How to Remove Rust from Your Car

It’s an unfortunate fact of car ownership: If you drive for long enough, eventually you’re going to see rust emerge. Any iron-containing (ferrous) metal is going to be susceptible to the debilitating effects of rust. When ferrous metals corrode, they produce the familiar red iron oxides that we’ve all come to dread.

Rust can start out as a surface problem but can soon cause holes to appear in your car. If left unchecked, this damage can lead to expensive repair bills and even failed inspections. Fortunately, there are some ways to eliminate this problem before it becomes unmanageable.

Read on for some quick and easy tips on how best to execute car rust removal.

Why do cars rust?

First of all, it’s important to understand why cars rust. Iron can react to oxygen when it’s around moisture; this prompts a chemical reaction producing the iron oxide described above.

While this is typically more of a problem on older cars thanks to the modern proliferation of galvanized steel and special anti-rust paint coatings, it can still occur if you’re not careful. Drilling during the modern manufacturing process can also produce spots where moisture can gather and wreak the kind of red havoc that all car owners dread. Finally, salty conditions can contribute to rusting.

Materials needed for rust removal

If you’ve seen some rust start to appear on your car, especially on the surface, there’s no reason to panic. There are some simple tools that you can gather to attack this problem head on. First off, grab your personal protective equipment (PPE)—you’ll never want to do this type of work without gloves, protective eyewear and a dust mask (preferably an N95 just to be safe).

Next you’ll need power tools like a grinder, a sander and a polisher, along with all of the proper discs. Finally, you’ll need to be ready to apply some good old-fashioned elbow grease. Make sure that you have a hand scraper on hand as well.

For materials, you’ll need microfiber cloths, sandpaper, clear coat, prep solvent, rust remover, polish/wax and matching paint. Once you’ve gathered these tools and materials, then you’re ready to get started on your car rust removal project.

How to remove surface car rust

Clean the area first, and then apply the rust remover. Let it set for 10 minutes, and then wipe off the residue—you might already see progress at this point. If there’s any rust still hanging around, use the sandpaper to start working on it as well—rust removal should be well under way by now.

After cleaning the area with grease remover and letting it dry, apply three light coats of primer and then five to six layers of paint that matches your car’s base. Finally, cover everything with a layer of clear coat, and you should be ready to roll.

Many people are surprised to learn that car rust removal is a relatively simple DIY task, but a lot of folks still like to leave it up to the pros. Our team at Tom’s Body and Paint, Inc. can handle rust removal and a variety of other services like this in no time at all, so get in touch with us today.

Categorised in: Auto Body Repair

This post was written by Writer