One of the keys to having a successful business is efficiency. If you can’t efficiently perform work, you have a problem. For hands-on industries like automotive and construction, tools are a major factor in efficiency. When those tools get rusty, workers must slow down to either clean them or find replacements. Consider the following three easy ways to remove rust from metal tools so that workers can keep working.
DIY Soak With Vinegar and Salt
One of the easiest ways to remove rust without any dangerous chemicals is a homemade vinegar and salt bath. You can use lemon juice instead of vinegar, but it’s often easier to get the quantity you need in vinegar instead of lemon juice.
Pour about four cups or one liter of white vinegar into a container big enough to hold the rusted tools. Add ¼ cup of salt for every liter. Maintain this ratio and increase or decrease the recipe as needed. Place the tools in this bath and let them soak until the rust turns soft, which can take several days. Once the rust is soft, you can scrub it off, rinse and dry it, and get back to work.
Dissolve Rust With Diluted Oxalic Acid
If you don’t have the time for a vinegar and salt bath, you can try a harsher chemical agent. Oxalic acid will dissolve rust quickly and efficiently, although you’ll need to work in a ventilated space with skin and eye protection.
Mix one and a half tablespoons of oxalic acid with a half-gallon of water in a container large enough for the rusted tools. Maintain this ratio and increase or decrease the recipe as needed. Let the tools soak for roughly 20 minutes before removing them and rinsing them. Any lingering rust should come off in the rinsing process. Once you dry the tools, you can get back to work.
Invest in a Vibratory Tumbler
Many people want a quicker cleaning period without using such a harsh cleaner. Vibratory tumblers offer that combination and can provide other services beyond rust removal, so they’re a great investment for many industrial businesses.
One of the best tumbling media for removing rust is ceramic media. You’ll load ceramic media and a liquid compound into your vibratory tumbler and then add your rusty tools. Depending on the amount of rust on the tools, it may take a few hours for the tumbler to remove everything. While this is longer than oxalic acid, it’s shorter than the vinegar and salt bath, and you don’t have to do the scrubbing. You’ll be back to work in no time.
The three easiest ways to remove rust from metal tools are homemade acidic baths, harsh acidic cleaners, and vibratory tumblers. Any of these options will help you keep your tools clean so that you can work efficiently all day long.
