Rust removal with vinegar??

[Charger_Fan]

Ok class...so a while back we learned how to paint cars with a roller, now we can learn about how to remove rust by using vinegar!

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=72425

I haven't tried it yet, but I'm sure gonna!

[Ghoste]

I've used it in the past with varying results.  It's a mild acetic acid solution so it's as effective as any other acid.

[Rack]

Hmmm... I think I'll get a few bottles of vinegar, a "kiddy" plastic swimming pool, poor in the vinegar and throw in all my rusthed parts for a few hours. See how it comes out.  

[253862656971]

Something I've used to take rust off of stuff like a bumper is this stuff called RustGo.  We have it at work for taking rust stains off of towels or sheets that have been wet and laid over a piece of metal.  The cloth rusts the metal but the rust attaches to the cloth rather than the metal.  The RustGo takes the rust off of the cloth right before your eyes.  I just use some of the RustGo and a cloth and rub the rusted bumper or whatever and it takes the rust right off.  It makes bumpers that look like crap, good for a driver.  It doesn't work on stuff like cancerous rust but surface rust it works great on.  It is hydrofluoric acid so you have to be careful and wash your hands.  I don't know where you can get this stuff from because we get it from a drycleaning supplier. 

[mopar_madman]

I've tried vinegar before it does work, its a little slower then some other rust removal products. I'll soak  rusty boltsor small parts in it overnight. If you want something quicker get something containing phosphuric acid (naval jelly, rustoleom rust stripper, metal conditioner)

[Charger_Fan]

Yeah, I've tried Naval Jelly before & a few other things that I don't remember anymore, they seemed to work pretty well. I just never thought of vinegar as a rust remover before.
Kinda funny.

[JimShine]

I am surprised. I use white vinegar to artificially age guitar hardware. A few days in a jar of vinegar and they rust like they are 30 years old.

[73dodge]

I can believe it will work probably take a long time to get some of the really rusty clean.

I have an article in one of my car magazines that showed them using Molasses to remove rust. They have to dilute it with water,it takes a reallly long time but they say it works for removing rust....

[Mr_fixit]

I use vinegar to remove rust on tools. (Or pickle juice) Then spray them with wd-40 or something to prevent rust.

['CUDA360]

I just use muriatic pool acid.  Cut it down about a third with water and just pour a little on the rusted part

Works great but you have to wash it off right away and dont breathe the fumes

(outdoor use only)

[hemi-hampton]

The Best & Strongest Rust Remover is Oxalic Acid. Works fast but highly dangerous. Must wear gloves, safety glasses & dont breath fumes. LEON.

[bakerhillpins]

I posted about Lightning Rust Remover a while back in the interior section... I never saw a reply as to the follow on posters success/failure with its use on the springs...

My comments are twards the bottom.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,2078.0.html


YMMV
Bryan

[Rack]

I've had a bolt and some other rusted pieces sitting in apple cider vinegar (5% acidity) for almost a week now. I've got some stuff to do in a few minutes but when I get back I'm gonna take everything out. I'll take a few pics and post them here.

[hemi-hampton]

If you like Vinegar but want something stronger & non toxic try Citrus Acid. Works almost as good as Oxalic. LEON.

[Rack]

Ok I took the bolt and other stuff out and took some pics. The results were ok, but not as good as I expected.

Some kind of foam had formed over the last few days.



Nice rust filled vinegar. Yummy.



Here's a pic of all the crap after I took it out of the container.



There's one of the pieces after I spent about 15 seconds "Scrubbing" it with a scothbrite pad.



Another piece, left side not scrubbed, right side after another 15 or so seconds being "scrubbed" with a scotchbrite pad.



Here's the bolt I stuck in there, after a light scotchbrite scrubbing (a wire brush would of been better).



Here's the top of the bolt after about 5 seconds with the scotchbrite pad.



The results would of been better had I scrubbed the pieces longer and with a wire brush instead of a scotchbrite pad. Still, the results weren't bad, but not great either IMO.


Enjoy the pics.

[dodgecharger-fan]

I still like www.safestrustremover.com for removing rust.

It's not as quick as acid, but it's great for assembled components as it won't harm rubber and other materials.

The best advice I can give you though is to make sure you clean your parts as best you possibly can. You can re-use this rust remover over and over again but if you get it all greasy and oily, it takes longer to do it's work.

I'm in the process of filtering sludge out of my batch right now. It's still got oil in it, but it still works pretty good.
(I'm not sure where the sludge came from.)

[grdprx]

Bringing a old thread back to life.  Had a question, how do you prevent flash rust after scrubbing and rinsing?  Just spray with WD-40? 

I am de-rusting my water pump housing, it worked good.  My tub is only big enough to soak half at a time.  Anyway, as I scrubbed and rinsed; then set to dry, it formed a light surface rust.

[SeattleCharger]

I used vinegar when I was a tile installer and also when worked with cement, mixing it, the cement mix dust and the tile grout dust is so alkaline it takes all the moisture out of your hands, pour on a little vinegar (acidic) and it immediately neutralizes it.  When working on a cement crew one summer some guy was crawling around in the wet cement floor of a parking garage where it went under a ramp, so he could get in there to vibrate it down, he had bloody splotches all over his arms and stuff later that day,      Don't know if the vinegar would have helped him at that point, maybe, was none around anyways at the job site

[451-74Charger]

Hmmm... I think I'll get a few bottles of vinegar, a "kiddy" plastic swimming pool, poor in the vinegar and throw in all my rusthed parts for a few hours. See how it comes out.  

Can you fit a whole car in a kiddie pool?

[terrible one]

I just use muriatic pool acid.  Cut it down about a third with water and just pour a little on the rusted part

Works great but you have to wash it off right away and dont breathe the fumes

(outdoor use only)

That's the ticket right there! Cheap, FAST, and easy! I just filled a 5 gallon bucket with the shit, and dip whatever will fit in there down, the rest I have to "splash" it on there, etc. but talk about quick and easy! Things come out of there looking incredible.

[grdprx]

The muriatic acid won't work for me.  My 3 year old like helping with "Daddy's cool Charger"   

[Chad L. Magee]

I used vinegar when I was a tile installer and also when worked with cement, mixing it, the cement mix dust and the tile grout dust is so alkaline it takes all the moisture out of your hands, pour on a little vinegar (acidic) and it immediately neutralizes it.  When working on a cement crew one summer some guy was crawling around in the wet cement floor of a parking garage where it went under a ramp, so he could get in there to vibrate it down, he had bloody splotches all over his arms and stuff later that day,      Don't know if the vinegar would have helped him at that point, maybe, was none around anyways at the job site

You are correct that the vinegar would eventually neutralize the basic cement/grout dust since it is a weak acid (roughly 3% acetic acid to be exact, dilute enough not to cause skin burns).  Sounds like the cement worker got base burns (could have been from the lime in the cement contacting with the skin).  Base burns are worse than acid burns as you don't immediately feel the sting and prevent the damage from continuing.  Since you don't feel the pain, the base will continue to react with your skin (the fat and proteins in the skin literally become soap, since it is the same process to make soap with lye, a strong base), until the skin starts to show symptoms of the burn.  By that point, the vinegar would only stop further degradation of the skin, not fix the damage that is already done.  One of my former students had to learn that the hard way in another chem lab section when he handled KOH (very strong base) pellets with his bare hands, after he was warned multiple times not to.......

As for acid eating rust, vinegar will work, but as mentioned previously, stronger acids will work faster.  The problem with using a very strong acid is that it can potentially cause the metal to corrode (dissolve) in solution if left in too long.  Basically, you have to find the acid strength that will work in your time frame while not being too strong (or toxic).  Typically, I use Navel Jelly to get light rust off, but it tends to dry onto the part if left on too long.......

[ricksplacega]

i know this is an old post, so i hope it pops up to the top of the list...

   yes, vinegar will remove rust, but it is better to use white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar (unless you are using the organic acv- as it may be a bit stronger than what you find in the grocery stores)...

another surprising rust remover is baking soda!! pour soda into a container, and add just enough water to make a paste.. spread it onto the rusted parts, and set part aside.. it needs to sit for at least a few hours (my opinion the longer the better). then brush or wipe it off, and any scaly rust left, just use a wire brush and brush it off.

i guess the soda issue makes sense, as some soda-blast their car bodies instead of using sand or other media.. baking soda is sodium bicarbonate, which is what is used for soda blast.. however, some soda media does have little slithers of glass in it- all depends on the specific type...

[hemi-hampton]

I use the Oxalic acid on my old rusty beer cans. Here's a half dipped soda can. LEON.

[71charger]

I found out what works best is amonia and bleach.........hehehehe :icon_smile_blackeye:jkjkjk

[70 Charger RT]

Has anyone used "RealLemon"  I heard of people swearing by it.  It's basically Citric Acid.

[greasyspider]

Electrolysis is the best way I have found to remove rust thus far, to date.  No fumes, no hazardous chems, and it actually converts some of the oxides back to metal (less pitting).    Thinking of doing a write up on it, but I'm sure there is one on here somewhere.

[CDN72SE]

Has anyone used "RealLemon"  I heard of people swearing by it.  It's basically Citric Acid.

When I don't want to spend money on Evaporust I'll use the lemon mix. I used it on my shock plates, plus front bumper brackets, brake backing plates, etc.



The part that still shows rust was about to be put back in. It was quite a bit worse than the rust that was still remaining.

[68blue]

Phosphoric acid is my go to rust remover, rinse then clean with ethanol and you have a ready surface for paint.

[badass]

duche the rust

[JMF]

Coca Cola or WD40 is good for getting rust off chrome also

[areibel]

I tried a mix I saw mentioned on Moparts- 1 gallon of white vinegar with 1/3 cup of salt and 6-8 ounces of lemon juice (Real\Lemon).  It actually worked pretty well.  I used it on some bolts and brackets (that were pretty bad) as a test, it got rid of the rust but left a slightly rough texture that might not be great for sheetmetal. 

[hemi-hampton]

I tried a mix I saw mentioned on Moparts- 1 gallon of white vinegar with 1/3 cup of salt and 6-8 ounces of lemon juice (Real\Lemon).  It actually worked pretty well.  I used it on some bolts and brackets (that were pretty bad) as a test, it got rid of the rust but left a slightly rough texture that might not be great for sheetmetal. 

This method has been around since the 1970's in the rusty beer can cleaning hobby, cheap safe alternative if you don't have easy access to Oxalic acid. This combination is similar to using Citrus acid. LEON.

[cavemanno1]

Rust removal with coke/aluminium foil

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XCDz3HwfSI

[Ghoste]

Interesting.