cola to neutralise the soda on engine components and on some bodywork...why? ...because Coca-Cola is a buffered solution containing amongst other things phosphoric acid, this kills the soda but also in the case of ferrous materials inhibits corrosion.
Wipe down as many surfaces as possible, use commercially available inhibitors in tight corners, dry with hot air from a paint stripper ASAP, then get a coat of zinc primer on well thinned .
Hope that helps...you are not alone in dealing with soda.

But remember soda will NOT remove rust in any but minor thicknesses, it’s not hard enough,

 

[decca]

Thanks all for the advice.
My plan is to do all the metal repairs then on the day before paint I’ll wash with water and jet wash, dry and rub down with IPA put it in the garage with heater and dehumidifier quick rub down next day and prime.

I’ll report back when it’s done. Might be a while.

 

[rcx132]

You can also dry it with compressed air.

 

[heldtogetherwithblutack]

Coca-Cola is a buffered solution containing amongst other things phosphoric acid, this kills the soda

I wonder, one of cillit bangs ingredients is also phosphoric acid, and if these guys use it, it must be good

Household cleaner helps Dounreay decommissioning - Nuclear Engineering International

One of the UK’s best-selling household cleaners is being used to clean-up an experimental chemical plant at Dounreay. It can…

www.neimagazine.com

 

[Ross365]

I wonder, one of cillit bangs ingredients is also phosphoric acid, and if these guys use it, it must be good

Household cleaner helps Dounreay decommissioning - Nuclear Engineering International

One of the UK’s best-selling household cleaners is being used to clean-up an experimental chemical plant at Dounreay. It can…

www.neimagazine.com

Those guys are dismantling old kit - very definitely not trying to restore it. I reckon that generally, domestic cleaning products (often full of salt, added to thicken them) and not at all suitable for restoration work.

 

[peter wardley]

I used to own a soda blasting company (Ecoblast) , we used Coca-Cola to neutralise the soda on engine components and on some bodywork...why? ...because Coca-Cola is a buffered solution containing amongst other things phosphoric acid, this kills the soda but also in the case of ferrous materials inhibits corrosion.
Wipe down as many surfaces as possible, use commercially available inhibitors in tight corners, dry with hot air from a paint stripper ASAP, then get a coat of zinc primer on well thinned .
Hope that helps...you are not alone in dealing with soda.

But remember soda will NOT remove rust in any but minor thicknesses, it’s not hard enough, it w