Dry rock soaking question

[GunslingerGirl]

So my family brought my dry rock which I have in a box in the garage.

 

Apparently the box became soaked from a leak in the foundation of the garage... and my dad took the rock out and set it out on a glass table.

 

Since it was out for a few months do you think it's still safe to use with all the fumes from the garage? I mean the garage has never been closed when any engine is running and obviously it takes awhile to shut the garage door after somebody pulls in..

 

If it's still safe... how should I go about soaking it? Should I just use water and bleach and sunshine? Or something else?

[seabass]

I'm pretty sure it's fine. If you want, you could just soak it in tap water. You could even soak it in a vinegar solution. The rock will neutralize the acid in the vinegar pretty quickly, so it won't dissolve much, if any of the rock.

 

If you want something stronger, you could use some diluted muriatic acid (maybe like a 3:1 water to acid ratio). You can get it at Home Depot. However, muriatic is super strong and you NEED to take safety precautions when working with it (it can really hurt you). There are some threads on using it. It will actually dissolve the outer layer of the rock, removing any organics and/or contaminants on the rock.

[GunslingerGirl]

I'm pretty sure it's fine. If you want, you could just soak it in tap water. You could even soak it in a vinegar solution. The rock will neutralize the acid in the vinegar pretty quickly, so it won't dissolve much, if any of the rock.

 

If you want something stronger, you could use some diluted muriatic acid (maybe like a 3:1 water to acid ratio). You can get it at Home Depot. However, muriatic is super strong and you NEED to take safety precautions when working with it (it can really hurt you). There are some threads on using it. It will actually dissolve the outer layer of the rock, removing any organics and/or contaminants on the rock.

 

I worked with muriatic in the lab all the time. So I am unfortunately aware of what it can do.

 

I have a vinegar phobia. I had to take a bath in 25 gallons of it after a severe jellyfish allergy. Was not fun. But I can always have my guy do that for me lol outside.

 

Or I may just boil it...

[seabass]

I wouldn't bother boiling it. Soaking it in tap water should probably do about the same thing.

[GunslingerGirl]

I wouldn't bother boiling it. Soaking it in tap water should probably do about the same thing.

Good to know. I will probably do vinegar then water soak in that case. Just because if it smells remotely like vinegar after drying in the sun I will have an issue. lol I am a weenie.

[seabass]

If that's the case, I'd probably just soak it in tap water for a couple of days. Maybe scrub it with a vegetable brush too.

[GunslingerGirl]

If that's the case, I'd probably just soak it in tap water for a couple of days. Maybe scrub it with a vegetable brush too.

 

Ok sounds like a plan! Thanks seabass!