Topic: Will mixing vinegar & baking soda clean these rusty pieces ?

[grcamna2]

I'd like to clean these up Best and wondered if mixing vinegar & baking soda together and using a long bristle small brush/toothbrush might do it ?

[ekpent]

I'd use a wire wheel. I have one mounted up that is not super aggressive , you can get different grades, and have done older style spigot clamps that came out nice.

[Bowswell]

CLR  24hre.

[grcamna2]

CLR  24hre.

Have you ever tried what I (vinegar & baking soda?) was considering ? I think they're more readily avail. & cheaper

[vames]

Vinegar (an acid) will help you get rid of rust if you soak the piece for a day or two. 

Adding baking soda (a base) will neutralize the vinegar, rendering it unable to work on rust.

So yes to vinegar. No to baking soda.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

Vinegar and baking soda?? I don't get it. What you are proposing is an acid:base reaction that will neutralize both.

How about just sticking them in a zip lock filled with vinegar. If you can find a stronger vinegar you might get better results.

[grcamna2]

Thanks vames and Jerry  ,I'll try to source real strong vinegar,what's a good source ? Can I get stronger stuff ?

[sangyo soichiro]

Vinegar (an acid) will help you get rid of rust if you soak the piece for a day or two. 

Adding baking soda (a base) will neutralize the vinegar, rendering it unable to work on rust.

So yes to vinegar. No to baking soda.

Vinegar and baking soda?? I don't get it. What you are proposing is an acid:base reaction that will neutralize both.

How about just sticking them in a zip lock filled with vinegar. If you can find a stronger vinegar you might get better results.

+1. 

But know that acid will eat away the chrome finish pretty quick (it will eat metal too).  Even though vinegar isn't that strong of an acid, over too long of a time it will still eat the chrome and metal.  I think I'd just use a wire brush - 5 minutes and they should look pretty good.

[Blasbo]

I've tried lemon juice and baking soda. Lemon juice and vinegar are both acids so it should be similar. Took a little rust off, but didn't work very well. I've heard molasses works, but I haven't tried it.

[grcamna2]

Vinegar (an acid) will help you get rid of rust if you soak the piece for a day or two. 

Adding baking soda (a base) will neutralize the vinegar, rendering it unable to work on rust.

So yes to vinegar. No to baking soda.

Vinegar and baking soda?? I don't get it. What you are proposing is an acid:base reaction that will neutralize both.

How about just sticking them in a zip lock filled with vinegar. If you can find a stronger vinegar you might get better results.

+1. 

But know that acid will eat away the chrome finish pretty quick (it will eat metal too).  Even though vinegar isn't that strong of an acid, over too long of a time it will still eat the chrome and metal.  I think I'd just use a wire brush - 5 minutes and they should look pretty good.

So I could soak'em in vinegar before wire brushing them?

[seanbarney41]

Camna, here are some pics...first one shows a 550 clamp before and one after a 20 minute or so bath in common household white vinegar.
I only soaked 'em for about 20 minutes because I was in a hurry.  12 hours probably would have got 'em spotless and not hurt the chrome.  Here is the finished product.  These clamps were not in the worst shape to start with

I often use vinegar to clean up rusty gas tanks.  One time I dumped the contents of my magic bolt box in to help remove rust.  After I was done, I decided to save and re-use the vinegar.  Months later, while dumping the vinegar into the next rusty tank, I discovered a chrome bolt that had been soaking for months.  I went to grab it and was amazed because the bolt had become merely a chrome shell, the vinegar had eaten away all the steel underneath the plating.  All that was left was a perfectly hollow skin of chrome, shaped like a bolt.

[sangyo soichiro]

Vinegar (an acid) will help you get rid of rust if you soak the piece for a day or two. 

Adding baking soda (a base) will neutralize the vinegar, rendering it unable to work on rust.

So yes to vinegar. No to baking soda.

Vinegar and baking soda?? I don't get it. What you are proposing is an acid:base reaction that will neutralize both.

How about just sticking them in a zip lock filled with vinegar. If you can find a stronger vinegar you might get better results.

+1. 

But know that acid will eat away the chrome finish pretty quick (it will eat metal too).  Even though vinegar isn't that strong of an acid, over too long of a time it will still eat the chrome and metal.  I think I'd just use a wire brush - 5 minutes and they should look pretty good.

So I could soak'em in vinegar before wire brushing them?

I was just thinking of the wire brush alone.  But I'm not against using vinegar - just that if you do use any type of acid to clean parts, you better check them often to make sure it's not eating them away.  I must say though, I personally won't use acid on anything that has threads, because by the time you realize it the threads are way too loose. 

I have used muriatic acid to clean parts before (this is the really strong stuff).  I cleaned a few gas tanks and other parts.  Just have to keep an eye on it so you don't ruin your parts.  But I usually use a wife wire brush on my chrome parts, a sandblaster on parts I'm going to paint, and acid only on parts that are almost impossible to clean by other means (like gas tanks, unless of course you do the electrolysis thing). 

[333]

This is kick a$$!

[grcamna2]

This is kick a$$!

333, does that 'the Works' (I've heard of it being used before here for rusty tanks) stuff do similar to vinegar if you soak stuff in it, does it take the rust off ?

                              thanks Seanbarney and others 

[TwoTired]

Acids remove the metal you want to keep, too.

I prefer electrolysis to selectively remove only the rust.  Battery charger of about 6 amps, a sacrificial steel electrode, some washing soda, and a plastic tub.  Bye Bye all the rust.

[grcamna2]

I'm going to have to try that TT when I get access to a shop.I'm working out of a storage locker now w/ no elec. and my Apt. has wall-wall light beige colored carpet.

                                Thanks for the suggestion

[edwardmorris]

I've had good results with evaporust. Pricey but reusable and very mild, took three days to go from this



to this



didn't remove any metal, in fact even the zinc plating survived.

[TwoTired]

didn't remove any metal

Explain the chemistry that allows this, please.

Or, are you saying you couldn't see the metal that was removed with the naked eye?

[vames]

didn't remove any metal

Explain the chemistry that allows this, please.

Or, are you saying you couldn't see the metal that was removed with the naked eye?

From the Evaporust website. (I can't vouch for their claims, but I think the whole idea is that it's a rust remover that is only very modestly acidic):

EVAPO-RUST works at a pH of 6.1 to 7 (neutral) through selective chelation. This is a process in which a large synthetic molecule forms a bond with metals and holds them in solution. Most chelating agents bind many different metals. The active ingredient in EVAPO-RUST bonds to iron exclusively. It can remove iron from iron oxide, but is too weak to remove iron from steel because the iron is held much more strongly.

EVAPO-RUST is non-corrosive to steel and does not harm brass, copper, aluminum, gold, lead, titanium, steel, cast iron, chrome, solder points, vinyl, plastic, rubber, silicone, glass, cork, or wood.

[grcamna2]

That Evapo-Rust sounds like the 'Bee's knee's'  but cost a few bucks

[Duke McDukiedook]

Acids remove the metal you want to keep, too.

I prefer electrolysis to selectively remove only the rust.  Battery charger of about 6 amps, a sacrificial steel electrode, some washing soda, and a plastic tub.  Bye Bye all the rust.

Electrolysis FTW.

[edwardmorris]

didn't remove any metal

Explain the chemistry that allows this, please.

Or, are you saying you couldn't see the metal that was removed with the naked eye?

Probably the latter. Not arguing electro is safer, just impressed how well eavpo worked when I saw the zinc survive.

[faux fiddy]

There are some products that have phosphoric acid to remove rust. I think one I used was called krud kutter. They clean it up, but if the chrome is pitted it will rust again.

I used a wheel on my exhaust florets and painted them with silver manifold paint. Stove Black paint comes in many colors now Be careful using a wheel because you could get a wire thrown in your eye.

[TwoTired]

Probably the latter. Not arguing electro is safer, just impressed how well eavpo worked when I saw the zinc survive.

Zinc plating is sacrificial, in that it corrodes away before the iron/steel dies. Visible rust on such a part means that the zinc has gone away, leaving bare steel.  To keep it or delay it from rusting again, it will need a coating of some sort as a barrier to oxygen and water in the atmosphere.  Oil, grease, paint or of course more zinc.

Zinc chromate paint was excellent at this function.  But, the eco-nazis,have nearly wiped out availability.

Funny, you can still buy it as a color choice, but the zinc isn't in it anymore.  However, it is so essential for airplane preservation/safety, it can still be found at general aviation supply houses.

[faux fiddy]

Probably the latter. Not arguing electro is safer, just impressed how well eavpo worked when I saw the zinc survive.

Zinc plating is sacrificial, in that it corrodes away before the iron/steel dies. Visible rust on such a part means that the zinc has gone away, leaving bare steel.  To keep it or delay it from rusting again, it will need a coating of some sort as a barrier to oxygen and water in the atmosphere.  Oil, grease, paint or of course more zinc.

Zinc chromate paint was excellent at this function.  But, the eco-nazis,have nearly wiped out availability.

Funny, you can still buy it as a color choice, but the zinc isn't in it anymore.  However, it is so essential for airplane preservation/safety, it can still be found at general aviation supply houses.

You mention oil, and It reminds me of my trailer that sat in the yard for a decade or two before I gave it any attention. I was going to attack the rust with an ankle grinder and a wire wheel and after an hour of that I realized it was a somewhat monumental task so I just did a quick brush of the loose rust on the rails and put some linseed oil on with a paint brush as a temporary shield. It turned dark, almost black. Since then I have done nothing and it seems like the coating is intact over a year later.

My Dad always swore by linseed oil, mix it with paint, etc., and I think I might just use that as it is for an undercoat for when I do finally get around to painting it.