I did a search and get lots of posts about people doing the acid bath but I did not find what I needed to do this.

If I wanted to do a whole bike (essentially but in parts) in a kiddie pool what do I need to buy to put into the water? I will be heading out tonight to buy it and had no idea what to look for.

Thanks!

Oxalic acid, aka wood bleach. Get the concentrated crystals, not the premixed deck wash. You can find it at paint stores like Sherwin williams for around 7-10 dollars. You will also need baking soda for a neutralizing bath and sponge to wipe the parts with.

For small parts I use plain old vinegar. Throw some rusty bolts in a can, let them sit for 2 days and rinse clean.

You need this stuff:

So, for bolts and small parts use the wood bleach?

You could, but I meant was that I use Vinegar for bolts and small parts.

I use mostly vinegar for a few reasons:
-it does the exact same thing as oxalic acid, just takes a bit longer
-5% diluted vinegar is less toxic to work with (right?)
-It's cheap in small quantities (obviously you would have to buy a whole lot to fill a kiddie pool, and
that would be expensive.)

The only drawbacks:
-it smells
-it takes longer

Remember to use the OA bath on chrome parts only.

Oxalic acid is toxic if ingested, so make sure you have a secure cover for that kiddie pool. Don't want the neighbor's cat drinking from it.

Yes - keep it far away from kids and pets. If Mr. Kitty or Rover gets some on their paws, it will burn and they will lick - dead pets! Neutralize all spills with baking-soda and wash and sweep up the residue. If you're going to use corrosive poisons, it's your responsibility to know what their dangers are and be able to use them safely.

You guys are maybe making me rethink this. The frame only has small bits of rust so maybe this whole thing would be overkill. For some reason it seems way more daunting now

Huh? I have used it on many painted frames. Just keep it away from aluminum.

Oxalic is a great solution for internal rust. It is basically impossible to treat it/remove it any other way.

But for a couple of really small surface spots, I would just use one of the commercial rust converters. Walmart sells it for $6.

oxalic acid is very environmentally hazardous. please dispose of it properly. do internet research and figure out where you would take it after you do this, do not just leave it curbside.

Would Bar Keepers Friend work on a painted frame? If not what other product would you recommend.

Many painters and homeowners use it to wash decks, rinsing it into their yard, before painting it. This is why it is called wood bleach and is sold at paint stores like Sherwin Williams.

If you do a search on oxalic acid, just remember, you will be using it as a very dilute, less than 1% solution. I put one to one and a half tubs of oxalic (about 18 ounces) in an entire kiddie pool of water (thats less than 0.25%). Of course, while handling the crystals themselves, you are handling it at full strength.

But if you are uncomfortable handling oxalic acid, or any other chemical product, then you should avoid it.

I got mine at a local True Value hardware. I've used only a small quantity, and re-used it (with freshening of the water), several dozen times. Don't use it on aluminum for more than about 30 minutes, or it will turn it green. Check on your steel bits after a couple hours. It may take a whole day to get it how you want, but you can go a couple hours, then rinse, and then put it back in.

You could dump any excess into a plastic-bucket. Then add a few scoops of lime - the stuff you put on lawns for acid soil conditions. Add water and mix together. This forms calcium oxalate. This is insoluble and doesn't pose any toxic-waste hazard. No more so than growing Rhubarb - which contains calcium oxalate naturally. This can be safely washed down a drain as waste-water.