"Penny Morgan" wrote in message
om...
We used to pour Coca Cola on rusty wheel rims and watch it eat
away the
rust. This was when I was very young, but you could give it a
try
to see if it works.

With any extended exposure, the carbonic acid in Coke dissolves iron, not
just the rusty bits. Coca Cola syrup delivery vans & trucks have to have
special permits for the transport of highly corrosive materials. The
recurring story that the Highway Patrol uses Coca Cola to clean up the
blood after deadly auto accidents is pure legendry, but fun to imagine.
Check out the Urban Folklore recap:

http://www.snopes.com/cokelore/acid.asp

As an immediate cleaning agent, there's nothing special about Coke.
Regular carbonated water also has carbonic acid & is just as good -- or
better since it won't have so much scummy syrup residue -- or just as bad
for lengthy exposure. The amount of carbonic acid in softdrinks is not
sufficient to make it an especially good cleanser compared to actual
cleaning products, but it'll work a little.

-paghat the ratgirl

--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/