- To remove rust spots from your car, rub spot with a piece of crumpled foil or #0000 steel wool, or try sponging off with brand name colas. Boiling water works well, too.
- To prevent rust, most car doors have underside drain (weep) holes. At least once a year, probe them with a small screwdriver or a wire coat hanger to unclog them.
- Corrosion can be removed with club soda or baking soda and water.
- To remove rust from unpainted metal furniture, scrub it with a cloth dipped in turpentine.
- Clean and lubricate your garden digging tools in a sand-motor oil mixture. Keep a tub of it (one quart motor oil to forty pounds sand) in your tool shed. Just plunge the blades into the mix several times after use.
- Protect the moving parts of garden machinery such as mower blades, and keep your tools rust and corrosion free with moisture displacing spray lubricants such as WD-40 or LSP-1.
- To prevent rust, most car doors have underside drain holes so that water can escape and moisture can dry. These holes eventually get plugged. At least once a year, probe them with a small screwdriver or a wire coat hanger to unclog them.
- Apply a thin layer of clear silicone rubber sealant along the tops of body moldings to keep water from getting behind the molding; water trapped there can cause rust.
- An electric hand grinder with a conical stone removes dime-size rust spots without damaging the surrounding paint. Use it carefully to avoid penetrating the metal. Follow with primer and paint.
- Get rid of rust in hard to reach corners with a gasket scraper (found in the auto department). Brush with small brush, then prime and paint.
- Here's a do-it-yourself rust prevention coating for tools, outdoor furniture and other metal objects: Combine 1/4-cup of lanolin and one cup of petroleum jelly in a double boiler over a low heat. Stir until the mixture melts and blends completely, and then remove from heat and pour into a clean jar, letting the mixture cool partially. Use the mixture while it's still warm, and don't wipe if off -- just let it dry on the object. If there's any extra mixture left, cover it tightly and rewarm it before you use it again.
- To retard moisture and rust, keep moth balls with your tools. If rust spots appear, rub them away with a typewriter eraser.
- You can work most rusted bolts loose by pouring a carbonated beverage on them.
- Rust-proofing compounds can make rubber brittle. Avoid getting them on rubber seals, tubes, and gaskets.
- Keep rust from forming on chrome furniture by coating it with wax.
- When using a wire coat hanger to drip dry clothes, cover any rust spots with clear fingernail polish to avoid spotting the clothes.
- Navel jelly, muriatic acid and diluted phosphoric acid are all good for removing rust stains from bathroom and kitchen fixtures. Caution: These preparations are extremely strong. Make sure your timing is right. Don’t leave these preparations on the porcelain surface any longer then is necessary, or you may damage the porcelain.
- You can get rid of rust stains in a stainless steel sink by rubbing them with lighter fluid. Afterward, thoroughly wash your hands and the sink.
- To remove rust stains from lined kitchen ware, simply rub with a peeled potato dipped in a mild abrasive powder and rinse.
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