best way to remove rust?

[mrkeith]

hi, quick question, whats the best way to remove rust stains from things such as stantions, anchor guard, rudder fixtures etc from my boat with out
damaging the paint and gelcoat? thank you very much

[CDRA]

Coca Cola, and a green dish scrubing pad.

[camaraderie]

Use Miracle Cloth for anything stainless or other polished metal. Available at West Marine and other places.

[sailingdog]

While I have used CDRA's methods.... I would also second the Miracle Cloth that Cam has suggested. They're worth every penny.

[T37Chef]

I have to say that miracle cloth lives up to it name!!!!

IN addition, I don't know if the use of very fine steel wool is a good idea but I have had some good results.

[camaraderie]

T37...NEVER use steel wool on stainless...the small iron particles come off and rust on everything. Works good on other stuff!

[ianhlnd]

Oxalic acid. Mix a small amount with water (1 tsp per pint) and spray it on the stain. Voila, in a few minutes ....gone. may need a couple of applications and make sure to wax after cleaning.

[Sabreman]

For 30 years, I've used a small amount of BonAmi on a washcloth followed by a freshwater washdown and a high quality stainless polish. Cheap and easy. The polish will prevent rust stains for about a year depending on how much salt gets at the metal.

Concur about NEVER using steel wool. I did it once on my father's boat when I was in high school. By the next week there were thousands of rust stains all over the deck. It took me the rest of the summer and a lot of scrubbing to get rid of them.

[sailingdog]

Actually, you should never use steel wool on a boat...ever... the little pieces of steel will drop off and leave rust colored pox on the fiberglass... the worst part is that you won't see it until a few days/weeks have gone by, and then it is way too late. If you need to use an abrasive pad....go with either a ScotchBrite-type nylon scrubbing pad or a bronze wool pad.

BTW, I'd only recommend the Miracle Cloth if you're talking some light surface corrosion—on actual metal pieces. If you're talking heavy duty rust—with flakes and sharp edges... then replacement is generally the only option....

If you're just talking about rust stains, like what happens when the rusty water drips from the base of a stanchion, down the side of your hull... then CLR might be a good choice. You generally don't want to use anything too abrasive on the gelcoat or painted fiberglass.

[JouvertSpirit]

Bar keepers Friend. Someone told me about this stuff years ago and I've used it for years. Works on just about any surface. I've always had old boats so you might want to try a small hidden surface before applying to shiny gel coat. I think it is a cheap source of oxalic acid found in most grocery stores in the "Comet" section.
http://www.barkeepersfriend.com/products.htm

/No affiliation, just a pleased customer