One of the biggest restoration challenges is Rust Removal! In response to viewer requests, I have set out to see which of these conventional Rust Remover products and DIY Rust Removal methods works the best.
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Products I Use In This Video:
Electrolysis:
Analysis:
Muriatic Acid: This gave the best results, after only two hours the rusted spring looked as good as new! The time taken and the quality of the finished product are definitely both marks in the Rust Removal "Pro" column. However there are quite a few marks in the "Con" column as well. For starters, Muriatic Acid is a very caustic chemical. If left in too long, the acid will begin to eat away at the metal of the part that you are working on. Not to mention it is dangerous to work with and difficult to dispose of when finished.
Citric Acid: This is a more mild ac id that still works well. It's inexpensive price makes it pretty attractive. And it is relatively harmless; citric acid is found in most of the food and drinks in your kitchen. But because it is a mild acid, it is not very fast acting. The demo piece was left in for 12 hours and could have actually been left for a few more to achieve maximum effectiveness.
WD-40 Rust Soak and Evapo-Rust: These products were designed for this very purpose. They are relatively inexpensive and can be purchased in varying sizes, including 55-gallon drums! The tend to take a little longer than some of the other rust removal methods, but both products advertise that they are Non-Toxic, Environmentally Safe, and will not damage the material you are working on.
CLR and ZEP: These both worked fairly well. The products were intended to clean of rust stains, but they're liquid so they can work as a rust soak as well. I think because of the similarity in price, In would opt for a product like Evapo-Rust, but if availability is an issue, it's nice to have a few extra tools in the tool box!
Vinegar: Vinegar is a good rust removal product when nothing else is available. It would not be my go to rust remover, but it is super cheap and can be found just about anywhere. It will take a lot longer than just about any of the other products i tried, and it will eat certain types of metals. But, if you can't make it to the store, chances are you already have some vinegar in that cabinet under the kitchen sink!
Electrolysis: This is a really fun method to try, it definitely works, and if you have the proper size container and a few other supplies you can treat just about anything from a car rim to an entire car. So it's pretty cost effective and works fairly quickly. One thing to be careful of, some metals can leach noxious fumes when heated so you'll want to do this in a well ventilated area. And there's also that whole thing about electricity and water, definitely be careful!
Coke and Pepsi: I think we were all hopeful but actually kinda knew those wouldn't work. Technically they do have the potential to work... they both contain Citric Acid, which we've seen will remove rust quite well. But they contain such minute amounts of citric acid that the rust removal process would take weeks, possibly months, depending on the size of your project and the severity of the rust.
Sandblasting: It absolutely works! Big Fan! It can remove rust, dirt, paint, and just about anything else to take a piece down to bare metal. But it's probably not the most practical solution when you consider a basic set-up of a Blast Cabinet, Blast Media, Air Filtration System, and an Air Compressor with enough CFM to run efficiently will run you about $1,000 at a minimum.
I hope you enjoyed this video! Give it a like and a share on Facebook, and be sure to let me know in the comments if there are any other Rust Removal methods or products that you'd like to see put to the test.
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