How to Remove Rust From Iron

When iron reacts with oxygen it forms iron oxide, or rust. Some things cause iron to rust faster than others. Water, especially salt water, and heat speed up the formation of rust. When rust is formed, there's oxygen in the metal that can move in deeper and cause more rust. To get rid of rust on iron, you need to dissolve it or change the rust into black oxide and coat the iron with a material that keeps rust from forming. Here are a variety of methods to remove rust from iron.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Mineral oil
• WD 40
• Steel wool
• Sand paper
• Wax
• Oil
• Soft-bristled brush
• Naval jelly (Phosphoric acid)
• Boeshield T9
• 12 volt battery or charger
• Sodium carbonate
• Water
• Black tea
• Rust X
• Rubber gloves
• Goggles

1. Wipe mineral oil on the rust. Use sandpaper or steel wool to remove the rust, brushing from the center to the tip. Try rubber abrasive sanding blocks to remove the rust in tiny crevices in the iron. Coat with wax or oil for protection.

2. Remove loose rust and spray WD 40, found in hardware and department stores, on the iron. It will fill the pores and crevices and prevent more rusting.

3. Sand blast or bead blast the rust as auto body repair shops do. Since sand blasting can remove good metal and harden the surfaces, use bead blasting for delicate parts. Immediately follow up with rust proofing or a protective coating with rust prevention treatment such as Boeshield T9, found at specialty wood suppliers like Woodworkers Warehouse.

4. Soak rusted items in phosphoric acid. It dissolves rust quickly, but the acid attacks iron very slowly. Use the shortest time that removes all of the rust. Naval jelly, which contains phosphoric acid, is often used to remove rust. It can be found at most hardware stores. Oxalic acid and hydrochloric acid can remove rust, but they eat into the iron quickly, so loss of metal is too likely. Follow phosphoric acid rust removal with treatment for rust prevention, such as Boeshield T9.

5. Remove rust with a method called electrolytic rust removal. Mix one tablespoon of sodium carbonate, found at pool supply stores where it's sold to raise the ph level, into one gallon of water. Connect the rusty part to the negative terminal of a 12-volt battery or charger. Hook up a scrap of iron or steel to the positive terminal. Soak the rust off the iron with the sodium carbonate solution. This method leaves a black oxide coating and doesn't remove any of the good metal. Use rust prevention such as Boeshield T9.

6. Soak several bags of black tea in two cups of boiling water. (Use more for larger rusty iron.) Soak the rusty iron for up to 8 hours.

7. Try a product that contains acid to change rust into black oxide. Rust X is made by Integrity Industries, and POR-15 is made by RestoMotive Labs. Remove loose rust, paint the Rust X or POR- 15 on the rusty part, and let it dry.

8. Soak the rusty item in Coca-Cola. Coke contains phosphoric acid, which removes rust.

Tips & Warnings

• Phosphoric acid leaves a thin protective film of iron phosphate behind to prevent rust.
• Use goggles and rubber gloves with all acid solutions. When thinning acid, add acid to water. Never add water to acid.

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