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It is quite difficult to wipe rust from metal at home, however, it is quite possible. If corrosion has affected small areas of the product, improvised means, which are in almost every home, can cope with it. Extensive rust spots can only be removed with specialized products, however, this method is more expensive. Finally, another method involves mechanical removal of rust, but it is quite laborious, so it is better to give the spoiled item for cleaning to a specialist who will process the metal with special tools.
Features of removing rust from metal
All means for removing rust from metal can be conditionally attributed to a chemical or mechanical cleaning method, however, in fact, they are most often closely interrelated. These two methods are rarely used in isolation.
For example, before coating a metal surface with a chemical agent, rust must be sanded with a special, stiff brush, emery or other suitable material. Such processing allows you to save the amount of consumable reagents, since you do not have to spend money on excess rust - only minor residues remain to be removed.
It is more convenient to clean large areas of metal from rust using automatic tools, the mechanism of which is similar to an ordinary grinder. In this case, the corrosion is removed by grinding with a grinding disc. Rust is manually removed from small areas with a special metal brush or sandpaper with grains of various sizes.
Chemical treatment of metal from rusty spots involves the use of both folk remedies and specialized solvents. Additionally, you can mix a special composition of several products. The most effective are auto cleaners and rust converters, however, the price for them is quite high. That is why they first try to remove rust from the metal with improvised means, and only then move on to chemicals, which, moreover, can also pose a serious health hazard.
The rust will most likely not be removed the first time. Usually, the cleaning procedure is repeated 2-5 times, alternating the chemical method of action with the mechanical one.
The process of appearance and spread of rust accelerates the finding of metal in an unfavorable environment. This includes contact with the following substances:
- water;
- salt;
- acids;
- chemical solutions.
How to remove rust from metal using folk methods
There are many popular ways that you can remove rust stains from metal.They include the use of tools that are almost always at hand in any home:
- baking soda;
- table vinegar or white vinegar;
- salt;
- hydrogen peroxide;
- potatoes;
- lemon juice or citric acid in powder form;
- laundry soap;
- soda and many others.
They are not as effective as industrial chemicals, however, they are almost completely safe. In addition, they are much cheaper to use.
How to remove rust from metal with lactic acid
In its pure form, lactic acid is not as effective, however, as part of a chemical solution, it copes well with rust even if the corrosion is extensive and deep enough. To do this, mix 50 g of the substance with 100 g of vaseline oil and 100 g. If necessary, you can replace the oil with liquid paraffin. On contact with lactic acid, the rust will turn into salt, which will subsequently be dissolved by paraffin or oil. Remains of corrosion on the metal are removed by repeated processing, after which the area is wiped with a dry cloth soaked in vaseline oil.
How can you wipe rust from metal with potatoes
One large potato will help remove rust stains. The effectiveness of this method is based on the work of oxalic acid, which is found in potato tubers.
In order to remove a small stain of rust from the metal, you must do the following:
- Step one - cut the raw potato in half.
- Sprinkle the place of the cut with ordinary table salt.
- Then the slice is applied to the problem area and kept in this form for 15-20 minutes. Instead, you can not just hold the potatoes, but wipe the dirt with a cut to quickly remove rusty deposits.
- After that, the product is washed in running water and dried.
How can you remove rust from metal with lemon juice
Citric acid powder or freshly squeezed lemon juice have also been shown to work well against rust stains. In order to remove corrosion from a metal surface, it is necessary to pour a small amount of powder into a glass container and fill it with hot water. After that, the rusty object is completely immersed in the solution. The water should begin to actively bubble when the citric acid reacts with the plaque.
They soak the thing until morning, take it out in the morning, clean up the remnants of rust and put it out to dry.
To enhance the effect, you can mix citric acid powder with table salt. A mixture of vinegar and lemon juice, which are mixed in equal proportions, is also quite effective. Lemon juice can be replaced with lime juice if necessary.
How to remove rust from metal with soda
In order to remove a rusty stain with soda, you must mix it with water. As a result, you should get a viscous gruel, but not too thick. The resulting mass is applied to rust and left in this form for half an hour. Then the mixture is cleaned off with a metal brush or washcloth. Most likely, you will have to treat the surface several times to completely remove rusty deposits, however, in the end, simple contamination should succumb.
other methods
Instead of sandpaper, a piece of aluminum foil can be used to remove the rust stain. It is dipped in white or table vinegar and rubbed over the rusted area of the metal. It is not as rough as a metal washcloth or brush, and therefore less effective, however, the foil can still remove contamination.
Vinegar can be used not only for wiping, but also for soaking.For these purposes, the product is completely placed in a container with vinegar for a day, after which they are thoroughly washed. Usually one treatment is sufficient if the stain is small and uncomplicated.
Another way to remove rust is to use hydrogen peroxide, which is moistened with contamination and heated over a gas stove or candle fire. When exposed to high temperatures, the oxidized area of rust decomposes quickly. After such processing, the metal is additionally cleaned with sandpaper or a brush.
A very popular remedy for rusted surfaces is soda. Coca-Cola, Pepsi, or Sprite will do. These drinks contain a large amount of phosphoric acid, which effectively corrodes rust stains. It is enough to fill the product with soda for a day, by the morning there will be no trace of rust. In order to remove rusty deposits, re-treatment may not even be necessary.
Finally, you can clean the damaged surface and lower the metal object for 1-2 days in a container with kerosene. Sometimes a weekly soak may be necessary if there is a lot of rust. After that, the product is washed in running water, wiped and dried.
How to remove rust from metal using specialized products
If the coating of rust has managed to grow over large areas and is firmly entrenched on a metal surface, improvised means are no longer enough. You will have to turn to more aggressive solvents - industrial chemicals and professional rust converters.
Almost all of these substances work on the same principle: Chemicals react with rust deposits and convert them into a pliable black or blue coating. It is already much easier to remove it from the metal surface.
Some of the most well-known professional products for removing rust stains from metal surfaces include the following products, originally intended for cleaning the toilet bowl:
- "Bref";
- "De La Mark";
- "Cillit Bang".
These products are especially often used for the treatment of water pipes, however, they are suitable for a wide variety of structures and metal objects. They dissolve rust rather quickly, after which the remaining dirt is washed off or wiped off with a sponge.
There is also a number of special anti-corrosion agents, among which the following are considered the most effective:
- "Runway";
- Rust Remover;
- "Nanoprotec".
These solvents are available in the form of a suspension, emulsion or solution. As for the composition, all anti-corrosion agents are usually divided into acidic and neutral.
Conclusion
It is quite possible to wipe off rust from metal, especially if the corrosion is still very small. In this case, almost any improvised remedy from the proposed list will cope with the red spot, however, it is even easier, in general, to prevent the appearance of rust. For this, the metal must be additionally processed for preventive purposes and the open areas must be covered with paint in several layers. If rust does appear, clean it up as soon as possible, degrease the treated surface and apply a layer of primer on top. After that, the metal is painted. This coating helps prevent future corrosion in the area.
For more information on how to remove rust from a metal surface, see the video below:
