It was invented by chemist George William Hoffman in Indianapolis, Indiana. The product was originally sold to bars in Indianapolis and Hoffman asserted in a patent application that the name had been used since January, 1887. The formula contains oxalic acid as a primary ingredient.
Oxalic is the main ingredient but it also has others such as citric acid and surfactants. I’m sure there are other active and inactive ingredients. I’m sure it works great for small stains on certain surfaces but it’s not going to be a replacement for oxalic. They both have different uses.
BKF is weaker…but there are MANY things that it will work great for. It is cheap, I keep it on my trailer and I actually give a bottle of the liquid or can of the powder to customers rather frequently. I have used it a lot. I mostly use it for stains on vinyl.
In 1882, a chemist by the name of George William Hoffman took a break from his scholarly endeavors to cook up a pan of that sour-but-hardy vegetable, which was common in the gardens of yore. After plating his recipe, the man found that his formerly tarnished pot fairly sparkled. Being a chemist, he quickly ruled out magic and set out to discover the property that made rhubarb such a superior cleaning agent.
Over the years, more and more people got in on the secret of Bar Keepers Friend, and found ever more varied and unique uses for our oxalic acid-based cleaning powder. We’re still a family-owned company manufacturing in Indianapolis, and we’re still motivated by solving problems for our customers. Bar Keepers Friend now goes to market with minor variations in ingredients and packaging, but our products remain essentially the same as the ones that polished bar rails over a century ago.
After World War II, U.S. Navy veteran Dr. Beurt SerVaas found that the customers at his small plating shop kept asking him how to clean metal items. “My grandmother used Bar Keepers Friend,” he told them. Inspired to serve his customers, Dr. SerVaas purchased Bar Keepers Friend from the Gisler Polish Corporation in 1956.
This Is The Biggest Mistake You’re Making With Bar Keepers Friend
FAQ
What cleaner has oxalic acid in it?
Does Bar Keepers Friend have harmful chemicals?
What are the ingredients in bar keepers?
Does Bar Keepers Friend have oxalic acid?
The oxalic acid used in Bar Keepers Friend is produced by industrial suppliers – generally from plant and vegetation waste. It does not contain chlorine or any caustic ingredients. The powder products made by Bar Keepers Friend contain more abrasive than the liquid cleaners.
Can oxalic acid in Bar Keepers Friend cause kidney stones?
In fact, eating too many of the above foods can lead to kidney stones. The harmful effects of oxalic acid in Bar Keepers Friend present themselves if it is ingested or inhaled. Breathing it in can cause upper respiratory tract irritation which mostly means it may lead to a cough, shortness of breath, or a sore throat.
Does Bar Keepers Friend have citric acid?
Certain Bar Keepers Friend products contain citric acid to help with the removal of limescale and rust (acting as a chelating agent) and helps make the product foam and work better with water.
Is oxalic acid a good cleaner?
In the Bar Keepers Friend FAQ and other places on their website, it says the following about their main ingredient Oxalic acid: “Oxalic acid cleansers are acidic instead of alkaline, which makes our products more effective against rust, tarnish, oxidation, mineral scale, hard water, and lime deposits than most other cleaning products.