Yellow Scum from Plasma Cutter & Welder

Okay guys. I have a buddy who I use to do car stuff with who runs a farm with his father. Where they do their plasma cutting and welding, the ceiling has collected some yellow scum. He can’t wipe it off with his finger in a video he took and sent me. It looks like it’s bonded with the metal sheet material. I was thinking something along the lines of a caustic degreaser, somewhat like we use for cleaning the oxidation off gutters but not too sure. Any suggestions?

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Edit. 50 x 60 room. Has floor drains for water to escape.

I think you’re on the right track with a degreaser. I wouldn’t go about it like gutter brightening at first. Smoke residue usually comes clean with a degreaser. I wouldn’t do the brightening except as a last resort.

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So what I’m looking at here is a pump up sprayer application, dwell time for probably 10 to 15 minutes, probably put a brush to it as well, then rinse? Repeat multiple times?

The smoke from a plasma cutter is mostly iron oxide. Maybe a little oxalic will help if the degreaser isn’t enough.

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