Tips and tricks on how to clean rust from a horseshoe

A found horseshoe promises its owner health, happiness and prosperity. Popular wisdom says that for this you need to hang it above the front door.

However, most of these finds are not clean and shiny, as they are covered with a thick layer of rust.

To learn how to give an old rusty horseshoe a presentable appearance and clean it of rust, read the article.

Folk remedies

Rust can be removed from a horseshoe mechanically or using chemical compounds. The thicker the layer, the more effort you will have to put in.

Vinegar

To remove rust from a horseshoe, you need to use not table vinegar, but an essence with a concentration of 70%. Only in this case will it be possible to cope with the raid. You should not be afraid that the acid will corrode the metal; a horseshoe is not afraid of this process.

Procedure:

1. Pour the essence into a suitable sized container. It must be made of plastic or glass. Metal buckets are not suitable for this purpose.
2. Immerse the product in the acid until it completely covers it.
3. Leave the horseshoe to soak for an hour.
4. Wear rubber gloves, remove it from the solution and clean it with a wire brush.
5. Rinse the horseshoe under running water and dry.

The recipe is time-tested. There are no restrictions on the use of the essence. You just need to take care to comply with safety precautions. Read more about removing rust with vinegar. Here.

Hydrogen peroxide

This pharmaceutical antiseptic can be used not only to treat wounds, but also to remove rust from metal products.

Instructions for use:

• Dissolve 2 tablespoons of salt in 0.5 ml of water and pour in 1-2 bottles of hydrogen peroxide;
• soak a horseshoe in this solution and leave for half an hour;
• put on gloves and use a metal brush to remove the softened rust; if it does not come off well, then the horseshoe is returned to the solution and kept for another 15 minutes - this time should be enough for the corrosion to be cleaned;
• After completing the procedure, the product is rinsed in water and dried.

To treat a horseshoe you will need no more than 2 bottles of hydrogen peroxide, 100 ml each.

Soda

Lye helps quickly get rid of rust marks on a horseshoe. This method is absolutely safe for metal and human health.

Procedure:

1. Fill a plastic or glass container with 2 liters of water.
2. Dissolve 4-6 tablespoons of soda in it.
3. Soak the horseshoe for an hour.
4. Remove any remaining rust with a wire brush.

Instead of soda solution, you can use soda paste. The consistency should resemble sour cream. In this case, the exposure time can be reduced to half an hour, since the composition is more effective.

The effectiveness of soda is slightly above average. If the rust layer is very thick, it is better to use acids or clean it off mechanically.

Aluminium foil

Food foil, which is used for baking dishes, helps get rid of rust without harming the product.If the layer is small, then you can deal with it in a few minutes.

Procedure:

• cut off a small amount of foil from the roll;
• roll it into a ball - it should be of such a size that it is comfortable to hold in your hand;
• fix the horseshoe in the desired position;
• Clean off rust using foil.

Coca Cola

Coca-Cola helps get rid of rust no worse than acid and professional solvents. Unlike chemistry, the drink is not a source of caustic fumes, does not irritate the skin of the hands, and does not harm metal. It can be used to remove corrosion even from vintage products.

Procedure:

1. Pour Cola into a plastic or glass container.
2. Place in a horseshoe so that it completely drowns in the drink.
3. Leave for 12 hours.
4. Remove any remaining rust with a wire brush.

Instead of Cola, you can use Fanta, Pepsi or Sprite. This will not affect the result. Although it will take a long time to soften the corrosion, this method can be considered highly effective. In just a few procedures, you can clean even a thick layer of rust with Cola.

Read about how to use Coca-Cola in the fight against rust. this article.

Professional compositions

To remove rust, you can use professional household chemicals. You can purchase the product in retail stores or place an order online. Top 3 cleaning compositions:

1. Cillit Bang. The horseshoe is moistened with water and completely filled with gel, or areas covered with corrosion are treated. Leave the composition for 5 minutes, then rub the metal with a stiff brush, rinse off the remaining product with water.The cost of a 450 ml gel is 175 rubles.
2. Syntilor remover. The composition is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:3, applied to the horseshoe and left for 10 minutes. After the specified time, the softened rust is removed with a metal brush. The price of 1 liter of cleaning solution is 490 rubles.
3. Monica paste with oxalic acid. The horseshoe is moistened with water, the paste is applied to it and left for 10 minutes, after which the corrosion is removed with a brush. Price – 82 rub.

How to deal with severe corrosion?

If the rust layer is thick, then it can only be dealt with by combining 2 methods.

First, the horseshoe is cleaned with a wire brush, and then treated with chemical compounds. It is possible that this cycle will have to be repeated.

As chemicals you can use acetic acid 70%. If the concentration of the main substance is lower, then the treatment efficiency will be zero.

For the same reason, it makes no sense to use:

• citric acid,
• hydrogen peroxide,
• soda

They will not be able to cope with the task.

What is prohibited to use?

Horseshoes are made of mild steel, so it is not recommended to use a hard brush to remove rust from them. Such aggressive tactics will lead to damage to the product.

Helpful information

Tips to help you remove rusty plaque efficiently and safely from a horseshoe:

1. When working with chemicals, you need to take care of your own safety. It is unacceptable to start cleaning without using gloves.
2. If the rust layer is thick, then the corroded metal must be brushed off before the main treatment.
3. After cleaning is completed, the part should be rinsed under running clean water or wiped with a damp cloth. This must be done in order to remove chemical residues.

Video on the topic of the article

This video will show you how to clean a horseshoe from rust:

Conclusion

You can remove rust from a horseshoe using improvised means and professional household chemicals. The main thing is to strictly follow the recipe and observe basic safety measures.