Rust is the result of an oxidation process that occurs when water interacts with the surface of metal. Rusting metal in your home doesn’t look good and can be a pain to remove. However, with a little elbow grease and these great tricks, you can bring the metal in your home back into tip-top shape.
Method #1: Baking Soda Paste
- Mix baking soda and water until it creates a thick paste
- Spread the baking soda paste over the rusted metal and leave it on for about 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow for the baking soda to work on the rust
- Scour the rust off with steel wool, a scouring pad or a metal brush – this is the key to removing rust with this method
- Best used on less severe rust and on thin metals and pans
Method #2: Vinegar Bath
- Submerge metal in vinegar overnight or soak cloths and wrap it around the metal
- Scrape away the rust with a steel brush or steel wool – not much effort should be required to do this since the vinegar has done most of the work overnight
Method #3: Naval Jelly
- Naval jelly is a cleaning chemical that should be used with safety precautions in place
- Only use naval jelly in open spaces with lots of ventilation
- Protect your face, hands and eyes with gloves and protective glasses
- Put a generous amount of naval jelly on the rusted surface or tool
- Leave it on for 15 minutes and don’t exceed the time limit
- Rinse off with water and inspect – if there are still stains, repeat the process again