Cleaning and Removing Rust

• 1). If the metal that you want to protect is already starting to rust, the first step is to remove any existing iron oxide from the surface. Scrub the rusted area lightly with a wet cloth to remove loose fragments. Apply a rust removing agent like oxalic acid to the damaged area. This should completely remove the existing rust.
  
  
• 2). After you've cleared away the existing damage, the next step is to use sandpaper to remove any leftover fragments or red spots.
  
  
• 3). Once the surface is completely free of rusty red spots, you can apply a coat of rust resistant primer. Primer will protect the surface from rust and help paint adhere better. If you apply only rust resistant paint, you could find yourself back where you started.
  
  
• 4). Apply rust resistant paint. Over the primer, only one or two coats should be necessary.
  
  
• 5). Keep the surface as clean as possible even with the rust resistant paint applied. Wipe dust off the surface daily if possible. If you use a wet cloth dry the surface immediately afterward. Water contains oxygen, and the oxygen can quickly bond with the iron forming more rust..