Hydrochloric acid - in pressure washer

moneyistooshorttomention

I'm feeling a bit panicky now as a workman has pressure washed my property as arranged - but I assumed it would just be what I personally would use (ie water or something eco-friendly in that water).

After he'd started - he mentioned it has hydrochloric acid in it. That water has been getting onto my garden (ie where I grow food - organically of course).

Should I kill him now or later? (rhetorical question). Yet...a blimmin' again I have been too trusting that other people are as ethical/safety-conscious/environmentally-minded/etc/etc as I am and I've been proven wrong. When am I going to get it into my head that most people just arent as "responsible"?!! <kicks own backside firmly for not being cautious enough still regarding other people>

Or put in another way - has he damaged my soil with that hydrochloric acid?

Second question is - if he has = then what do I do about it? I'm hoping that soil will all drain through quickly and be ready for planting food in in a couple of weeks time as per plan - and wondering if I need to buy some of that beneficial fungi type stuff one can get and scatter that round heavily on the soil first (ie because if it kills algae etc - then there has to be a good chance it kills all the beneficial bacteria in the soil). I'm guessing it's the household equivalent of antibiotics on the beneficial bacteria in our guts - and not a long-term problem - but we have to remember to replenish said beneficial gut bacteria with live yogurt, etc?

There is, of course, absolutely no question but that I will continue as per plan to grow organic food in my garden.

GwylimT

No its fine, a scientist. If you're concerned about the acidity as some crops prefer a more neutral soil you can spread some lime.

I'm not sure why hydrochloric acid isn't eco friendly to be honest.

moneyistooshorttomention

When I started googling after he mentioned thats what he is using and Google came up with all sorts of other things he should be using instead.

It came up with any number of entries about being very safety-conscious/protective clothing/etc/etc regarding the person doing the spraying. Cue - if the person doing it has to be so conscious of their own safety (nope - he wasnt) then surely that means my garden has to have safety precautions too? Logic would indicate that if a person needs to protect themselves - then longer-term that soil may have just got a dose of stuff that it's not a good idea for people to be on the receiving end of.

Basically - I fear my food I am going to be growing in that soil having less nutrients (when part of why I am in process of growing as much as I can is to ensure I have all nutrients food would have had hundreds of years ago pre-chemical era and food in storage for months before we eat it). Also - I worry about chemicals and cancer....

GwylimT

Pre-chemical era, so before matter existed? Hydrochloric acid is so dangerous eleven year old children are trusted with it. Even at a one molar concentration its less damaging than the equivalent amount of cola.

Every time it rains your garden is covered in sulphuric acid or nitric acid.

System

I'd be careful if you've got some dihydrogen monoxide though, its present in all cancers, a major component of acid rain, accelerates corrosion to metals and decreases the efficiency of car brakes

I_have_spoken

Most brick and stone cleaners are dilute solutions of spirits of salt/Muriatic acid/hydrochloric acid, call it what you will.

Hydrochloric acid is present in foods such as kale, lemons, spinach and celery; in the stomach it's needed to aid in the breakdown of food for digestion.

It's create for pouring into the lavvy to remove stains, so I've been told.

moneyistooshorttomention

Well I guess it will help establish what's what on this if I check how the earthworms are doing in this bit of soil.

If they're all dead - then that is not good news.

If they're looking perfectly healthy and wriggling madly as per normal then maybe that's another matter.