Rust can eat away wrought iron if it's not completely removed.
Wrought iron furniture, especially if it's kept outdoors, is very susceptible to rust development. Rust occurs when the oxygen in a water molecule combines with an iron atom, forming iron oxide, which is not soluble in water so it gets deposited on the surface of the iron. Rust can usually be removed with a stiff metal brush and a little bit of elbow grease, but for particularly touch patches, it is best to soften up the rust by applying a mild acid before you scrub. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Combine cream of tartar and the lemon juice in a small dish, using two parts of cream of tartar for every one part of lemon juice. Mix the ingredients together to form a paste.
2. Apply the paste to the rust on the wrought iron. Let the paste sit for a half an hour to give it time to eat away at the rust.
3. Rinse the paste off of the wrought iron with water.
4. Scrub the rust away with your wire brush. Use short strokes and push down hard on the brush. Continue until most of the rust is gone. Rinse the area again.
5. Scour the remaining rust spots with 80 grit sandpaper for a few minutes, and then change to 160 grit sandpaper. Continue to scrub until the rust is completely gone.
6. Scrub the surface with steel wool to return the luster of the metal.
7. Spray the entire surface of the wrought iron, even those not showing signs of rust with a rust inhibitor spray.
8. Brush down the wet rust inhibitor right after you spray it on. Brushing will work the inhibitor into all of the tiny holes in the iron, preventing the inhibitor from failing early.
Tags: cream tartar, grit sandpaper, lemon juice, rust inhibitor, wrought iron
