a-kem automotive

DaddyCC

RMS Regular
Messages
26,368
Drives
VW CC
What about foam cannons, are you doing away with them or are they coming back?
 

ace275

RMS Regular
Messages
4,964
Location
Belfast
Drives
Legacy SpecB
Nightmare! Lid wasn't on the softwash tight, the box tipped over in the boot and around 1/4 of it leaked out 🤦‍♂️

Worth checking them before storing or transporting

Got over my laptop bag but thankfully the laptop wasn't wet

Thank god for having a rubber mat in the boot which collected most of it

IMG_20230522_180656.jpg
 

svensktoppen

RMS Regular
Messages
32,750
Drives
FK2 CTR
Done that with Cleanse and Citraclean too. Rubber mats ftw! The best was spilling Tarminator, that smell takes a while to evaporate, lol 😅
 

Big Pimp

RMS Trader
OP
Big Pimp
Messages
14,829
Location
Downpatrick
Drives
like im late
bollocks @ace275 - really sorry about that man.

I'll get you another litre of it to make up the difference.

Can I just check was it transported to you ok by Express Parcels? did the spill happen whilst they were transporting it to you?
 

ace275

RMS Regular
Messages
4,964
Location
Belfast
Drives
Legacy SpecB
bollocks @ace275 - really sorry about that man.

I'll get you another litre of it to make up the difference.

Can I just check was it transported to you ok by Express Parcels? did the spill happen whilst they were transporting it to you?
It's ok, it arrived to my work ok, it was me transporting it home where it leaked. Don't worry about it
 

ace275

RMS Regular
Messages
4,964
Location
Belfast
Drives
Legacy SpecB
@Big Pimp

Do you know how long this stuff is meant to be dangerous to animals until?

The bit that spilt in the box and on the boot mat on Monday I thought I had hosed up very well, but my cat walked over it 3 hours later when the driveway seemed to be bone dry again but somehow was poisoned by it. All her symptoms link to DDAC poisoning. Just back from the vets and it looks like she'll be ok, but I was under the impression it was safe once dry? Not sure what went wrong

Annoyingly, I bought this as an safer alternative to Hypochlorite

Sorry to be a downer in the thread, but worth letting others with pets know too that it's risky
 

svensktoppen

RMS Regular
Messages
32,750
Drives
FK2 CTR
Great to hear she is ok. Don't know either what went wrong, not entirely clear from the description.

The stuff straight out of the bottle is highly concentrated. It's supposed to be used at something like 50:1. So of you spilled half a bottle of concentrated stuff in the boot or on the driveway and wasn't able to clean it up then that's not good for either yourself or animals.

It might have been dry on the driveway but if there was anything concentrated left still on the packaging or the bottle or in the boot or whatever and she somehow got at that then that would be no good. Or on your hands or clothes if you then handled her?

No idea if that's what happened.
 
Last edited:

ace275

RMS Regular
Messages
4,964
Location
Belfast
Drives
Legacy SpecB
Great to hear she is ok. Don't know either what went wrong, not entirely clear from the description.

The stuff straight out of the bottle is highly concentrated. It's supposed to be used at something like 50:1. So of you spilled half a bottle of concentrated stuff in the boot or on the driveway and wasn't able to clean it up then that's not good for either yourself or animals.

It might have been dry on the driveway but if there was anything concentrated left still on the packaging or the bottle or in the boot or whatever and she somehow got at that then that would be no good. Or on your hands or clothes if you then handled her?

No idea if that's what happened.

The rubber boot liner was removed, thoroughly washed and hung up to dry, and everything that was in the box was washed. The box was burnt in the fire pit in the garden with no animals near then either, so completely unsure what went wrong. About 1 litre spilt and I hosed it down for what must have been 20 minutes until I seen no more soap suds or anything, but maybe it wasn't enough. I didn't handle her after either.

Just want to mention it's certainly not the fault of Big Pimp / A-Kem in any way certainly not putting any blame there whatsoever, I was nearly not going to post about it, but I'd feel better knowing others know to be careful with it too so this is more a PSA than anything. Maybe keep the pets in for the whole day as a precaution when using it, with supervised breaks for toilet use or something.
 

svensktoppen

RMS Regular
Messages
32,750
Drives
FK2 CTR
Good to let people know, nothing to apologise for. Should be ok when diluted but who knows. Better safe than sorry for sure.
 

Igxom

RMS Regular
Messages
119
DDAC is 'safer' to use than hypo in the sense that it doesn't need rinsed off and is less damaging to most materials than hypo would be, but at the end of the day its a powerful biocide designed to destroy organisms and isn't to be messed around with. It is very effective for various jobs, but I personally wouldn't be using it (at least with a sprayer) without a half mask and eye protection.
 

Big Pimp

RMS Trader
OP
Big Pimp
Messages
14,829
Location
Downpatrick
Drives
like im late
@Big Pimp

Do you know how long this stuff is meant to be dangerous to animals until?

The bit that spilt in the box and on the boot mat on Monday I thought I had hosed up very well, but my cat walked over it 3 hours later when the driveway seemed to be bone dry again but somehow was poisoned by it. All her symptoms link to DDAC poisoning. Just back from the vets and it looks like she'll be ok, but I was under the impression it was safe once dry? Not sure what went wrong

Annoyingly, I bought this as an safer alternative to Hypochlorite

Sorry to be a downer in the thread, but worth letting others with pets know too that it's risky

The rubber boot liner was removed, thoroughly washed and hung up to dry, and everything that was in the box was washed. The box was burnt in the fire pit in the garden with no animals near then either, so completely unsure what went wrong. About 1 litre spilt and I hosed it down for what must have been 20 minutes until I seen no more soap suds or anything, but maybe it wasn't enough. I didn't handle her after either.

Just want to mention it's certainly not the fault of Big Pimp / A-Kem in any way certainly not putting any blame there whatsoever, I was nearly not going to post about it, but I'd feel better knowing others know to be careful with it too so this is more a PSA than anything. Maybe keep the pets in for the whole day as a precaution when using it, with supervised breaks for toilet use or something.
Hello mate,

Firstly, thanks for letting me know, and importantly I'm glad the kitty is ok.

Geeky / Science bit time:
DDAC toxicity is measured in mg/kg

The level of oral toxicity for DDAC 50% solution is 685mg/kg.

At the diluted using rate of 50-1 this equates to 34250mg/kg or 34.25g per kg. An average cat of approx 5 kg would therefore need to ingest (drink) 170ml of 50-1 solution to reach a toxic level.

For dermal contact this is closer to 510ml of solution that the cat would needed soaked in to create a toxic reaction.

As you explained you spent around 20 mins washing the spill from their boot mat. A regular garden hose would dispense up to on average 20L per minute of water so the spilt 1000ml of solution in the boot mat which was thoroughly washed until no suds were left would have been approximately 400L of water that's a dilution rate of approx 2000-1.

At this dilution level (2000-1) not only is the product food safe and widely used as a surface sanitiser in kitchens, food processing plants and restaurants, it's also used as a preservative in health products like eye drops and anti bac soap.


I spoke at length to the chemist who makes the product and he has said he thinks the cat must have gotten some neat product on his paws, because at the dilution rates it would have finished at it would not have been toxic, and on a dry surface it really should have no effects on the paws. Thats why DDAC is safer than hypo etc. for regular cleaning

It does however reinforce just how potent DDAC is and the care which needs to be taken when using it.

Honestly - thank you again for bringing this to my attention and everyone on here too - as you say its more of a PSA than anything else.

And I hope it cleans all the area you used it on too!
DDAC is 'safer' to use than hypo in the sense that it doesn't need rinsed off and is less damaging to most materials than hypo would be, but at the end of the day its a powerful biocide designed to destroy organisms and isn't to be messed around with. It is very effective for various jobs, but I personally wouldn't be using it (at least with a sprayer) without a half mask and eye protection.
Every one I send out mate I include the COSHH risk assessment and advise as you say that at a minimum eye protection is worn along with suitable PPE, all of which is advised

I don't concern myself overly with all manner of powerful acids etc. but concentrated DDAC is not to be messed with
 

da.murf

RMS Regular
Messages
10,312
Drives
Nissan 350z
@Big Pimp @big_pete any recommendations for this?

Older neighbour has this and I’ve offered to sort it.

Well known dealer saying it’ll take £100’s to clean etc but it’s just moss/algae staining and I could save them money and do a good deed

Thinking citra-clean then rinse??

Any advice or thoughts welcome
IMG_7248.jpeg
 

Big Pimp

RMS Trader
OP
Big Pimp
Messages
14,829
Location
Downpatrick
Drives
like im late
yep, CitraClean will make light work of that. There is a fair bit of work involved in cleaning it properly and I'm nearly certain @Gareth cleaned a very similar hood and a description on here somewhere on how he completed it.
 

lennyd

RMS Regular
Messages
2,856
Drives
a car
I'd be investing in one of those brush kits for the drill for that one. Got a set from procar and they're a great job. Used the soft one on the interior of my old bm along with a vet vac. Brought it up a treat
 

ace275

RMS Regular
Messages
4,964
Location
Belfast
Drives
Legacy SpecB
Unfortunately things took a sudden turn for the worst, and we said goodbye to her last night. Rushed her back to the emergency vet but she didn't make the journey

I done alot of reading into the levels too, and all I can think is perhaps some got behind the lids of the other items in the box and after I washed them off, it oozed back out afterwards, as I don't recall removing the lids, and she must have licked them afterwards

Again it's just an unfortunate series of events, and worth passing if any spillage happens, triple check everything. Obviously I'd missed something somewhere
 

Gareth

RMS Regular
Messages
4,993
Location
Belfast
Drives
Honda's
@Big Pimp @big_pete any recommendations for this?

Older neighbour has this and I’ve offered to sort it.

Well known dealer saying it’ll take £100’s to clean etc but it’s just moss/algae staining and I could save them money and do a good deed

Thinking citra-clean then rinse??

Any advice or thoughts welcome
View attachment 398421

As @Big Pimp said, I had very good success with CitraClean. Initially I was going to use one of the drill brushes but chickened out and just went with a leather shoe brush. I found success by working in small areas and going in straight lines. It did take a lot of water to completely rinse CitraClean completely off and then when dried I was able to find the places that needed going over again.

20220410_173648.jpg

20220410_173817.jpg

20220410_174003.jpg

20220410_175212.jpg

20220410_183232.jpg

20220411_111250.jpg

20220411_131213.jpg


Car came out really well afterward,

20220507_103557.jpg
 

Rigger

RMS Regular
Messages
3,487
Drives
XJR 575, A4
Unfortunately things took a sudden turn for the worst, and we said goodbye to her last night. Rushed her back to the emergency vet but she didn't make the journey

I done alot of reading into the levels too, and all I can think is perhaps some got behind the lids of the other items in the box and after I washed them off, it oozed back out afterwards, as I don't recall removing the lids, and she must have licked them afterwards

Again it's just an unfortunate series of events, and worth passing if any spillage happens, triple check everything. Obviously I'd missed something somewhere
Sorry to hear this fella. You gave her back some good quality of life before she passed, so you can take solace in that. You also got far more than your initial week that you'd think you'd have with her. Gut wrenching losing a pet, but you'll be fine bud. Drop me a PM anytime, and I'll reply when I can.
As @Big Pimp said, I had very good success with CitraClean. Initially I was going to use one of the drill brushes but chickened out and just went with a leather shoe brush. I found success by working in small areas and going in straight lines. It did take a lot of water to completely rinse CitraClean completely off and then when dried I was able to find the places that needed going over again.

View attachment 398498
View attachment 398499
View attachment 398501
View attachment 398502
View attachment 398503
View attachment 398504
View attachment 398505

Car came out really well afterward,

View attachment 398507
That looks a class job! Deserves a beer at the very least!!
 
Top