Gary,
I am a chemist. Yes, you are correct. Hydrofluoric acid (HF), ammonium fluoride, and ammonium bifluoride (used in Armor-All Wheel Cleaner the last time I looked) are BAD news for the common everyday user. Fluoride-releasing chemicals are dangerous. If you have a tingling sensation on your fingers, hands, or any area after using products that contain HF or fluoride-releasing chemicals, you have been exposed to the fluoride. Fluoride is attracted to calcium and will not stop penetrating until it comes into contact with calcium. If you need to use these products, obtain a tube of calcium gluconate cream (available at many pharmacies) to act as a neutralizer for the fluoride in case of exposure. The fluoride reacts with the calcium in the cream, not the calcium from your bones. The proper procedure for working with these cleaners is to wear rubber gloves, goggles, and clothing that covers as much skin as possible.
There are other acid cleaners that work just as well that contain oxalic acid or hydroxyacetic acid. Just remember, you can still get get acid burns from these products.
Personally, I think readily-available consumer products that use the above-mentioned fluoride ingredients should be outlawed or reformulated to not contain them.
Scott
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