How to remove rust from a bicycle?

A bicycle, like any vehicle, needs care. If you are not good enough with him, at the very right moment he can present some unpleasant surprise. However surprises can expect you and at the moment when you are just starting to prepare for the bike season. For example, you decided to look at the condition of your two-wheeled friend, brought him from the balcony to the room and found that the steering wheel and the iron parts of the pedals were covered with a reddish bloom. How to remove rust from a bicycle? This will be discussed in this article.

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What is rust and why does it arise?

Rust is a reddish coating on iron surfaces. It is a mixture of iron oxides and hydroxides, that is, products of corrosion( damage) of iron. Rust arises from the contact of iron with air and water. Accordingly, the bicycle parts can rust, if: the

• bicycle was stored for a long time in a damp room;
• you badly wiped the bike after washing;
• the bike was under heavy rain, and you forgot to put it in order;
• chrome or nickel-plated rudder is damaged - chrome and nickel prevent iron corrosion, but if the coating is damaged, iron oxidizes perfectly under it.

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Which parts of the bike rust?

Having inspected your bike, you can be sure that it was not completely rusted, even if it lay all winter on the balcony without any cover. For example, the frame probably did not hurt.

Why?- Because it is painted, and the paint, most likely, added a special anti-corrosion agent. Most often rust:

• iron parts of the pedals;
• steering wheel;
• unpainted steering column;
• circuit;
• iron wheel parts;
• knitting needles.

Important! The frame can also rust if the coating is broken.

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Prevention measures

Knowing why rust is formed and which parts rust faster than others, you can try to avoid corrosion. Prevention measures are simple enough:

1. After skiing in the rain and dirt, it is necessary to wash and dry all parts of the bike.
2. Keep the bike in a dry place in winter, and if it is lying on your balcony, it is in a case or under a tarpaulin.
3. Regularly lubricate moving parts with machine oil.
4. The frame needs to be painted regularly.
5. Monitor the integrity of the chrome or nickel coating.

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If rust appeared

But what to do when, despite all your worries, a nasty reddish tinge still appeared? How to get rid of rust on a bicycle? To begin with - to assess the problem:

1. On the bike - one or two small rusty spots.
2. There are many rusty spots, but they are small.
3. All that is not colored is affected by rust.

The clarified situation will vary and how to remove rust from the bicycle.

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What are the ways to remove rust?

There are several ways to remove rusty stains from a bicycle:

• chemical;
• mechanical;
• mixed - with the help of home remedies.

Preparation of materials and tools

In this case, you will benefit:

• metal brush or scraper;
• paper towels;
• mineral oil;
• acid;
• diesel;
• solidol;
• wipes;
• cotton swabs.

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Removing small surface stains

It takes about half an hour to remove small surface stains of rust. To proceed as follows:

1. Clean the damaged area with a brush or scraper.
2. Lubricate them with mineral oil.
3. Wait for about twenty minutes.
4. Remove the oil with the same scraper.
5. Dry the bike with paper towels.

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When the rust is a lot

If the previous method was not effective enough, you will have to continue the process. You need a remedy for removing corrosion - you can buy it from a hardware store or make it yourself. To get rid of rust on the bike:

1. Apply the product to the remaining stains( using paper napkins).
2. Wait for 5-10 minutes.
3. Clean the bike properly.

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Chemical method

To remove stains of rust from metal surfaces, it is not necessary to immediately run to the hardware store. Oxides and hydroxides of iron are perfectly handled by acids - both organic and inorganic.

Important! However, from the use of inorganic acids in this case it is better to refrain. They, of course, will save the bike from rust, but they themselves quite willingly interact with iron, especially nitric acid.

Sulfuric and hydrochloric acid can be used, but it is necessary to prepare very weak solutions. In addition, work with these substances should be in gloves and respirators.

Orthophosphoric acid

To combat rust, cyclists often use orthophosphoric acid because, unlike sulfuric or hydrochloric acid, it forms a protective film that prevents corrosion. It is released in the form of 85% solution. In order to rid the bike of rust with this substance, you will need:

• respirator;
• rubber gloves;
• cotton swabs;
• baking soda;
• paper towels.

Important! Work should be carried out in a well-ventilated area.

What to do:

1. Treat rusty stains with a brush or scraper.
2. Degrease the surface with a soda solution.
3. Rinse the surface with water to remove soda.
4. Moisten with an acid tampon.
5. Wipe affected area.
6. Neutralize the acid with a soda solution.
7. Rinse all this with water.
8. Dry the bicycle cleanly.

Organic acids

It is better to use organic acids - lemon or acetic acid. Cyclists especially popular mixture of lemon juice and food vinegar. This is the cheapest and most effective way to deal with rust. How to get rid of rust on a bicycle at home using these simple and accessible substances?

You will need:

• lemon juice;
• 9% vinegar;
• baking soda;
• paper towels;
• engine oil;
• grinding material;
• rags;
• paint;
• metal brush or scraper.

The first steps are the same as in the cases already described. You need to prepare tools, clean off what is being scraped off, smear stains with engine oil and remove excess.

Working with acid:

1. Prepare a mixture of lemon juice and acetic acid in a ratio of 1: 1.
2. Prepare a soda solution at a rate of 1: 1( it should look something like gruel).
3. Apply acid to the grinding material( this material is usually made of pressed metal shavings, but iron wool for dishes is also suitable).
4. Sand areas where there are stains of rust.
5. Wet rag in soda.
6. Wipe acid-treated places - soda is needed to neutralize acid residues, this is especially important if you use inorganic acids.

Important! Soda solution should not fall on aluminum bicycle parts!

Bicycle needs to be washed

Despite the fact that the soda solution neutralizes the acid, the bicycle should be washed properly. Nothing unusual in this, wash it as you always do it, only more carefully. It is convenient to moisten a paper towel with water and thoroughly wipe all the places where you rubbed with acid.

Drying is mandatory

Because the rust is formed, if the bicycle is stored in damp, wipe after treatment it must be very carefully, literally leaving no wet place.

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So as not to rust

After you have removed the rust, you need to prevent further corrosion. The bicycle still remains in the air - which means it will interact with it. If you removed rust with orthophosphoric acid, the bike will be protected to some extent against corrosion. If you used other means - you will have to take a few more steps:

1. If the paint on the frame has peeled off, paint it.
2. Unpainted parts can be chrome plated or nickel plated - in workshops it is done.
3. Parts that can not be painted or chrome-plated, lubricate with engine oil.

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Bicycle chain

The bike chain is not painted and it is not recommended to clean it with a metal brush - it will wear out faster.

It should be treated like this:

1. Put the chain in a metal container.
2. Fill with diesel oil.
3. Put the jar on the fire.
4. Bring the diesel to a boil and set it on fire.
5. Remove the jar of burning diesel from the fire and gently pour the contents onto a clean stone surface.
6. Allow the diesel to burn out and the chains to cool.
7. Shake the chain several times - the rust and dirt will fall off it.
8. Lubricate the chain with solidol.
9. Set it on the bike.

Important! The procedure should be conducted outdoors, in compliance with fire safety rules.

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Home remedies against rust

If the stains are small and relatively fresh, you can try to remove them with the help of some products. By such means it is convenient to remove rusty stains from small objects( for example, from knives), but if rust only appeared on the handlebars or pedals - why not try these methods on a bicycle?

Potatoes

Excellent tool that is ideal for knives, but you can try to remove a small rust of the bicycle:

1. Cut the raw potatoes in half.
2. Add salt to the cut.
3. Rub a rusty stain.

Tomato sauce

With rusty stains on metals, ketchup or another tomato sauce is doing fine. This is the fastest way to remove not very deep spots:

1. Lubricate the stain with sauce.
2. Wait a few minutes.
3. Remove the sauce.

We hope, with the help of our useful tips, the problem of rust on the bike is solved for you. Henceforth, more attentively try to apply to your vehicle so that you do not have to spend extra time removing brown spots from it.