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Rust removal - home brew formula

hartmandm

hartmandm

Moderator
Diamond Level Sponsor
At the SAOCA Invasion this past weekend, I told Unbeam I would post the home brew rust removal formula I am currently using. The formula came from a YouTube video -
. The video claims the mix is better than EvapoRust and much cheaper. It is easy to make bold claims. I haven't used EvapoRust yet. I have mixed up a gallon of rust remover using the Oil Eater Overnight Rust Removal product, which is a chelation process like EvapoRust. I also mixed up a gallon of the home brew formula. The home brew formula worked really well and lasted longer than the Oil Eater product. I was cleaning rust off of an estate tool collection of sockets, wrenches, extensions, etc. Both products did a good job of converting rust within 24 hours.

I've been using white vinegar primarily for rust removal mostly up till now. Sometimes I do use electrolysis. I like the chelation process because I think it is easier on the good metal than vinegar. I've noticed vinegar seems to attack good iron metal, such as brake drums and clutch slaves. I'm anxious to try the home brew on something iron in the future.

The recipe from the YouTube video converted to 1 gallon is:

1 gallon of distilled water
378.5 grams of citric acid
151 grams sodium carbonate (a.k.a. Washing Soda)
  1. Add citric acid into water
  2. Then add the sodium carbonate; wait for the chemical reaction to fully complete
  3. Add a small amount of dish soap (e.g. Dawn) and stir. I added a short squirt of Dawn.
Total cost can be around $5 to $6 per gallon. EvapoRust is usually at least $25 per gallon. I bought 5 lbs of citric acid for about $20. I already had Washing Soda on hand for creating electrolysis solutions. Washing Soda is sold for about $6 for 3 lbs 7 oz. I used a kitchen scale to measure the citric acid and Arm & Hammer Washing Soda.

The Oil Eater product is $9 plus the cost of the distilled water gallon. So the home brew is not a large cost savings versus Oil Eater. However, the home brew definitely lasts longer, maybe twice as long.

Mike
 
Thanks Mike, that is just what I was looking for. Great to see you and all my other Sunbeam friends, great weekend
 
Awesome I was pointed at white vinegar cause I had some.... As well as Pine Sol cause I got a gallon at a estate sale for a dollar ;)
But I've used electrolysis, Evaporust, Phosphoric acid Rust release gel ..
Now I'm going to get to this formula...
 
I've used "granpa's" rust/paint remover for decades .. the standard wht. vinegar is 5% .. there's a cleaning type vinegar @ 30% .. 5 gallons 5% vinegar w/8 oz's citric acid and 2 tbsp's dish soap (to help break surface tension) and it works great! Make sure you thoroughly rinse the parts and then soak 'em in a soda bath to completely stop the acid reaction. My most recent endeaver ..this is 3 mo's later ... very little flash rust w/ a soda bath.

... David
 

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Just saw a post on FB recently about using a 10% solution of molasses to water (animal feed molasses - cheaper than the human consumption version). A guy used it in some rusted up engine cylinders - seemed to do the job nicely, though I'm told it stinks as it does. I'll try it sometime.
 
puff4 said:
Just saw a post on FB recently about using a 10% solution of molasses to water (animal feed molasses - cheaper than the human consumption version). A guy used it in some rusted up engine cylinders - seemed to do the job nicely, though I'm told it stinks as it does. I'll try it sometime.
Click to expand...
Kevin ... seriously? ... only in my sauerkraut .. my Bohemian grandma would make it like that ..... sweet! so her young ones would eat it ...w/ sausage and ?

.... potato dumplings ...

.... David :D
 
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So ... any firsthand reviews ? ,,, I paid $1.99 a gal. for pickling vinegar 5% and citric acid 2.99 16oz.s ... small part's for the shade tree mechanic in a 5 gal. pal .. works great! ..

..... David
 
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