Tips and recommendations on how and how to remove rust from a car body with your own hands

Rust on a car body is a headache for all drivers.

It not only spoils the appearance, but over time it also causes a through hole to appear. Therefore, you need to deal with it immediately after detection.

Read the article about how to remove rust from a car body in different ways.

How to deal with corrosion?

You can get rid of rust on a car body using folk remedies or specialized compounds. In some cases, they resort to mechanical cleaning and even electrochemical processing of the metal.

Elimination with folk remedies

Folk remedies have certain advantages:

• they are cheap;
• safe for metal and human health;
• do not have a pungent odor;
• easy to use;
• are highly effective.

To get results, you need to follow the instructions for use for each specific product. He will tell you about removing rust using folk remedies. this article.

Vinegar

Acid dissolves rust. To clean the body from corrosion, use table vinegar or essence.

Mode of application:

1. Rub the damaged area with aluminum foil to remove any loose metal.
2. Dampen a sponge or rag with acid.
3. Apply the cloth to the rusty area and leave it as a compress for an hour.
4. Remove material.
5. Rinse the body with clean water and allow to dry.

The thicker the layer of rust, the higher the concentration of vinegar should be. More details about the method - Here.

How to remove phosphoric acid?

To get rid of rust, use a solution of phosphoric acid. Its optimal concentration is 15-30%. If the product was purchased in powder, then it is diluted with 10 parts of water.

Removal instructions rust:

• the solution is applied to the metal with a brush made of natural wax;
• if the coating is thick, it is first cleaned with sandpaper;
• the acid is left on the surface of the metal for 2 hours - during this time you need to ensure that it does not dry out;
• complete the procedure by washing.

For greater effectiveness, you can add the rust inhibitor catapin to orthophosphoric acid: 2 g per 1 liter of solution. More details about the method - here.

Soda

You can get rid of corrosion using baking soda. Mode of application:

1. Prepare soda slurry by diluting it with a small amount of water.
2. Apply the product to the metal surface and leave until completely dry.
3. Rinse off the soda with clean water.

Sparkling water

Coca-Cola or Pepsi cope with rust no worse than store-bought products. This is possible due to the presence of orthophosphoric acid in their composition.

Mode of application:

• soak the fabric generously with carbonated drink;
• apply it to the damaged area;
• cover the top with polyethylene and leave for 12 hours;
• remove the compress along with the rust, rinse the area with clean water.

To combat corrosion, you need original Coca-Cola, not its cheap counterpart. More details about the method - Here.

How to treat with citric acid?

Citric acid works in a similar way to vinegar.. To prepare the solution you will need 40 g of acid and 3 liters of water.

The resulting composition is applied to the cleaned areas and left for at least an hour. All that remains is to rinse off the product with clean water and dry the metal surface.

If the corrosion is extensive and deep, then the amount of acid is doubled. More details about the method - here.

Removal with special compounds

You can get rid of rust on the body using special products that are sold in stores for car enthusiasts, as well as in online markets.

How to eliminate converters?

On sale you can find products from different manufacturers. However, everything works converters according to a single principle: they do not just dissolve rust, but transform metal oxides into a protective layer. This allows you not only to remove plaque, but to protect the body from further destruction.

Converters can be of 3 types:

1. Modifier primers. With their help, they stop corrosion and level the surface of the body for subsequent painting.
2. Converters of iron oxides into slightly soluble salts.
3. Stabilizers for rust products. They convert unstable oxides into stable compounds.

Regardless of the chosen composition, the instructions for their use do not differ significantly. Procedure:

• remove the top layer of rust from the body;
• apply the converter to the affected area;
• leave until completely dry - average duration - 30 minutes;
• remove the film that appears on the surface of the metal using a metal brush;
• Rinse the surface with clean water, apply paint or other protective composition.

Not all converters need to be washed off; some compounds are left on the metal in its original form. Therefore, it is important to read the instructions before use.

Galvanizing kits

Body galvanizing kit (Zinkor) is a kit that is used to remove rust, followed by galvanizing the metal.

It includes:

1. A solution for removing rust and degreasing surfaces.
2. Solution for applying a protective layer.
3. Stainless steel electrode.
4. Electrode with zinc tip.
5. The wire.

One set is enough to treat 1 square. m. The cost of Zinkor is about 1000 rubles.

How to get rid of it using autoplasticine?

Autoplasticine is a unique plastic material, which allows you to get rid of corrosion and prevent its further spread.

The composition includes a rust converter, thanks to which it is possible to achieve the desired effect.

enjoy autoplasticine Just. It is applied to the damaged area of ​​the body, thereby isolating it from environmental factors.

However, when purchasing, you need to pay attention to the fact that the packaging is marked “for the body,” since there are compounds on sale that are used only for the bottom. The average price of car plasticine is 100 rubles.

Use the composition as a temporary measure. Autoplasticine can stop the spread of corrosion, but it will not be possible to decorate the damaged area.

Primer enamel or paint

Rust paint designed not only to mask the affected area, but also to prevent further spread of corrosion. This is possible thanks to the converter included in it.

It is enough to lightly rub the surface of the body with a brush to remove flaking rust. Read about anti-rust paints for cars here.

How to remove rusty deposits using the electrochemical method?

The essence of the electrochemical method is simple; it boils down to the transition of atoms from one metal to another. To implement the method you will need:

• DC source, such as a car battery;
• electrolyte (3 liters of water and 1 teaspoon of soda ash);
• metals with different electrochemical activity.

The procedure is as follows:

1. The part that needs cleaning is removed.
2. Rust is cleaned off with a scraper or brush.
3. Dip a steel plate into the electrolyte, connecting it to the “+” of the battery.
4. The part that needs cleaning is connected to “-”, after which it is also lowered into the solution.
5. Turn on the power. The start of a chemical reaction will be indicated by air bubbles and bubbling of the solution. After some time it will turn black.

A complete cleaning takes about 5-6 hours. The part is then removed from the solution, washed and dried. More details about the method - Here.

Mechanical method: how to clean the surface?

The mechanical method of removing rust is the simplest, most affordable, fastest and most effective. However, it has two significant disadvantages.

Tools you can use to remove rust:

• brush;
• brush with metal bristles;
• sandpaper;
• Grinder;
• aluminium foil.

For better effect, the body part is pre-treated with a rust converter. Only after this is it recommended to proceed with the main procedure.

When working with tools, you need to control the pressing forceso as not to damage metal that is not affected by rust. After cleaning is completed, the body is primed and painted.

Prevention

To prevent rust from appearing on the body, adhere to the following recommendations:

1. The car needs to be washed regularly, both in winter and summer. This will remove the aggressive components that are sprinkled on the roads, as well as get rid of dust and dirt, under which the metal quickly collapses.
2. Anti-gravel film is applied to the hood and roof.
3. Mud flaps and fender liners must be installed on each wheel.
4. Anti-corrosion treatment of the body must be carried out once every 5 years.

The body should be inspected regularly for rust. When the first signs of corrosion appear, emergency measures are taken.

Helpful information

To ensure that the process of removing rust from the body is successful, you need to adhere to the following recommendations:

1. All work must be carried out taking into account safety precautions.Hands are protected with gloves, and eyes with special glasses.
2. When treating the body with caustic substances, you need to take care of high-quality ventilation in the room.
3. You cannot keep acid on the surface of the body for too long; it can destroy intact metal.

You can learn about various methods and techniques for removing rust from a car. Here.

Conclusion

There are different ways to get rid of rust on a body. For this purpose, improvised means and specialized compounds are used. They also resort to mechanical and electrochemical cleaning methods. Sometimes a combination of several methods is required to obtain optimal results.