The ready-to-go bath stain remover version works straight from the bottle (a concentrated formula is also offered), it's easy to use and highly effective, but that's not all. We do extensive research and hands-on testing, so you can trust the products we recommend. A lifelong resident of Michigan, he's as happy with a wrench or welding gun in hand as he is in front of the camera or behind a keyboard. After six hours of soaking, the testing material used at Nasas laboratory was quite clean. Star brite Rust Stain Remover is closer to an overall household cleaning product than a specialized rust remover. Plus it's non-corrosive, non-flammable and non-toxic. Read on to discover what those are, and how to choose the right one for you. One area where all our finalists shined was removing pitted rust off nuts and bolts. Still, it's safe on PVC, Viton and most paints, plus it's reusable and biodegradable. We tested six rust removers in gel, liquid, and spray form to determine ease of application and effectiveness of results. Like the competing rust remover products evaluated here, this one had no trouble eliminating rust from the sheet-metal sample, eradicating most of it in just 2 hours and leaving behind a smooth surface. We think keeping both of these fairly inexpensive products around is a great idea. Form of application: Rust-removal products come in spray, gel, and immersion form. And no, using a more potent ratio does not make the rust removal product work faster. Even Evapo-Rust Super Safe Rust Remover, which was left applied overnight, did not have much of an impact on the table legs (other than to darken them somewhat). Really, you can't go wrong with any of these rust removal products. While rust conditions might all look alike to the untrained eye, there are subtle differences in the nature of how rust occurs, even within the confines of a small tool like a wood plane. 
If youre looking to supplement a general-purpose rust remover with a product that specializes in loosening rusted nuts and bolts and eliminating squeaky hinges, then we highly recommend WD-40 Specialist Rust Release Penetrant Spray. Can be reused over and over. Again, and this is going to sound redundant, it's water-based and safe to use. The drawback of this WD-40 product is that it cannot be conveniently applied to large rust patches or to irregular surfaces like teakettles. We then checked back in 48 hours to see if there was any ghosting or residual markings where the original stains had occurred. 
If you get any of these on your skin, just wash up with soap and water and you should be fine.
Can be poured down the drain when used up. When spent, most of these rust dissolvers turn black and stop working. This is my personal favorite formula to use on tools. But perhaps worse, rust can eat away at the affected item over time, possibly leading to expensive repairs or irreparable damage. In testing, Rust 911 proved to be highly effective, eradicating nearly all the rust corrosion on the sheet-metal sample in about 2 hours, making it faster than some rivals. In addition to removing rust, it can also be used to dissolve calcium and lime deposits. Biodegradable ingredients; safe for rubber, plastic and paint; non-toxic, acid-free, contains no VOCs, 100%-biodegradable formula. Toxicity: This was a key consideration in our product selection.
Wash with soap and water if skin contact occurs. The rusty stains in bathtubs and toilets are common examples of nonmetallic rust. Whether its on your tools, on your car, or in your bathroom, rust can be an unsightly nuisance. It also did an excellent job cleaning up the threaded-rod sections, getting deep in the grooves and removing rust, though it did seem a tiny bit slower to work than the others. Removing rust with chemical rust removers is as simple as tossing any grungy-looking items into a bath of rust dissolver and letting the rust removal solution go to work, attacking oxidation without harming the base material and often without affecting rubber, plastic or even a painted surface.. Stable rust: Occurs over long periods of time and tends to be uniform in appearance. Not only that, Metal Rescue is fairly priced and quick to eliminate rust.
If you get any on your hands, it shouldn't cause irritation, but if it does, just wash up with a little soap and water. It is advisable that extra care be taken when using any rust-removal product. CLR is a product that is more appropriate for surface rust stains like those found inside toilet bowls, tile grout and the calcium deposits found on showerheads and faucets. But just like other rust converters, it will leave a protective coating over the rust to inhibit any future rust formation. For the product we selected as the Editors Choice, our gear team at Popular Mechanics turned to none other than NASAs Corrosion Technology Laboratory at the Kennedy Space Center to test the product on a rusted piece of sample material. How we test gear.
Touted as an organic rust remover, it contains sodium alkyl sulfonate, which can cause serious eye damage. None of our reviews are sponsored. 
Sodium hydrosulfite is less corrosive and less toxic than acids, but typically less powerful. Its offered in an easy-to-use aerosol canister that can be sprayed from any angle, allowing you to hit every rust-afflicted crevice on your car. All rights reserved. To help you find the right rust remover for your needs, weve selected eight of the best products on the market in a wide range of categories. Completely submerging things is the way to go here, and once parts are finished, rinsing them off with water and drying them is smart. Can help brighten copper, brass and similar alloys. The reality of rust is that it is tricky to figure out. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, The Best Bike Lights to Illuminate Your Ride, The Best Bike Locks for Keeping Your Wheels Safe. The most common applications are sprays, gels, and liquid (i.e., immersion) forms. It will not harm unrusted steel and is safe to use with other metals.
Although you would expect an industrial-strength formula to be an acid-based solution, Corroseal is completely nontoxic, so you can use it indoors and out. In unfavorable conditions and without adequate protection, ferrous metals can literally dissolve in thin air, turning into a heap of reddish metal object crumbles. An eye- and skin-irritant: Use in a well-ventilated area, do not ingest, keep away from heat, sparks, open flames or hot surfaces. Some contain hydrochloric acid or phosphoric acid that eats away at rust stain like termites gnawing on a rotten stump, while others use a fancy-sounding process called chelation to chemically break iron oxide down. Each has a unique set of strengths and weaknesses that will influence their utility for any given purpose. It's also one of the most affordable removers in our lineup. Its safe to use on metal, brick, and stucco, along with all plumbing materials like copper and PVC plastic. We avoided products with oxalic acid, a comparatively abrasive and harmful chemical. CLR, which we applied at full strength, narrowly outperformed Iron Out on this test. Popular Mechanics participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Also, being a chelating agent, it doesnt work as quickly as many chemical-based formulas. However, they are highly corrosive and can emit harsh fumes, so should only be used outside or in a well-ventilated space. We used four tools with stable and pitting rust: a shovel, a weeder, and two rakes. Stop this stubborn nuisance in its tracks before its too late. Neutral Ph. Effectiveness based on a single application: For household use, a single application is desirable. Non-hazardous, non-toxic, non-flammable, biodegradable, safe to use.
The manufacturer recommends avoiding contact with your eyes (Duh!) Rust removers that use strong acids are usually effective only on metal, while certain chelating rust removers and those primarily composed of sodium hydrosulfite can be used on fabrics, stone, and concrete, but are infrequently effective on most metals. With nearly 1,000 positive Amazon reviews, we were not alone in thinking that Iron Out is an excellent choice for a household rust remover. Flash rust is frequently bright orange in color and can occur in as little as six hours. After 12 hours, it was spotless, including the corners and the weld. However, depending on the formula, you may need to scrape or sand thicker layers of rust before applying the converter. Join our newsletter to get notified of the best products available for your home. Steel work table (stable rust in patches), Garden tools (power washer nozzle, shovel, weeder, and rakes; included a mix of stable and pitting rust), Stainless steel refrigerator (water stains). The process of how rust works involves an electrochemical reaction involving an anode, cathode, and electrolyte. Depending on the powdered rust remover, you may either have to apply it directly to the stain or mix the powder with water to use as a soak by submerging the entire item in the solution. But rust doesn't have to be a death sentence for a metal surface -- it can be arrested in its tracks with the right tools. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. In fact, sodium hydrosulfite is often the main ingredient found in powdered rust removers that are specifically designed for use around the house, and can be used on metal, fabrics, ceramic, and sometimes stone or concrete. Conversion methods: Preventing the further spread of rust by using chemical solutions to convert the rust into a protective barrier. WD-40 might be most well-known for its lubricating spray, but its specialist formula is an industrial-strength, nontoxic, rust-removing soak capable of stripping off the most stubborn rust at an incredibly affordable price. Dealing with rusted metal objects and surfaces can be addressed with three basic techniques: Mechanical methods: Grinding, sanding, and scouring. Some rust removers are available in spray bottles or aerosol cans in order to spray the solution directly onto the rusted surface. With that in mind, here are our picks for the best rust remover you can get to fight rust particles on the things that matter most.. WD-40 is a familiar brand to many people for its household lubricant spray. The presence of such marks would suggest that the rust-removal products had worked topically but had not penetrated the surface. Best Shop Vacs for Cleaning Up Your Garage, May not remove rust stains from plastics or rubber, Can be used on a variety of surfaces and materials, Can be used to remove calcium and lime deposits as well, Not as powerful as more aggressive and abrasive chemical-based rust removers, Provides future protection against rust formation, Leaves behind protective coating for up to 12 months, Thick gel may may need to be brushed on to ensure an even coating, Specifically designed for automotive applications, Will likely require several cans to treat an entire vehicle. Rust is a silent killer, slowly attacking iron and steel and eventually causing corrosion to damage far more than just what you see on the surface. Well, a range of products are available today that can eliminate stubborn oxidation rust spots on tools, car parts, antiques and, well, basically anything made of iron, all without the need to painstakingly grind rust stains away or sandblast down to solid metal. However, as a liquid, CLR can be more difficult to apply than a spray, gel or spray gel, especially to vertical surfaces where it will drip down. None of the four products we tested on the table did an effective job in cleaning the table legs. Our finalists were chosen based on three factors: the best for metal, the best spray, and the best liquid. Workshop Essentials: Popular Mechanics Tool Awards 2022 Best Shop Vacs for Cleaning Up Your Garage Best Power Sanders for Your Shop. Where a range of application times was given, we used the midpoint time. gloves, eye protection, and a face mask or respirator) while handling them. Since they frequently consist primarily of sodium hydrosulfite, theyre most often used to remove rust stains from fabrics, but also ceramics and concrete. One, the Evapo-Rust formulation is ready to go right out of the jug, so no dilution is required. Aceros Innosoft B570: good for appliances and steel, Iron Out Rust Stain Remover Spray Gel: good for fabric, tile, and tools, WD-40 Specialist Rust Release Penetrant Spray : good for nuts, bolts, locks, and chains, Star brite Rust Stain Remover: good for fiberglass, vinyl, and metal, CLR Calcium Lime Rust Remover:good for surfaces and appliances, Evapo-Rust Super Safe Rust Remover: good for equipment, hardware, and tools.