You drive your car every day, but are you doing anything to keep it looking its best? In fact, one of the biggest problems with cars is surface rust. Even if you get a car inspected by a reputable mechanic, rust can still show up. There are many things you can do to keep your vehicle looking its best, like cleaning and waxing it. But there are also things you can do to prevent the surface rust in the first place.
Today, we’re going to look at the most significant and working methods to get rid of surface rust on a car. Read on and discover how you can do it by yourself.
What is surface rust on a car?
Surface rust is a common problem that can be caused by a variety of different factors. The most common of these is when a car or truck has sat out in the elements for a long period of time.
A car’s exterior can be damaged by a buildup of dirt or contaminants, or by wearing too much of a substance called “rust”. Rust is actually a layer of metal that is formed on a vehicle’s surface. It is often formed by the presence of iron and oxygen.
However, not all of this iron-based rust is harmful. In fact, some of the substances that are commonly used for rust prevention, such as wax and zinc, are actually beneficial to cars. In addition, a car’s surface may be covered with rust that was previously hidden underneath a protective layer of paint. This type of rust can be removed by cleaning the car’s surface with the right products and methods.
Reasons of rust development on car surface?
If you’ve ever watched a car being driven on a highway or freeway, you may have noticed that some cars appear to develop a coating of rust on the surface of their vehicle. There are many different reasons why this happens. Let’s discover the most common reasons of car surface rust development.
- If the car has been in an massive accident
- The car has been sitting in one place for too long (maybe for months or years)
- Has been in salt or regularly driving in salty roads
- Has been in the rain for longer period of time
- If the car has been keep sitting under hot sun
- The car has been sitting under cold weather or maybe in the ice
- Been sitting in dirty water
- Without having proper care of your car exterior (no cleaning, no maintenance)
How to get rid of surface rust on a car
I’m not really going to lie. If you follow the following ways and properly implement on your car. You have 99% chances you will be able get rid of surface rust from your car. By the way, if only if your car already has been developed surface rust. So, let’s begin the process:
Wash the Entire Surface Area
Before getting started with the main task, we need to wash the entire car surface. So that we don’t get any unwanted dirt’s remain on surface. How do you make sure that all the dirt is removed and that there are no more unwanted dirt’s available? Soap and water is the best option.
There are two ways to clean the car. The first is the traditional method. You need to use a rag and wet it first. This method helps get rid of the grime, but it leaves extra scratches. To prevent this, use a cleaner such as the ones made for cars. They contain soap and chemicals that help keep the surface scratch free.
Mask Off affected area
To protect your car, you need a clear and clean surface, and that means masking off any unsightly car parts before painting or applying sprays. It’s best to apply masking compound to the non-affected area before you are moving for the next step, so the new paint or primer won’t affect other areas through to the surface.
Apply rust removing spray
Now it’s time to apply rust removing spray to get the job done perfectly. For your kind information, rust removing spray is a highly effective method of removing rust from metal. Using this spray will also allow you to clean rust off surfaces that are easily cleaned without the risk of damage to the surface of the material. Spray the rust off surface and allow it to dry.
Remove remaining rusts
You may notice some extra rust still remaining. But you really don’t need to panic. Use some fine grit sandpaper to remove any remaining rust. You can continue this process as often as you need until all the rusts are gone. If you want perfect finish you may need to change sandpaper sizes to get the most preferable output from the job. But if you are not that serious, you can do it once or twice.
Again wash the area properly
If you are not happy with the result of using sandpaper, there is another best way to remove the remaining rust is by washing the car surface in a large bucket of warm water along with soap. You’ll need to keep an eye on it so you can remove any soap scum that forms. Make sure you rinse the car thoroughly, even if you don’t see any soap scum.
Wait till the area dries
For those of you who own a car, there is one thing we all have in common: washing and drying them. The best car wash and dryer services are the ones that provide not only top-notch cleanliness, but also a quick drying process. But I don’t think you are interested in investing dollars to dry your car. As you can do it yourself.
A quick way to dry your vehicle after washing is to place towels inside the door panel to absorb the moisture from the water droplets. The heat will then dry the interior of your car quickly and help you save on the energy costs.
Apply primer over the area
The final thing you need to do it primer over the surface to hide some holes that already been seen. We use our fingers to do this, but it can be done with a brush if you don’t have access to a finger. Apply the primer with a clean, dry paintbrush and lightly drag it along the surface, starting with the center of the tire and working outwards, until you reach the edges. Let the primer dry completely. You might need to apply again if you are not satisfied with the result.
Conclusion
When it comes to rust removal, there’s a lot of controversy regarding which chemical should be used to remove it. Some people swear by one product and others swear by another, so you really have to experiment with it.
But in this article I have already tried to discuss what I personally experienced. And I am sure those are one of the easiest and working methods that not only going to save your money, but also make you skillful in car maintaining arena. Just you have to have your own trust and follow the steps exactly I mentioned.
