Rust Removal Methods (That Work, Plus Ingredients)

Homemade anticorrosive recipe

Remove rust with simple household ingredients.

Ingredients

• 1/2 gallon sprayer
• 1 liter of tap water
• 1 liter of vinegar
• 2 ounces of baking soda
• 250 grams of table salt
• a scourer

Instructions

1. Add ingredients to sprayer.
2. Shake to make sure the salt and baking soda dissolve completely.
3. Spray rusty items.
4. Rub with the sponge.
5. Rinse with fresh water.

Ratings

For heavily rusted pieces, let the solution sit for about a half hour before scrubbing.

salt and lemon juice

INGREDIENTS

• Salt
• ½ lemon

PREPARATION

1. Liberally sprinkle salt over the rusty object until it is covered in a thick layer.
2. Squeeze the lemon juice over the salt to slightly soak the mixture.
3. Let this mixture rest for 10 minutes.
4. Use the lemon to rub the salt mixture over the object to remove the rust.
5. Wash, dry and wear as usual.

Vinegar

INGREDIENTS

• White vinegar

PREPARATION

1. Cover the object with white vinegar. If the object does not contain liquid, place it in a large container or bucket and cover it with vinegar.
2. Soak item overnight.
3. Drain the vinegar and clean the object. If you have particularly stubborn rust stains, scrub them away with a vinegar-dampened rag or brush.
4. Wash, dry, and wear the item as normal.

soap and potato

INGREDIENTS

• Dishes soap
• potato slice

PREPARATION

1. Dip the potato slice in the dish soap.
2. Rub the object with the potato slice until the rust comes off.
3. Wash, dry, and wear the item as normal.

 baking soda and water

INGREDIENTS

• Sodium bicarbonate
• Water

PREPARATION

1. Sprinkle the baking soda liberally over the rusty object until it is covered in a thick layer.
2. Pour enough water over the baking soda to create a fine paste.
3. Using a scouring pad or brush, rub the mixture over the object until all of the rust has been removed.
4. Wash, dry and wear as usual.

Use a potato to remove rust

Yes, you read that right. You can use a potato to remove rust from metal objects. However, this method is only suitable for small items such as knives or metal rulers.

necessary :

• A potato
• dish soap or baking soda

The main idea is that the oxalic acid contained in the potato reacts with rust. 

There are three ways to get rid of rust with a potato:

Plant the rusty item on a potato. Then let it sit overnight. After removing the object from the potato, remove the rust with steel wool. If the rust wasn’t too heavy, that should be enough to get rid of it.

Potato + dish soap: Cut a potato in half and place it on the rusty surface. Before doing so, scrub the cut area with dish soap, then place it directly on the object and leave it for a few hours. Adding dish soap will make the rust come off more easily.

Potato + Baking Soda – Cut the potato in half and rub the baking soda into the sliced ​​surface. To get rid of rust, use this surface to scrape off the rust by rubbing very vigorously against the rusted area until the rust comes off.

lime or lemon and salt

Another natural way to remove rust from metal objects is to treat them with lime and salt. It is very safe, but still gives good results.

necessary :

• lime or lemon
• Salt

This method is very safe and easy to implement. Just cover the rusty area of ​​the object with salt. Regular kitchen salt will work well. Then squeeze the juice of a lemon or lime over the salt.

Let rest for a few hours and scrape the lime and salt with the citrus peel. This way, the rust will come off easily, without further damaging the metal.

hydrochloric acid

In terms of safety, hydrochloric acid is perhaps the substance to be treated with the most precautions. It is very aggressive but also very effective in removing rust. You can find it in many household cleaning products, such as toilet bowl cleaner.

necessary :

• Hydrochloric acid
• Wire brush
• rubber gloves
• plastic or rubber surface

Let’s start with security. Always wear gloves when working with hydrochloric acid. When it comes in direct contact with the skin, it immediately starts to burn. Second, don’t pour acid into metal containers. Most likely, the metal will eat away.

Now let’s move on to the antioxidant properties of hydrochloric acid: it is excellent for removing rust when the object is heavily oxidized. Just apply the acid to the rusty object with a wire brush and watch the situation unfold.

Be aware, however, that the acid continues to work, even after rinsing. It is best to do this before the process appears complete. Vapors may have a staining effect on other nearby metal objects. To prevent this, it is possible to neutralize the acid by heating it over a fire or in a kiln, or by treating it with lime or chalk.

For future preservation of the treated object, a finish with a phosphoric acid treatment may be beneficial. This will give the metal a protective coating.

Removes rust stains on porcelain

When you have guests over, there’s nothing worse than a bathroom covered in rust stains. If this recipe works for removing rust stains from marble, porcelain, and other surfaces, it’s perfect for removing rust from bathtub or toilet surfaces.

Recipe to remove rust from porcelain.

• 3 tablespoons cream of tartar
• 3 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide

Make a paste with the two ingredients and spread it over the stain. Let it sit for about ten minutes and polish it with a nylon brush. Repeat the process until the rust is gone.

While you can easily remove stains with these homemade rust removal recipes, the best way to keep metals shiny is to prevent rust from forming. Since water is necessary for rust to develop, the best way to prevent it is to keep water off iron or metal surfaces.

Wipe down your tools, your car, and any other rust-prone surfaces when they’re wet, and keep them away from water. Pretty soon all your belongings will be clean and rust free.