Many metal materials in and outside the home are susceptible to rust build up. Rust, or iron oxides, are produced through a chemical reaction between impure iron, oxygen and water. There are several effective ways for removing rust once it shows up, but the best way to deal with it is through prevention. Commercial rust prevention is widely used for large scale applications that probably aren’t practical for home use. These are methods like galvanization, cathodic protection and plating. There is a simpler and cheaper solution for home users.
Rust can be prevented in the home by using coatings and paints that isolate the iron from the outside world, preventing it from reacting with water and oxygen. Simply covering any exposed iron with your favorite color of pain can help prevent rust as long as the coating remains intact. Bluing is a technique that can provide limited resistance to rusting for small steel items, such as firearms. In order for it to be successful, water-displacing oil is rubbed onto the blued steel.
If rust is already present and you are looking to get rid of it there are a couple of things you can do. You can sand or grind away portions of the metal where rust has gotten a foothold. This is may not be a viable option for some delicate items. You can also purchase consumer chemical rust removers. These are liquid cleaners that claim to be able to remove rust from metal surfaces. Beware, however, that many of these products don’t work nearly as well as advertised.
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