Looking for ways to remove rust off your bicycle that does the job without adding stress to your wallet? Well, there are ways to remove and clean rusty bikes and make them look new.
Watching your bike components turning rusty and old is not less than a nightmare. If you ever got an awesome stylish looking bike, you can exactly feel the mess showing up at a rapid pace.
The prime reason behind rusting may be unused bikes for a long time, storage issues, grease, and stuck dirt for a longer duration, and so on.
Fortunately, you won’t need to break the bank to get professional help! You can simply remove it using some household items like vinegar and baking soda paste added with a few drops of lime juice, You need to apply the paste on metallic pasts and watch the rust vanish in less than 15 minutes.
Here’s a step by step method on getting the rust off your bicycle:
1. Identify Rusted Part
Nowadays, most of the bikes are made up of aluminum and steel and with their respect, there are a lot of issues occurring with the rusting of frame and drivetrain.
The water of the beach or any rainstorm may easily form rust over these steel components. You may not notice but the little chain at the back may have a decent amount of rust that would hamper your smooth ride.
The gears may also rust and the chain down at the components including the derailleur, you have to identify and make it all thoroughly clean.
The side of the pedal, into the brakes, handlebars, and notice every pivot point of the derailleur and cogs, identify each part closely. Even the chainrings and driveline should be closely analyzed.
Recognizing the rusty parts is the first and most important step.
I know, there may be the case when you would prefer applying the methods to remove rust, and without identifying the right parts, it is like throwing an arrow in the dark.
2. Remove The Rust
Once you identify the rusty parts of your bicycle it is the right time to remove the rust.
There are many rust removing agents that can be used at the comfort of your home. You can choose any of them depending upon the availability of the agent.
Some of the popular ones are using a mixture of water and baking soda in an equal amount to remove minor rust and to fight with major rust, vinegar spray comes into play.
You can also go for chemical rust remover and get the things in hand in a shorter time. Removing the rust is an essential part to renew your old bicycle.
You can use any suitable rust remover and any of the methods that fit the condition like if you have to deal with minor rust or a stubborn one. Treating both the conditions similarly may arise an issue and that is you may not get the exact result as expected.
3. Apply Rust Remover
In order to successfully remove the rust, you need not only to apply the rust remover on the rusty parts but also do it in an appropriate way so that the rust is not at all present.
While using different rust removing agents, their application way also differs.
For instance, to apply a mixture of baking soda and water, it is recommended to use a brush so that it could reach every rusted part of the bike.
And to clean it, you have to wait for at least fifteen minutes and scrub the rust off the bike. On the other hand, using a dash of vinegar on the rusted part.
You have to spray the vinegar all over the bike with rusted parts so that the acidic nature of the vinegar could fight the rust and make your bike as new as the day it was bought.
Don’t forget to use face masks, glubs, and goggles while applying any chemical rust-removing agent.
4. Protect From Future Rust / Corrosion
It is said that prevention is better than cure. That’s why it does matter when you keep your bike shining and remove every pinch of rust using some rust removing agent. But, the thing that is going to last forever is how you treat your bike in order to protect it from future rusting.
To protect the rusting of the chain and drivetrain, you must keep your bike lubricated using any oil or buy a proper lubricator for your bike.
You can buy a spray that would ease your task in this. Also, the frame can be protected by installing frame protections and fenders wherever you launch your new ride.
Things to keep in mind are that the bike should be washed and dried on a regular basis.
It will reduce the chances of dirt and grease getting stuck and thus would work towards maintaining a rust-free smooth bike ride. Even drying a bike for ten minutes is a sufficient option for you.
Common Rust Remover Agent You Can Use
There is three common rust removing agents that you can use at the comfort of your home:
1 ) Baking soda
Baking soda is one of the most common rust removing agents since it does cause any actual harm to the bicycle. You can use it by mixing an equal amount of baking soda and water and mix the paste until it is thick. You can also add some drops of lemon juice if the rust is strength of the rust is slightly more.
2 ) Coca-cola/ Vinegar
Coca-cola and vinegar have acetic nature that breaks off the rust and makes your bike so. You can spray your bike while wearing a pair of gloves on the rusted part.
And use a toothbrush to scrub the rust. You can use vinegar with baking soda if the rust is slightly strong and you are unable to remove it by simple scrubbing.
3 ) Chemical Rust Remover
While these above two methods are sufficient, you can also buy a chemical rust remover from the market to get the task done. Keep your safety in mind while using it. Depending on the type of the remover, you will have to leave it to stay for about one and a half-hour to an hour.
Here is the list of a few chemical rust remover I had used in the past and found them working.
Here is a step by step method that will help you in removing rust from the bike frame:
1. Wash the Frame
The initial step involves cleaning the bike frame to remove any dust and elements, You can clean your bike using some bike shampoo to make sure that the extra dust and elements are completely removed.
2. Use a scrub pad to scrape off the rust
You can use any abrasive material that you will be better at. Using steel wool is also a good choice. Note that you only have to scrub to the extent that it removes the rust. It should not bring any scratches on the bike.
3. Spray Vinegar with Baking soda/ Rust Remover
Safe your hands by wearing plastic gloves and add vinegar to a spray bottle. Now, spray on the bike frame especially on the rusted parts, and scrub the rust that is hard to remove.
Note that if the rust is a little more major and it is getting hard to remove it by simple scrubbing. You can add vinegar with baking soda in a very small amount to the spray bottle.
It will make the process quicker and simpler.
4. Dry the bike
Leave your bike for ten to twenty minutes to get dried.
How To Remove Rust From Chain ( Step by Step )
It is very hard to identify rust in the chain. This is mainly because the chain consists of various small pieces of machinery that are always open to the air yet not so close to the eyes.
That’s why here is a step by step guide on removing rust from chain
1. Wash the chain properly
The first step is to wash the chain in a good way so that no dust and elements are left. You can use any bike shampoo to get the job done.
2. Apply rust remover and use the brush to apply it on every corner
The chain is not only the heart but also a very complex part of the bike. While using the rust remover, you can use any of the mentioned above depending upon the rust strength and get the rust completely removed by using a brush that could go inside the small pieces and clean every pinch of rust effectively.
3. Dry and lubricate the chain
Once you have completely cleaned the rust, make sure that you dry the bike completely. After that add some drops of oil or bike lubricator that would prevent further rusting and provide you a smoother ride.
How To Remove Rust From Handlebar
As mentioned above, both of these methods can be applied while removing the rust from the handlebar. Let’s get a step by step method on cleaning it and removing the rust:
1. Clean the Handlebar (as always)
A proper wash is a must-follow process in the steps of removing rust. Cleaning makes sure that all the extra elements are removed and the rust remover can work effectively after that.
2. Apply the rust remover
The handlebar is a quite visible part of the bicycle which is going to be in constant touch with your hands. It means you need to clean your bike using some mild rust remover. It is just for the safety of your bike and your hands. You can spray and use a scrubber as per your requirements.
3. Dry your bike and take care further
At the last step, you need to dry your bike and it is now as new as the day it was bought.
Note that your sweaty hands can also cause the rust to come back again. You can take steps by your side to prevent it further.
Related Questions:
When it’s Not Worth Removing The Rust?
There are times when rust is so hard that is not worth removing the rust again and again. For instance, when there is pitting corrosion then it is too hard to remove the rust.
Pitting corrosion implies the formation of small holes called pits or cavities inside a very small area or space. These holes are dominated by rust and other corrosive products.
The noticing point is that the rust is only observed from the upper surface.
The more you clean and remove the rust, it will go deeper. It is in a way that hollows the bicycle and in turn, it is very hard to remove rust from every pit.
That’s why it is better to buy a new bicycle instead of investing time and energy to remove the rust. One of the other factors not worth removing rust is rusted chains for the long term.
The pivots, fenders, drive chain, and rear derailleur are quite sensitive parts. If rust has occupied them entirely with pits then it is better to get a new bicycle.
What Is The Best Homemade Method To Remove Rust?
To successfully remove the rust, there are many methods.
But, vinegar is one of the most popular rust-removing agents that removes the rust with minimum harm to the bike and that too requires quite less effort than other methods.
That’s why in our list to select the best homemade rust remover, we always go for the Vinegar. It is not only an effective solution but also helps in permanently removing the rust with all respect.
While deciding to remove rust off the bike using vinegar, get a spray bottle. Fill the spray bottle with vinegar and wear gloves in your hand besides having your googles up.
Now, spray the vinegar all over the rusted parts of the bike and use a brush or scrubber to clean the hardened rust. Also, to remove the hard rust, it is better not to forcefully remove it, since it may result in scratches on your bike. To do this, you should add a pinch of baking soda to the vinegar so that the rust is easily removed.
Can You Use Coke To Remove Rust?
Yes, you can use coke to remove the rust. All you have to do is to clean the rusty part with bike shampoo and water and let it dry so that all other insignificant elements and dust particles are removed.
On the pretty next step, you have to get Coca-Cola and spray it over the rusty surface. Keep it for an hour or two and use a brush or scrubber to scrape the rust off.
There is one more method of removing rust using coke. It involves submerging the rusted part into coke for an hour or for a night depending on the strength of the rust.
And then, you will need to lightly scrub the rust to get rid of it. This is a much simpler process. In the end, make sure that you have completely cleaned the rusted part and let it dry for an hour or two.
Once it is absolutely dry, you need to apply any bike lubricator to protect against future rusting.
Does Chemical Rust Remover Hurt Your Bike?
No. Chemical rust removers never hurt your bike when applied for a suggested period of time.
As said that, chemical rust removers are one the most popular rust removing agents, and all they do is loosen the rusty parts.
After that, you can use either a soft scrubber or sandpaper to completely remove the rust off.
The noteworthy aspect of using a chemical rust remover is that it does loosen the rusty part but there is one more caution that you must take.
These rust removers are very strong. That’s why you won’t have to put the effort into scrubbing the rust all the time. But, as said, every coin has two sides.
Keeping the chemical solution for a longer time will result in more courier of the metal of the bike. It can even throw water on all your efforts.
So on the brighter side, wash the rust and get a shining bike as awesome as the new one.
Kaye is a mother of two boys who is on a mission to improve her physical and mental well-being. With a passion for trying new beauty products and stacking her supplement intake, Kaye is always eager to discover new ways to enhance her lifestyle.
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