How to Treat the Rusty Chrome Feet of a Stool

Renew a rusty chrome stool with a simple trick.

A chrome stool can provide years of attractive service in a kitchen, rec room or bar. An unfortunate tendency of chrome is the rust that may develop over time. If rust forms on the feet of a stool, you may notice unsightly staining on the flooring beneath the stool. Treat the rusty chrome feet of a stool and restore it to a clean and shiny appearance once again.

Things You'll Need

• Drop cloth
• Cleaning cloth
• Aluminum foil
• Scissors
• Chrome polish

Instructions

1. Spread the drop cloth over the floor to protect the surface from spills as you clean the stool feet. Turn the stool upside down to enable you to see the feet easily.

2. Wash the stool feet with a wet cleaning cloth to remove dirt and grime.

3. Cut a square of aluminum foil that will fit into your hand. Moisten the aluminum foil with water.

4. Rub the damp aluminum foil lightly over the rusty surface of the stool feet. Wipe the rust gently with the aluminum foil to create an aluminum oxide chemical reaction. The dampness on the aluminum foil also creates a paste, which will polish the chrome. Continue rubbing each stool foot with the aluminum foil to remove all traces of rust.

5. Wipe the stool feet with the damp cleaning cloth to remove the paste from the surfaces.

6. Add a small amount of chrome polish to a dry cloth and wipe the chrome surfaces to prevent future rust from forming.

Tips & Warnings

• Another chrome cleaning method involves rubbing the rusty chrome with fine-grade steel wool. This method requires more rubbing effort than the aluminum foil because there is no chemical reaction to remove the rust -- the rust disappears as you scrub it away with the steel wool. Use chrome cleaner to clean the scrubbed feet after you remove the rust.

References

• Roberts Cycle: Cleaning Chrome
• Apartment Therapy: Good Questions: How to Clean Rust off Chrome?
• "Clean it! Fix it! Eat it!"; Joey Green; 2001