The Kitchen Liquid That Cleans And Shines Rusty Bolts With Minimal Effort

It can be frustrating to dig into your toolbox or storage drawer for a bolt only to find it brown, coated in a layer of rust. Rust forms when iron, whether in the form of steel or cast iron, oxidizes, a chemical reaction forming an iron oxide. While other metals may corrode, rust only affects iron and its derivative, steel. The natural question that arises is can you remove the rust, or are the bolt and its components ruined? The good news is that you have a liquid in your kitchen, vinegar, that breaks down iron oxide and removes rust, making nuts and bolts usable again.

The chemical reaction that causes rust is a bit complicated, involving neutrons and protons jumping around and reforming. But basically, if you combine water and iron, the oxygen and hydrogen in the water will start a reaction that will break down the iron. Rust is stubbornly hard to remove and it's a process that is hard to stop. But while Neil Young advises that rust never sleeps, by using vinegar you can kick it out of town.

Vinegar contains acetic acid, a chemical that breaks down iron oxide and rust, leaving behind a salt that you can remove. It's a similar chemical reaction involving protons and neutrons moving around called neutralization. Get started by putting your rusted bolts and nuts into a bowl or other container. Then pour white vinegar until the vinegar just covers the pieces. Let them soak for at least 24 hours. Remove from the vinegar and use a cloth, steel wool, or a synthetic scratchy pad to wipe away the salt residue until fully dry. Ironically, vinegar contains water, which could possibly restart the problem if not dried properly. There's no point in using nuts and bolts if they're going to go bad.

Of course, it's best to avoid rust from the start, so store your steel and iron items in a dry environment to prevent the problem. To keep corrosion from happening again, you can use a Vaseline trick to repel moisture from accumulating. Mineral oil can prevent issues as well.