Anna, this is the first time I’ve heard of using Tarn-X as a pickle!
I use it to clean my brass, nickel-silver, and copper jewelry (if I
have not put a patina on them). I don’t think it is a sulfuric acid
solution – that’s a closer description of Sparex No. 2 and the Ph
Minus pool cleaner stuff (sodium bisulfate), which are commonly used
as pickles. Tarn-X would be a lot more expensive than other pickle
solutions.
However, if you want to use Tarn-X, let me recommend storing it in a
Tupperware pickle-lifter (these have a bilious green, but
tight-fitting, top and can often be found at second-hand stores).
They have an interior plastic platform that you can lift up and down
– lift it up, put jewelry on, let it down into the Tarn-X, and lift
it up when “done” (in the case of cleaning off tarnish, a few
seconds). Use tongs to put jewelry into rinse water, then dry. For
cleaning, it’s very fast. If you want to continue using Tarn-X as a
pickle, you won’t have to bother putting it back into the jar all the
time. Hope this helps.
Judy Bjorkman
Sodium Bisulfate can be purchased in small quantities if you ask for
spa or hot tubs. Same product, less money and a cleaner acid than
buying Sparex (as a trade name) for pickle. Sometimes in the past I
have had a brown scum from the Sparex and now never have that
problem once switching to the Sodium Bisulfate for Spas. Here, in
the South, it is sold in the supermarkets, so it is very easy to
find. Beth Katz
I have 2 daughters , 3 year old and 8 months and am worried about the
fumes of pickle and other chemicals I use at my bench. First thing
I did was put my bench in the basement as far away from the area they
are most in as possible. Then I made an overhead exhaust system that
uses a Honeywell Hepa Filter before it reaches outside. All my
soldering area as well as my ultrasonic, pickle and when I use it, my
plating flask sit. I have found that Simple Green works fantastic
in the ultrasonic, and a product I can only find at Gesswien , called
Citpic is a good pickle with few problems. They claim its safe as
its just a citric acid that is a concentrate form of the same used in
food products such as fruit drinks, sodas, candies , ect…
Daniel