Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

-----

De-silvering Mirrors

 

I am trying to find a way to de-silver mirrors for craft projects. I found info on the internet saying you could treat the mirror w/furniture stripper & then remove the rest of the silvering with muriatic acid. The problem is I've never heard of this chemical & have no idea where it would be sold.

Karen Hamilton
- Mt Morris, Michigan, USA

---

 

It's not your fault at all, Karen, but letters like yours scare me :-)

Muriatic acid is a chemical which, if you were working in a factory and wearing the correct personal protective equipment and trained in the proper disposal, you'd probably be afraid of. It's a chemical which, if a shop in your neighborhood used it, the law would demand they publicize it ("right to know") to try to frighten you into voting for some bureaucrat who would "save" you from it.

Yet neighbors and friends and people on the internet who don't even know how to spell it seem to casually recommend that people use it :-)

Actually, it's muriatic acid [affil links] and every hardware store has it. But wear goggles [on eBay or Amazon] and be careful, and do it outside! Be aware that it fumes, and those fumes will travel and rust everything nearby -- most especially all your expensive new stainless appliances if you have any.

Good luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey