How to Get Rid of Rust on Your Balcony: The Complete Guide


rust on balcony rails

Taking care of your balcony is important to ensure that you get the most out of it and often use it. When rust starts to show up on the balcony, it can look unseemly and hard to remove. Finding the right solution is important to increase your enjoyment of it. 

To get rid of rust on your balcony, there are few efficient products that you can use. You can choose to work with a common rust remover found at many stores. Natural products like baking soda, white vinegar, lemon juice, and soda pop can help clean the balcony and remove rust. 

In this article, we will look at how rust forms on your balcony, some of the steps you can use to make the rust leave your balcony, and some of the best rust removal products you can choose for the stubborn rust. 

How Does Rust Form on My Balcony?

It is common to find rust on many of your outside items. In addition to your balcony, parts of your vehicle, chairs, rakes, and even bikes can start to form rust. This is common, but why does it happen?

What Are the Ingredients That Cause Rust?

Rust occurs because of oxidation. This is when iron reacts to oxygen and water. When you take a look at the periodic table, you should notice how oxygen and iron have opposite charges. This causes them to be attracted to one another and try to combine. 

However, the iron will lose electrons to help stabilize the oxygen when this happens. We can see this with the flaxy auburn colored rust on our balcony. Water can speed up this process because it introduces more oxygen to the mix, taking over the iron found in the balcony’s material. 

The three elements that cause rust on any surface are iron, water, and oxygen. Since two of these happen outside naturally, and your balcony is made of iron, it easily causes rust.

READ ALSO: 9 Ways to Clean a Concrete Balcony Floor

While rust is unsightly and hard to deal with, you can follow a few simple steps to make it go away. Some of the steps you can use are listed below.

Use a Rust Remover

The first thing that many people use is a rust remover. There are many in the market, and they work surprisingly well. Add a small amount to the rusty area then scrub. Some will ask you to leave the solution overnight, while others allow you to get to work right away. 

While these formulas are often effective to use, they can be full of harmful chemicals. You need to wear gloves and keep the solution far away from children and pets. If the ingredients in these chemicals are too much, there are some safe and natural alternatives.

Use Lemon Juice

You can use a natural solution like lemon juice to get rid of some of the rust on your balcony. It has a bit of acid inside that helps separate the iron and oxygen from one another to get a shiny balcony again. 

To make this work, find coarse salt to add on the rust, and top with a little lemon juice. The salt will provide a minimal scrubbing power. After a few minutes, you can scrub this off and have the rust gone. 

Use Baking Soda

You should purchase baking soda if you want a cheap way to keep any part of your home clean. You can mix it with a little water to form a thick paste and clean off almost any surface. 

To get it to work against the rust, make a paste thick enough to stick onto the parts of your balcony with rust. This needs to sit there for a bit for the baking soda to do its magic. Use a wire brush to help scrub it off and look at how great your balcony looks!

Use White Vinegar

If the rust you are fighting against is stubborn, and the other options are not working, you might want to bring out the white vinegar. This is another acidic option that will help take care of your rust along with some good scrubbing. When using white vinegar, make sure that you completely wipe it off, or the acid may burn through bolts and other parts of the balcony. 

Use Soda or Pop

Many people have heard the idea that cola or soda can remove rust from the balcony. Most soft drinks will contain something known as phosphoric acid that can help clean rust off some surfaces. 

However, the biggest problem with this method is the sugar content of the soda. If you do not clean this up well, the balcony may get sticky and attract bugs. It is an option to use if nothing else is on hand, but the other options are better. 

The Best Rust Removers

There are different ways to remove rust on your balcony. Depending on how long the rust has been there, and how strong it is, you may want to consider a good rust remover to make things easier. Some of the best rust removers that you can use include the following:

Evapo-Rust the Original Super Safe Rust Remover

This is a great rust remover to use because it is not toxic to work with, and most consumers find it easy to use. The formula is safe on human skin, while still having all the power you need to remove the rust on any metal surface. Additionally, this product is safe for the environment.

WD-40 Specialist Rust Remover

You cannot go wrong when using any product from WD-40, and this product is no exception. It removes rust quickly while containing safe ingredients. It is best to use this product if you can soak it for a bit before scrubbing. Overnight soaking may be required for some areas.

CLR Calcium Lime Rust Remover

This is a good product to use for different dirt and grime projects around the house. It can handle the rust on your balcony, dishwasher, toilet, humidifier, and other items in your home. It also works well on some plumbing projects in your home, making it a good product to have on hand. 

Turtle Wax T-280RA Chrome Polish and Rust Remover

If you need a good rust remover for your balcony and your car, then this is a good option. It is designed to help bring the chrome in the balcony back to its original form so you can have one of the best-looking balconies. All you need is a microfiber cloth and a foam pad to make this work.

Conclusion

Rust is never fun to look at and can ruin your balcony if you do not take care of it properly. While there are several good rust removers on the market, there are also some all-natural alternatives, like soda pop, lemon juice, and baking soda, that work well for cleaning your balcony.

The best way to deal with rust is to stop it before it gets too invasive. Rust can take hold of a surface in a matter of a few days. By stopping it with a rust inhibitor, you will prevent the problem from getting worse.

Here is a quick recap of the post:

  • There are plenty of all-natural and store-bought rust preventatives.
  • You can use tinfoil and dish soap to scrub rust away from your balcony.
  • Excess moisture on metal surfaces can cause rust and corrosion.
  • Use abrasive pads, steel wool, and brushes to remove rust.

LaShawn Toyoda

I love home decor, DIY, and gardening. During my free time I enjoy looking for new ways to improve my home so that it's more organized, comfortable, and relaxing. My apartment in Japan has a small balcony with a great view. I created this site to share and get ideas for how to decorate and better utilize my balcony space.

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