Seriously. This stuff can straight up kill you, and if it doesn’t – you’re in for some horrific symptoms.
Check products and their safety data sheet (SDS) before purchase to avoid this chemical – it is most commonly found in acidic wheel cleaners and other acidic detailing chemicals.
Hydrofluoric Acid Can Kill You
We’ll just quote the wiki article on it, if this doesn’t convince you – then good luck!
Symptoms of HF exposure include irritation of the eyes, skin, nose, and throat, eye and skin burns, and bone damage.
Complications may occur due to fluoride toxicity. Once absorbed into blood through the skin, it reacts with blood calcium and may cause cardiac arrest. Burns with areas larger than 160 cm2 (25 square inches) have the potential to cause serious systemic toxicity from interference with blood and tissue calcium levels. In some cases, exposures can lead to hypocalcemia.
Breathing in the HF fumes can result in fevers, pulmonary edema (fluid buildup in the lungs), bleeding, and low blood oxygen.
Hydrofluoric Acid Burn via Wikipedia (2023) (Warning: graphic images of injuries)
How to avoid products that contain Hydrofluoric Acid
You can look at the safety data sheet (SDS) for any product you’re using to check it for the common names of HF and related dangerous acids. If the product lists any of these, dispose of it and do NOT use it.
- HF Acid
- HF
- HFL
- Hydrogen Fluoride solution
- Fluorhydric acid
- Hydronium fluoride
- Ammoniumbifluoride
- Any acidic cleaner that mentions “fluor-” in the SDS
A warning from the professionals
We have professionals in our community from chemists to firefighters with training in how to handle hydrofluoric acid. Many of them advocated for this article to be published to help warn people about the risks and injuries. It’s just not worth going near this stuff.
“To boot, I’ve worked in an environment that uses HF, have students that have experienced HF accidents, and fire fighters that have to encounter it potentially in an accidents. All three of us here will say that HF is scary and we’re staying as far away from it as humanly possible.” — Ryan of RS Detailing
“It’s banned in most labs for people who are trained and where all safety measures are available in seconds. That alone should tell you enough.” — King Bob
Contributors
- King Bob, Jeyy, RS Detailing, jobobcul