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My 50 year old house has an ornate, iron stair railing, and it is covered with a very light coat of rust. Anyone know any quick and easy and CLEAN ways to get rid of the rust, and keep it off? I’d like a method that doesn’t involve too much elbow grease, or smelly stuff like WD 40…or am I asking too much? Thanks in advance.
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try using murianic(SP?) acid the liquid stuff they use for pools in a dilute solution. It does a great job. It will take it down to bare metal. BUT you need to keep it dry or out of the weather until you paint it.
*Jeff, while muriatic acid may sound like a good idea, be careful. One, cover yourself up with gloves, safety glassess, and HEPA respirator. Two, watch those fumes. Other than personal safety, you should be concerned with protecting metal finishes on other fixtures. The fumes will discolor metal plating.
*Jeff:Are you going to paint the railing or leave it natural?
*Muriatic acid is what plumbers call hyrdochloric acid and it is used to clear drains when getting the pipes running is more important to you than their longevity. Sometimes found in home centers and certainly in any plumbing supply store. Rich is right about those gloves and safety glasses (or a whole face shield). But you need an acid-rated cartridge for your respirator. HEPA filters are for particulates (drywall dust, asbestos, etc) and are the one most commonly used by us construction types but there are organic cartridges (paint thinnner, PVC glue, etc), acid, alkyli and combinations of these). For acid fumes, a full face respirator is nice because you eyes are exposed to filtered air only. Whereas with safety glasses, you are protected from splashes only, not from fumes.Trichloroethylene (TCE) is an excellent paint stripper, degreaser, and rust remover. But it's also carcinogenic and mutagenic (deformed babies) and heavily regulated now. If you got some and choose to use it, definitely wear at least a half-face respirator with an organic-vapor cartridge. And gloves rated for TCE. Maybe nitrile gloves, but I don't recall for sure. TCE is as smelly as WD-40 in the short term but is so volatile, it leaves no residue.A wire brush is safest for you and yours but that takes elbow grease. Sand blasting is benign to you, if you sub it out and remove the railing from the house. Good Luck -David
*Thanks David, for the knowledgable post. However, muriatic is NOT hydrochloric acid. Those in the trades--those who keep acids in their arsenal--know what they are doing. The average DIY does not know the difference, or that there is a difference.
*Acid will certainly remove the rust. It does such a good job cleaning and brightning, that the metal will sometimes rust immediately again after rinsing with water. I just (yesterday) removed considerable rust from some new beams by using 409 cleaner and a medium grit scotch-bright type pad. One can also use a wire wheel on a right angle grinder or the scotch-bright pads that mount to the same grinder. These mechanical methods may remove detail, however. In any event, I like to try the easy methods first, use the nasty acid last (don't forget to nutralize it).
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Rich,
If it's not hydrochloric acid, then what is it?
Personaly, I'd avoid using muratic (or hydrochloric) to remove rust, hydrochloric acid vapors are extremly good at causing rust.
How about phosphoric acid, ie "Naval Jelly (tm) it does tend to be slow, expensive and can be messy, but I'd use it before muratic acid. The original poster wanted to avoid mess didn't he ?, but I don't know any nonmessy way to remove rust. IF the item can be removed, I'd think abrasive blasting off site would be best.
Jay
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Rich,
You a abosolutely wrong. Muriatic acid is Hydrochloric acid. Be careful with this stuff!
*Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Tenth Edition: "muriatic acid...:HYDROCHLORIC ACID"Granted, not a top chemical reference book, but...For what it's worth,Rich Beckman
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Sorry, guys...I should have been more clear...I do not want to paint the railing...The railing is inside the house...the original owner was in the steel business, and I believe he had the it custom made by one of his blacksmiths/welders...I'd like to leave it in its natural state...tarnished and aged is ok...Thanks for all the responses...very interesting stuff.
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Now y'all scared Jeff away! Maybe all he needs is some very fine steel wool to polish it up? I think he's talking about a mere dusting of rust.
I've seen paint for rusting metal railings that claims you can go right over the well-attached rust, and it sets up in about 15 minutes. It comes in a smooth and hammered finish, I can't remember the name. Any experience with this sort of thing?
*rust removal-I researched for rust removal stuff for a car restoration after trying things like naval jelly etc available in the store and basically they are junk so on the web I found Rustzolve at http://www.rustsolve.com/index.htm It is non toxic but does stink when it works-like rotten eggs, sulfer etc. but it does work. I just got a sample-powder you mix with water. Jell is available only if you have big bucks.address: RUSTZOLVE 42003 Allan Drive Lancaster CA 93536 805-722-5122
*Andrew:A product I have used on cars and metal railings is a moisture cure urethane paint. The brand I used is called Miracle Paint by Bill Hirsch in Newark, New Jersey. For exposure to the sun, you need to topcaot it for UV protection. It comes in black, silver and clear and sells for about $25.00 a quart. Wurth products sells a similar sounding product for about $35.00 per quart.But Jeff doesn't want to paint, so this won't help him. Try polishing with progressivly finer steel woll. Steel will rust very quickly when clean. It needs a coat of wax, oil, clear paint or something to keep the oxygen in the air from combining with it to make iron oxide.From the Standard Dictionary of Facts, 1913:Muratic acid is the common name of Hydrochloric acidAlso, Spirits of Salt is a common name of Hydrchloric acid.Oil of Vitrol is a common name of Sulphuric acid.Frank
*Hi Folks,Gemplers, an ag supply house <>,Has a rust converter($10/qt.) and rust remover($9/qt.).They have lots of other good stuff, including a wide variety of masks and gloves.I've dealth with them and they are good folks.Good health, Weogo
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My 50 year old house has an ornate, iron stair railing, and it is covered with a very light coat of rust. Anyone know any quick and easy and CLEAN ways to get rid of the rust, and keep it off? I'd like a method that doesn't involve too much elbow grease, or smelly stuff like WD 40...or am I asking too much? Thanks in advance.