Composition
All metal fittings in washrooms are of brass. Chrome, basically an alloy, is electroplated over the brass to lengthen the life of the fitting and to give it a good visual appeal.
Cause of Corrosion
Maintaining chrome fixtures has been a problem in India especially because of hard water conditions in many areas. Hard water contains salts of calcium and magnesium which get deposited over a period of time on chrome fixtures as they keep on getting wet in the washroom. These salts then adhere to the chrome surface and slowly start corroding the chrome.
The only way to remove the calcium magnesium salts from the fixtures is by the use of acids or chelating agents which remove the salts but in turn again corrode the chrome and result in exposing the underlying brass fitting over time. This gives the fitting a partly yellow look which eventually is irreversible, since the chrome has been completely stripped away.
Solution
It is imperative that the fitting be cleaned on a daily basis and wiped frequently after use to avoid settling of water on the surface. Here, the choice of cleaning agent is extremely important. Acidic cleaning agents are required in hard water areas and are to be used in diluted format regularly.
Most acidic cleaners meant for chrome contain phosphoric acid which is mildly corrosive, but helps clean chrome instantly. Phosphoric acid will, over a period of time, strip the chrome coating. It is thus important to choose a product that not only provides an acid but also contains a corrosion inhibitor. Corrosion inhibitors are widely used in metal industry to clean steel, chrome etc. with acids like hydrochloric acid which is one of the most corrosive acids for chrome. In fact, that is one reason all conventional toilet bowl cleaners corrode the chrome of the urinal.
Haylide Chemicals offers four products in its washroom cleaning range, all of which contain corrosion inhibitors to protect all chrome fittings in washrooms.
Of the four products, WC Kleen, Sterix A Super and Sterix A are acidic, but these contain the revolutionary new 100% biodegradable Green acid- MSA- imported from Germany which is least corrosive to chrome and citric acid which is a completely organic food grade acid. These products contain an active corrosion inhibitor which is also a chelating agent to ensure safety of all chrome apart from removing hard scales effectively.
Sterix and Sterix Super are made from citric acid neutralization salts coupled with biodegradable surfactants, chelating agents and corrosion inhibitors which make these unique neutral ph descalers work in normal water conditions.
Nitin Bhatnagar Head – Operations & Business Development, Haylide Chemicals