Things You'll Need:
- Good brake pads
- Jack
- Lug wrench
- Brake cleaner
- Clean rags
- Wire brush or steel wool
- Ratchet and/or hex wrench
- Liquid cleaner concentrate
- Water
- Pail or other container
- Brake drum washers
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Step 1
Drive the car and apply the brakes frequently. This will remove a vast majority of the rust, especially on the brake rotors.
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Step 2
Remove the wheels to access the brakes if you need to remove any rust personally. Using the stock lug wrench and jack or aftermarket versions, loosen the lug nuts, raise the end of the car with the jack and remove the nuts to remove the wheel.
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Step 3
Apply brake cleaner to all the brake parts, using a drip pan to catch all residue, and wipe as much rust off the edges of the brakes as you can. Try rubbing the rust off again after the cleaner evaporates.
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Step 4
Switch to a wire brush--steel or brass--and scrub the brake parts with it. Applying more brake cleaner before scrubbing can help.
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Step 5
Disconnect the main brake parts if the above methods don't work so you can soak them. For brake rotors, disconnect the caliper and its bracket from the rotor by removing their bolts with a ratchet or hex wrench--it can vary--and pull the rotor off. For brake drums, cut off the pressed washers on the studs with a metal cutter and slip the drum off. (Replace with new washers when you're finished.)
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Step 6
Soak the disconnected brake parts in a container of liquid cleaning concentrate mixed with about a gallon of water. Make sure the rotor or drum is dry before attaching it back on the car.
