Given that, acid chemical rust removers are best limited to removing rust from bare iron and steel. Depending on the active ingredient, they can be very hazardous: Acid-based rust removers work very fast, often dissolving rust in mere minutes, but are so caustic that they may eat through anything but metal, leave permanent etches on stainless steel, and dissolve paint you may wish to preserve. What to Consider When Shopping for a Rust Remover Types of Rust RemoversĬhemical rust removers use acid, solvents, or sodium hydrosulfite to dissolve rust off hard surfaces. In addition to my own testing and expertise, I relied on insights and expertise from fellow home improvement expert James Fitzgerald, who wrote a previous version of this story. I’ve used rust removal products on everything from tools to concrete pavers, and discovered which ones work and which don’t in the process. Having spent most of my adult life living in the humidity of the South, I’m intimately familiar with what happens when water and air come into contact with steel. News and World Report, and Field & Stream, among others. Show more The Expert: I’m a freelance home improvement writer who’s written for Bob Vila, Angi, Futurism, U.S. We’re here to help you figure out what rust remover you need and recommend some of the best options for many of the most common rust-related cleanups. There are many kinds of rust removers made for many kinds of rust removal jobs: The best option for a rusty brake rotor might damage a stained toilet. Simply coat or soak the material in a rust remover, give it time to work its magic, then wipe the orange stuff away.

Rust removers can chemically combat your orange foe, often with little to no effort. Rust is inevitable, but there is a way to keep the decay at bay. Rust residue can even find its way onto your clothing, staining it. If your home has old cast iron plumbing or hard water, you’re likely fighting an endless battle against ugly orange stains in your sinks and toilets.

Left unchecked, it will slowly eat away at your car’s frame and lay waste to shovels, wheelbarrows, grills, and every outdoor appliance. When iron, water, and oxygen come together, rust is sure to follow.

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