How to remove rust from metal 🥝 how to clean, how to wash

A bicycle, like any vehicle, needs care. If you do not treat him well enough, at the right time he may present some unpleasant surprise. However, surprises can await you at the moment when you are just starting to prepare for the bike season. For example, you decided to look at the condition of your two-wheeled friend, brought him from the balcony into the room and found that the steering wheel and the iron parts of the pedals were covered with a reddish coating. How to remove rust from a bicycle? This will be discussed in this article.

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What is rust and why does it occur?

Rust is a reddish coating on iron surfaces. It is a mixture of iron oxides and hydroxides, that is, products of corrosion (spoilage) of iron. Rust occurs due to the contact of iron with air and water. Accordingly, bicycle parts may rust if:

• the bike was kept in a damp room for a long time;
• you did not wipe the bike well after washing;
• the bike has been in heavy rain, but you forgot to put it in order;
• damaged chrome or nickel-plated steering wheel coating - chrome and nickel prevent iron corrosion, but if the coating is damaged, the iron oxidizes perfectly underneath.

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What parts of the bike rust?

After examining your bike, you can be sure that it is not completely rusted, even if it lay all winter on the balcony without any shelter. For example, the frame most likely did not suffer.

Why? - Because it is painted, and a special anticorrosive agent is most likely added to the paint. Most often rust:

• iron parts of pedals;
• steering wheel;
• unpainted steering column;
• chain;
• iron parts of the wheels;
• knitting needles.

Important! The frame may also rust if the coating is broken.

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Preventive measures

Knowing why rust forms and which parts rust faster than others, you can try to avoid corrosion. Prevention measures are quite simple:

1. After riding in the rain and through the mud, wash and dry all parts of the bike thoroughly.
2. In winter, store the bike in a dry room, and if it lies on your balcony, then in a cover or under a tarp.
3. Regularly lubricate moving parts with machine oil.
4. Frame must be painted regularly.
5. Monitor the integrity of the chrome or nickel coating.

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If rust has appeared

But what to do when, despite all your worries, a nasty red plaque still appeared? How to get rid of rust on a bicycle? To get started - evaluate the problem:

1. On a bicycle - one or two small rusty spots.
2. There are many rust spots, but they are small.
3. Rust is affected by everything that is not painted.

From a clarified situation will vary and how to remove rust from the bike.

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What are the ways to remove rust?

There are several ways to remove rust spots from a bicycle:

• chemical;
• mechanical;
• mixed - using home remedies.

Preparation of materials and tools

In this case, you will be helped out:

• a metal brush or scraper;
• paper towels;
• mineral oil;
• acid;
• diesel fuel;
• solidol;
• napkins;
• cotton swabs.

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Removing small surface stains

It takes about half an hour to remove small surface spots of rust. You must act as follows:

1. Brush damaged areas with a brush or scraper.
2. Lubricate them with mineral oil.
3. Wait twenty minutes.
4. Remove oil with the same scraper.
5. Dry your bike with paper towels.

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When a lot of rust

If the previous method was not effective enough, you will have to continue the process. You need a tool to remove corrosion - you can buy it at a hardware store or make it yourself. To get rid of rust on a bicycle:

1. Apply on remaining stains (with paper towels).
2. Wait 5-10 minutes.
3. Wipe the bike properly.

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Chemical way

To remove rust stains from metal surfaces, it is not at all necessary to immediately run to the hardware store. Acids, both organic and inorganic, are excellent at iron oxide and hydroxide.

Important! True, in this case it is better to refrain from using inorganic acids. Of course, they will rid the bike of rust, but they themselves are very willing to interact with iron, especially nitric acid.

Sulfuric and hydrochloric acids can be used, but very weak solutions must be prepared. In addition, gloves and respirators should be handled with these substances.

Orthophosphoric acid

Cyclists often use phosphoric acid to fight rust because it, unlike sulfuric or hydrochloric acid, forms a protective film that prevents corrosion. Release it in the form of an 85% solution. In order to rid your bike of rust with this substance, you will need:

• respirator;
• latex gloves;
• cotton swabs;
• baking soda;
• paper towels.

Important! Work must be carried out in a well-ventilated area.

What to do:

1. Brush rust spots with a brush or scraper.
2. Degrease the surface with soda solution.
3. Rinse the surface with water to remove soda.
4. Dampen an acid swab.
5. Wipe the affected area.
6. Neutralize acid with soda solution.
7. Rinse it off with water.
8. Dry the bike dry.

Organic acids

It is better to use organic acids - citric or acetic. A mixture of lemon juice and food vinegar is especially popular with cyclists. This is the cheapest and most effective way to deal with rust. How to get rid of rust on a bicycle at home with these simple and affordable substances?

You will need:

• lemon juice;
• 9% vinegar;
• baking soda;
• paper towels;
• machine oil;
• grinding material;
• rags;
• paint;
• metal brush or scraper.

The first steps are the same as in the cases already described. It is necessary to prepare the tools, clean off what is being cleaned, grease the stains with machine oil and remove the excess.

Work with acid:

1. Prepare a mixture of lemon juice and acetic acid in a ratio of 1: 1.
2. Prepare a soda solution at the rate of 1: 1 (it should turn out something like gruel).
3. Apply acid to the grinding material (compacted metal shavings are usually used as such material, but an iron washcloth will work just fine).
4. Sand areas where there are rust spots.
5. Dampen rags in soda solution.
6. Wipe acid-treated areas - soda is needed to neutralize acid residues, this is especially important if you use inorganic acids.

Important! Soda solution must not get on the aluminum parts of the bike!

Bike to be washed

Despite the fact that the soda solution neutralized the acid, the bike needs to be washed properly. There is nothing unusual in this; wash it as you always do, only more thoroughly.It is convenient to moisten a paper towel with water and thoroughly wipe all the places where you rubbed with acid.

Drying required

Since rust is formed if the bicycle is stored in damp, it must be wiped thoroughly after processing, literally leaving no wet places.

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So that it does not rust further

After you have removed the rust, further corrosion must be prevented. The bicycle still remains in the air - which means it will interact with it. If you removed rust with phosphoric acid, the bike will be protected to some extent from corrosion. If you used other means, you will have to take a few more steps:

1. If the paint on the frame peels off, paint it.
2. Unpainted parts can be chrome plated or nickel-plated - they are done in workshops.
3. Lubricate parts that are not paintable or chrome-plated.

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Bicycle chain

The bicycle chain is not painted and it is not recommended to clean it with a metal brush - this makes it wear out faster.

You should do this with her:

1. Put the chain in a metal container.
2. Fill with diesel fuel.
3. Put the can on the fire.
4. Bring the diesel fuel to a boil and set it on fire.
5. Remove the jar of burning diesel fuel from the fire and carefully dump the contents onto a clean stone surface.
6. Let the diesel fuel burn out and the chains cool.
7. Shake the chain several times - the remnants of rust and dirt will fall off it.
8. Lubricate the chain with solid oil.
9. Mount it on a bike.

Important! The procedure should be carried out outdoors, in compliance with fire safety rules.

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Home Remedies for Rust

If the spots are small and relatively fresh, you can try to remove them with some products. It is convenient to remove rust spots from small objects (for example, from knives) with such means, however, if rust has just appeared on the handlebars or pedals, why not try these methods on a bicycle?

Potatoes

An excellent tool that is ideal for knives, but you can try to remove a little rust on the bicycle:

1. Cut the raw potato in half.
2. Add salt to the slice.
3. Rub the rusty stain.

Tomato sauce

With rusty stains on metals, ketchup or other tomato sauce does an excellent job. This is the fastest way to remove not very deep spots:

1. Brush the stain with the sauce.
2. Wait a few minutes.
3. Remove the sauce.

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Stock footage

We hope that with the help of our useful tips, the problem of rust on a bicycle is solved for you. Henceforth, try to be more attentive to your vehicle so that you do not have to spend extra time on removing brown spots from it.