Etched beads "dusty" after drying. Can Etchall go bad?

[one-eared pig]

I am etching transparent beads, and after they dry they have an uneven, dusty look instead of the regular, smooth etched look. My etch-all is 3 years old, and it is very nasty and rusty brown. I am soaking my beads in the etch-all for 5-10 minutes.

Does anyone know what causes the dusty look? I don't have any pics right now, but I hope to on Sunday.

Thanks in advance.

[Three Muses Glass]

Are you etching Effetre? 5-10 mnutes is a pretty long time for transparents. My etching liquid is the same color, kind of nasty and very old but it still works fine. I put mine in a little plastic container to etch them, maybe 2-3 minutes for Effetre and then pour the liquid back into the etch bottle, add a little water and baking soda to the container with the beads to neutralize the acid. When it stops bubbling, I add lots more water and dish soap and rinse, rinse, rinse. I have a few from before I started doing the baking soda neutralizing thing and they grew white crud, every one of them. I have some from after I did the BS thing and they are crud free. Hope that helps.

[SuzyQ]

I only etch for about 2 minutes and when I take them out I drop them in milk. Any kind except non fat. You can even use lactaid. The milk will curdle but once you rinse them and dry you will have silky beads that feel fantastic.

[one-eared pig]

Thanks, Rebecaa & Suzy! Yes, it is Effetre/Moretti. And yikes, there for a while I was etching my beads for over 15 minutes. Dang. That explains a lot.

I will try these techniques this weekend.

[loco]

Sounds like you need to neutralize the acid. Some great tips here! Ohhhhhh and I use the milk that's a bit beyond it's time, works great and I don't have to feel bad about not making it through a half gallon!

[Orchid40]

Thank you!!! I didn't even ask the question but just did this, this morning & had the same problem. Now I know the answer!! Thanks again!!!!

~Charlotte~

[Three Muses Glass]

I LOVE the milk tip Suz! Sometimes baking soda can cause it's own problems if it's not rinsed properly. Once sonny boy gets to his apartment there might even be some extra milk left around here. LOL!

[killerbeedz1]

I etch my beads for about 20 minutes. I get the chalky look once in a blue moon. I just clean them up with a toothbrush, soap and water and they look nice after that. Transparent would never etch for me in 2-3 minutes. I've tried etching transparents before in less time, but they don't etch as nicely as when I leave them in longer.

[Kevan]

I take some Comet and rub the bead with that, rinse it off and then I rub some shea butter into the etched bead and wipe it all off.

[beadgoodies]

I soak my etched beads in toilet bowl cleaner. Easy and cleans that chaulky residue right up!!

Candy

[one-eared pig]

I tried milk tonight, and it didn't work. I dunked them in vitamin d milk after etching for 2 minutes, and left them in the milk in for any where from 5-15 minutes. Then, I put them in soapy water for another 15 minutes or so. As soon as I dried them, white crud. Should I have dumped the curdled milk after every bead and put fresh in?

I will try the shea butter trick to see if that gets rid of the scum.

Thanks again, everyone.

[SuzyQ]

Huh, I don't know. I plop them in the milk swirl them around and then rinse them off with water. I don't use any soapy water so the animal fat in the milk makes them feel silky.

What glass are you etching?

[one-eared pig]

Moretti/Efettre

[MaryBeth]

Are you etching dark transparents? I've found after neutralizing these that they sometimes still have the white dust on them.

In that case I use a toothbrush and a tiny bit of toothpaste to give them a good scrubbing then wash them in soapy water.

[one-eared pig]

Originally Posted by MaryBeth

Are you etching dark transparents? I've found after neutralizing these that they sometimes still have the white dust on them.

In that case I use a toothbrush and a tiny bit of toothpaste to give them a good scrubbing then wash them in soapy water.

MOst of mine are light transparents, but one of them is vetrofond black and it is the worst of the bunch.

Yesterday I put a few that I had already etched in a solutions of bwater, baking soda & two Tums all crushed up. It did get rid of the white film on all them, although th V black still has some. I will try the toothapaste next.

Thanks!

[Kevan]

Sometimes you get a white dusty stuff on them. It's easy to remove. A toothbrush usually does it, but sometimes a little Comet helps.

It's not a big deal.

[*Naos*]

I use Mary Beth's method. If there's residue, I rewash in warm, soapy water (which you should be rinsing your etched beds in by the way) and then I use a toothbrush to gently clean the surface. If it's really bad, I pull out the toothpaste.