# This "safe HCl" is a scam, right? \[Update - Not scam. See responses from manufacturer at posts 88 and 93\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 18, 2023, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723 "2023-06-18T14:01:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723/41 "2023-06-19T03:45:33Z")
I just noticed something. The gallon jug says it’s 4.546 liters. That’s for a UK gallon. A US gallon is 3.785 liters. The registrant is in Canada. > - Name: Contact Privacy Inc. Customer 0166689962 > - Organization: Contact Privacy Inc. Customer 0166689962 > - Email: [safe-hcl.com@contactprivacy.com](mailto:safe-hcl.com@contactprivacy.com) > - Phone: tel:+1.4165385457 > - Kind: individual > - Mailing Address: 96 Mowat Ave, Toronto, ON, M6K 3M1, CA ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723/42 "2023-06-19T03:50:34Z")
So basically the business has more red flags than a matador supply store. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723/43 "2023-06-19T03:51:34Z")
That’s the address for Tucows. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723/44 "2023-06-19T03:53:52Z")
According to ICANN, it’s for both. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723/45 "2023-06-19T13:37:00Z")
Hm, maybe the stuff we worked with in chem lab wasn’t actually all that concentrated, then: I don’t think we worked in a fume hood with it (high schools always have fume hoods, and never actually use them), and I’m sure we didn’t have any other sort of respiratory protective equipment. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723/46 "2023-06-19T14:52:39Z")
I’ve worked with HCl at lower concentration barehanded a number of times. Not the greatest idea but not particularly unsafe. For short term use and smaller amounts thin nitrile or latex is fine. And it doesn’t take a ton of dilution for the vapor issue to go away. But to try to stay on topic, I still suspect if it’s not a complete scam like just water, that it’s a massively overpriced dilute solution. Only way to really test it is for someone to go buy a bottle and then run it through some old school wet bench testing. A little indicator and a silver nitrate titration would probably do the job. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723/47 "2023-06-19T15:10:06Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > So Amanda Collett was the original liar Well, to be fair, Amanda Collet doesn’t make any claim about those two shells being specifically the same shell before and after. The fact that the ‘safe hcl’ page has not only stolen the image from a page that isn’t anything to do with their product, then labelled it as being an example of what their product has done is scammy in the extreme. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723/48 "2023-06-19T16:03:17Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > But to try to stay on topic, I still suspect if it’s not a complete scam like just water, that it’s a massively overpriced dilute solution. Well, it depends on how long the con is (and I think we can agree that this is definitely a con, not just some deluded armchair chemist who genuinely thinks they’ve stumbled upon something big). There are a few ways the con could be operating. They might take the marks’ money and then send them a bottle of diluted or partially-neutralized hydrochloric acid: This would at least look vaguely like what they describe, and might let the con continue for at least a little while. They might take the marks’ money and then just ship them a bottle of plain water. Or they might take the marks’ money and then just send them a note saying that due to unexpectedly high demand, they’re unable to keep up production, but don’t worry, we’ll send you your miracle acid Real Soon Now. Or they might take the marks’ money and then just ghost them and not do anything further. All of these possibilities end with fraud charges. And honestly, there’s not much difference between the scenarios to how quickly it leads to fraud charges. My guess would be that, even though it would be easy to send out bottles of diluted HCl, it’s enough easier to do the Real Soon Now option or the ghosting option that that’s what they’d go with. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723/49 "2023-06-19T16:17:12Z")
The large bottle is labeled ‘Safe Hydrochloric/Muriatic Acid’ and says it’s equivalent to 15% HCL. The info chart lists the color as ‘Yellow to Brown’. Perhaps just coincidence but that is the color of a 31.45% muriatic acid after using it to remove galvanizing coating from metal, which is primarily zinc. Could they simply be selling ‘previously owned’ acid? ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723/50 "2023-06-19T16:41:04Z")
Yeah, clean HCl should not be anywhere near yellow to brown. A very light yellow, maybe. If that’s the case and it’s full of zinc (and other metals) that’s even worse. I’m looking at the wastewater restrictions here in the lab and the city restriction is 2.2 mg/L daily maximum composite for zinc into the city sewer. Selling high concentration acid full of metals would take that from generally harmless and somewhat amusing scam to actively dangerous to people and the environment. ---
**Author:** ![Chingon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chingon/32/17645_2.png) [@Chingon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chingon)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723/51 "2023-06-19T16:41:19Z")
We’ll that and just because some random person on the internet assertively says something is a lie it doesn’t mean they are correct. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723/52 "2023-06-19T16:52:43Z")
Muriatic acid as sold in home improvement stores is commonly yellow-tinged, due to iron and other impurities. Conceivably, someone could buy concentrated muriatic acid at such a place and resell it in diluted form as “safe HCl”. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723/53 "2023-06-19T16:59:41Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > The info chart lists the color as ‘Yellow to Brown’. This is what it looks like in the video: [![](https://i.postimg.cc/Cxm0N6b0/Screenshot-20230619-125615-519.jpg) ](https://i.postimg.cc/Cxm0N6b0/Screenshot-20230619-125615-519.jpg) HCl on left, “Safe-HCl” on right. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723/54 "2023-06-19T17:27:13Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Muriatic acid as sold in home improvement stores is commonly yellow-tinged, due to iron and other impurities. Fair enough. My comment is what you get when a chemist starts assuming lab grade materials for no good reason. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723/55 "2023-06-19T17:28:00Z")
I don’t think diluting it will make it dark brown like in the picture above. You’d have to clean a lot of metal to get muriatic acid looking that dark. Here’s the link to the video [How to safely clean seashells!](https://youtu.be/iSdo31kqLkQ) The video creator seems to like the stuff but he notes the label was changed to say ‘Muriatic Acid’, and despite claims of being safe for skin and eyes they of course recommend using gloves and eye protection. Lots of comments from people saying they wanted to try it, not much on follow up though. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723/56 "2023-06-19T19:45:28Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Honestly, HCl is already pretty safe. I mean, you don’t want to take a bath in it or anything, but if you spill it on you, you just walk over to the sink and rinse it off. If you’re slow about that, then you might get a very mild rash from it. Back in my yout I tried tanning some muskrat hides using an old recipe. It called for “vitriol” and after some research I determined it was most likely sulfuric acid. I managed to get some at a full service drug store (!!!) The instructions said to add vitriol _until the solution tasted as strong as vinegar._ I don’t think so! I guessed and the tanning didn’t go too well. I don’t think I had enough vitriol as the hide was not fully tanned. Plus I used warm water in a rinsing step that called for ice cold water. The damn hides shrunk to half size. So I had some 1/4" thick leather that was slimy. Mmm, mm. I don’t know how sulfuric and hydrochloric acids compare for skin damage. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723/57 "2023-06-19T19:51:04Z")
I filled out the [Contact form](https://safe-hcl.com/pages/contact) on the website and asked for the Material Safety Data Sheet so we could stop guessing what it is. But I used an alias rather than my real name, and they didn’t like that. > Thanks for your request. I couldn’t locate “\_\_\_\_\_\_” in the US with a quick Google search. > > We keep track of SDS/MSDS requests so would you please reply with your name, address and telephone number for our records? If anyone would like to take one for the team, go for it. I’m happy to translate the MSDS. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723/58 "2023-06-19T19:55:16Z")
Sure. I have an email account that gets a ton of spam already. Let’s see what happens. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723/59 "2023-06-19T19:56:48Z")
My father (who worked in an electroplating factory) used to wash his hands in muriatic acid at the end of the day. That is dilute HCl. Not dangerous at all, although I wouldn’t drink it. Very cheap. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2023, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723/60 "2023-06-19T20:16:17Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Sure. I have an email account that gets a ton of spam already. Let’s see what happens. - I used my scambaiting personna to inquire about the patent number and asking if they were looking for distributors. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-safe-hcl-is-a-scam-right-update-not-scam-see-responses-from-manufacturer-at-posts-88-and-93/985723.md?page=4)