6 Ways to Remove Rust in an Environmentally Friendly Way

Rust won’t just reduce the aesthetic appeal of your tools, silverware, or other possessions. It can also shorten the longevity and drain your wallet if you’re forced to replace things that rust has destroyed. A pound of prevention is worth a pound of cure. So, it’s best to take proactive steps to prevent rust from taking root, spreading, and potentially destroying your stuff. Rust is a silent killer that will nonetheless make its presence felt if you’re not careful and let it progress too far.

Rust is a kind of corrosion–what happens when certain materials deteriorate due to oxidation. Businesses across just about all industries face it. That’s why some invest in corrosion management and coating. As a homeowner, you’ll have to safeguard against rust if it takes root and starts to ruin your stuff. And the good news is there are certain eco-friendly options to deal with rust so it doesn’t ruin your things.

Here are six ways you can remove rust in an environmentally friendly way without breaking the bank.

1. Vinegar Soak

If you have rusty tools in your garage or workshop, one natural method to clean them up is to soak them in vinegar for a few hours or overnight. You don’t have to limit it to tools either since other small items can be submerged in the vinegar as well. After the soaking, use a brush to scrub off the loosened rust. Remember that vinegar is acidic and will help lift off the rust.

2. Baking Soda Paste

Another option is to combine water and baking soda to create a paste. Apply some of it to the rusted surface, allow it to sit for several hours so that the paste can do its work, and then use a brush to clean off the rusty item.

3. Lemon Juice and Salt

Another rust removal method includes using salt and lemon juice. Apply some salt on the rusted area and squeeze lemon juice on the salt.

Allow the salt and lemon juice mixture to remain on the object for several hours before scrubbing it. The reason this is effective is that the lemon juice’s acidity will loosen the rust while the salt will up the ante by affording more abrasiveness.

4. Steel Wool or Sandpaper

You can also use some sandpaper or steel wool to scrub away stubborn rust. Wear work gloves if the steel wool or sandpaper is especially rough.

5. Potato and Dish Soap

Have you heard of the potato and dish detergent method? What you do is cut a potato in half, pour some dishwashing detergent on the cut side, and rub that side over the rusted surface. The potato’s oxalic acid combined with the dish soap will help cut into the rust.

6. Coca-Cola Bath

Yet another option, one that might surprise you, is the soda bath method. Cola sodas have phosphoric acid that can help dissolve rust. Soak the rusted object in a container filled with coke. Ensure there’s enough liquid to submerge the rusted object, and let it sit there for several hours or overnight. You can use a brush afterward to remove the loosened rust. Knowing how to deal with rust can help you give your tools, cutlery, and other things a new lease on life. Don’t let rust shorten the lifespan of your things and force you to replace them.

You’ll be spending more money than you need to replace things. Using these methods can help you deal with rust so you can get more usefulness from your stuff. While you may find commercial products that do the job faster and even better, these natural methods won’t cost you a small fortune and you may even have some of them at home already.