Rust – What is it and How to Remove it from Metals

In our homes, we want our furniture, nuts and bolts, automobile parts, gardening tools, steel utensils and other household products to be at their best appearance and condition. However, these things are susceptible to rust, and eventually making these items look unappealing, weak and also become useless.

But before we get too technical, let us first understand the concept of rust and why does it happen.

Explaining Rust

Rust is scientifically called oxidation which takes place when oxygen comes in long-term contact with certain metals. After a while, the oxygen blends with the metal at an atomic level, creating a new compound called an oxide and weakening the bonds of the metal itself. When the oxygen comes in contact with the metal, the oxygen gets the better of it and the metal rusts. Water is a primary catalyst to oxidation, which is why we see that a lot of rust accumulates on pipes, etc.

Higher temperature and higher water salinity are also factors that increase the rate of rusting. Salt water causes rust to build faster compared to fresh water because salt is a better electrical conductor.

Disadvantages of rust

As soon as rust starts to develop, it can spread quickly and gradually turns your items into worthless pieces. Rusted bolts and other affected parts can result an object to malfunction and breakage. Rust damage in an automobile can produce hidden dangers that can affect the overall performance of a vehicle.

And now that we know what rust is about, we are then going to find out the ways to remove rust stains from metallic objects before rust starts to eat our precious metals away.

Some suggestions on how to remove rust:

• Vinegar is a great cleaning tool to remove rusts from metal. If you are cleaning small items like earrings, just place them in a small glass of the vinegar and allow the items to soak for a couple of minutes. Then just rinse them off with a clean cloth. Repeat the process if the rust remains. When removing rust stains on bigger items, like on a bike, get a rag, soak it in the vinegar, and scrub it down. After you have soaked it for a while, rub the steel wool over the rust stain.
• Baking soda is another effective way to eliminate rust without using toxic chemicals. To remove rust from metal, make a paste of baking soda and water and ensure that it is pasty enough to stick to the surface of the object. Spread it onto the metal and permit the mixture to work for about 30 minutes. Once the rust is loose, you can now wipe the paste away using a clean cloth.
• You can also remove rust from metal manually with sandpaper or some other kinds of rough items like steel wool or wire brush. Take a wire brush or a piece of steel wool and scrub the loose rust off of the metal surface. For big rust stains, this will take off about 50 percent of the rust. This process can be time-consuming, and if the rust is actual widespread, it may require great effort to clean the metal.
• If the rust stains are severely lodged into the metal, or if the natural remedies don’t work, you will already need commercial rust removers. Commercial rust removing products contain oxalic acid or phosphoric acid and are therefore very strong. These products can be toxic but they really work efficiently. When using them, ensure that you are working in a well ventilated area. Also wear rubber gloves, a breathing mask to avoid inhaling harmful fumes, and goggles to protect your eyes from drips or splashes.
  
  

More tips to remember:

1. Preventing rust is sometimes not possible, so remove rust as soon as you spot one because the longer rust is left untreated, the tougher it is to erase.
2. To prevent rust, apply a finishing wax or paint the surface of the metal. Wax and paint work as a coat for the metal against water; hence avoiding oxidation problems. Before painting, ensure first that you remove all the rust from the metal because painting over rust is only a temporary solution.
3. Keep your metals as dry as possible because it is water that sets the phase for rust to appear.
4. Whenever possible, use stainless steel. Steel is an alloy of iron and zinc. Zinc’s presence in iron lessens the oxidation of iron, thus, low rust formation takes place.
5. The thinner the metal, the more chance for rust to develop.

 Rust formation is something that cannot be stopped very quickly, but metals can be treated to avoid the most destructive effects. It is clear how important it is to keep our metals clean. The key to having long lasting and rust-free metals at home is adequate knowledge on how to take care of them and proper application of this information. With an ounce of patience and determination to remove rust stains, your metal items will be rust-free and looking good as new in no time!

For more Metal Working Tips and Metal Abrasives Products, visit Smith and ARROW Australia.