Contact your handyman's insurance company immediately!

What solution?

http://www.brighthubengineering.com/manufacturing-technology/102523-muriatic-acid-cleaning/

He does carry liability insurance ,doesn't he?Hope you checked before hiring him.There are pro handymen and then there are craigslist handymen with a pickup and a hammer.

Do you have a pic? Is the corrosion from splashing it around? My DH is a ChemE.

nosocccermom, I read the article. I am not sure what solutions or dilution he used. However, it was interesting what it said about how to dilute it.

The corrosion is not from splashing. Its from the fumes entering the kitchen from the laundry room where he was working.

Its a handyman friend, and he wants to fix the appliances or he wants to pay for them himself. We just want more data if anyone has experience with this.

If it's from the fumes then my DH says you should be more worried about your eyes and lungs than the damage its doing to your appliances.

The acid was put down several weeks ago. Isn't it gone?

I was under the impression this just happened. Did your eyes or lungs ever feel irritated after he used it?

What kind of floor was being ''cleaned'' with muriatic acid? Indoors?? Without a respirator or other PPE probably. Sigh.

Yes, the vapors can damage electrical components and wiring. And you. This isn't a minor issue, and if the ''handyman'' has no insurance, you need to get yours involved. Now. It's unlikely he will want to foot the bill for thousands of dollars of damage. And there's the possibility that once you tally up the damage, he will file a claim against you for his damaged lungs or eyes.

You hired an uninsured dumbass. Sorry, but you should know better. I only hope that he damage that he caused is limited to the things and not people. You need to read up on this and be prepared for the potential health and property issues.

I'm so sorry that you are going through this. There was a similar thread a few years ago, possibly in the flooring forum, with the same reactions. IIRC, the acid was used full strength, and the homeowner was faced with replacing all the wiring in the house, as well as the appliances. I can't find the thread--it might have been pulled--but please do some research, as other posters suggest.

Thanks Mama Goose. If you have any other data on how to find that thread, let me know. The damage is done, and I'm just gathering data. If anyone has real life experience with this, let me know specifics.

This thread sounds familiar, but I believe it was a handyman, not an experienced (licensed/insured) contractor who used the acid. Could be the same because the homeowner didn't find out for a few days. Anyway, there are some links in this thread.

Google answers: Muriatic acid damage to home.

If there's enough damage for stainless pitting and rusting, then all of the appliances will need to be replaced, as well as the electrical panel if it's in the same room. More things possibly as well. You needed restoration experts in there YESTERDAY!

Sounds similar to what happened with Chinese drywall except the chemical causing the problem was hydrogen sulfide instead of hydrochloric acid.

You probably should find out what strength he used.

I just built a new home. The floor company used an acid to remove "white" film off the ceramic tile before we moved in. Within a day, the appliances developed rust, the light fixtures started corroding, the door latches started corroding. My question is: can this acid fumes get into the outlets, walls, into the mechanics of the appliances? My contractor is replacing all "visible" damage but now I am wondering if there is damage I cannot see. Thanks for any advice.

Pull an outlet and look. Uninstall a light fixture and look. Look at the exposed plumbing under the sink. Look at any nail pops in the drywall for rusting. Look at any metal, anywhere.