V_coerulea wrote:
Any acid will dissolve most of the water-insoluble salts on the pots.

Vinegar is good, and cheap but smelly. It can also take some time to
dissolve it all. I find hydrochloric acid, in the form of muriatic
acid from
the hardware store is cheap, effective and very fast. It's also a bit
more
dangerous to use if you're not used to handling such materials. Dip
the pots
outside or in the garage as the fumes produced are also potentially
dangerous to your health.

I'd rather put up with the smell of vinegar than risk severe chemical
burns and lung damage from concentrated HCL.

Anyone wishing to try HCL had better wear neoprene gauntlets and
splash-proof goggles. And remember---always add acid to water--- never
the opposite.


J. Del Col