Tips and tricks on how to remove rust from a horseshoe

The found horseshoe promises its owner health, happiness and prosperity. Popular wisdom says that for this you need to hang it over the front door.

However, most of these finds are not distinguished by their purity and luster, as they are covered with a thick layer of rust.

How to give an old rusty horseshoe a presentable appearance and clean it of rust, read the article.

Folk remedies

You can remove rust from a horseshoe mechanically or using chemical compounds. The thicker the layer, the more effort will have to be made..

Vinegar

To remove rust from a horseshoe, you need to use not table vinegar, but essence with a concentration of 70%. Only in this case will it be possible to cope with plaque. You should not be afraid that the acid will corrode the metal; this process is not terrible for a horseshoe.

Procedure:

1. Pour the essence into a suitable container. It must be made of plastic or glass. Metal buckets are not suitable for this purpose.
2. Submerge the product in acid so that it completely covers it.
3. Leave the horseshoe to soak for an hour.
4. Wear rubber gloves, remove from the solution and clean with a metal brush.
5. Rinse the horseshoe under running water and dry.

The recipe is time-tested. There are no restrictions on the use of the essence. You just need to take care of compliance with safety measures. Read more about removing rust with vinegar. here.

Hydrogen peroxide

This pharmacy antiseptic can be used not only for treating wounds, but also for removing rust from metal products.

Instructions for use:

• dissolve 2 tablespoons of salt in 0.5 ml of water and pour 1-2 bottles of hydrogen peroxide;
• soak a horseshoe in this solution, leave for half an hour;
• put on gloves and remove the softened rust with a metal brush, if it does not come off badly, then the horseshoe is returned to the solution and kept for another 15 minutes - this time should be enough for the corrosion to be cleaned;
• after completion of the procedure, the product is rinsed in water and dried.

The processing of a horseshoe will require no more than 2 bottles of hydrogen peroxide, 100 ml each.

Soda

Lye helps to quickly get rid of rust marks on the horseshoe. This method is absolutely safe for metal and human health.

Procedure:

1. Pour 2 liters of water into a plastic or glass container.
2. Dissolve 4-6 tablespoons of soda in it.
3. Soak the horseshoe for an hour.
4. Remove rust residues with a wire brush.

Instead of a soda solution, you can use soda paste. In consistency, it should resemble sour cream. In this case, the exposure time can be reduced to half an hour, since the composition is characterized by increased efficiency.

The effectiveness of soda is slightly above average. If the rust layer is very thick, it is better to use acids or mechanically clean it off.

Aluminium foil

The food foil used for baking food helps to get rid of rust without harming the product. If the layer is small, then it will be possible to cope with it in a few minutes.

Procedure:

• cut off a small amount of foil from the roll;
• roll it into a ball - it should be of such a size that it is comfortable to hold it in your hand;
• fix the horseshoe in the desired position;
• clean rust with foil.

Coca Cola

Coca-Cola helps get rid of rust just like acid and professional solvents. Unlike chemistry, the drink is not a source of corrosive vapors, does not irritate the skin of the hands, and does not harm the metal. It can be used to remove corrosion even from rare items.

Procedure:

1. Pour Cola into a plastic or glass container.
2. Place in a horseshoe so that it is completely submerged in the drink.
3. Leave on for 12 hours.
4. Remove rust residues with a wire brush.

Instead of Cola, you can use Phanta, Pepsi or Sprite. This will not affect the result. Although it will take a long time to soften the corrosion, this method is highly effective. Even a thick layer of rust can be removed in just a few procedures with Cola.

Read about how to use Coca-Cola in the fight against rust in this article.

Professional formulations

You can use professional household chemicals to remove rust. You can purchase the product in retail stores or place an order online. Top 3 cleaning compounds:

1. Cillit bang... The horseshoe is moistened with water and filled with gel completely, or areas covered with corrosion are treated. Leave the composition for 5 minutes, after which the metal is rubbed with a stiff brush, the rest of the product is washed off with water. The cost of a 450 ml gel is 175 rubles.
2. Syntilor Remover... The composition is diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 3, applied to a horseshoe and left for 10 minutes. After the specified time, the softened rust is removed with a metal brush. The price of 1 liter of cleaning solution is 490 rubles.
3. Monica oxalic acid paste... The horseshoe is moistened with water, a paste is applied to it and left for 10 minutes, after which the corrosion is removed with a brush. Price - 82 rubles.

How to deal with severe corrosion?

If the layer of rust is thick, then it will be possible to cope with it only with a combination of 2 methods.

First, the horseshoe is cleaned with a metal brush, after which it is treated with chemical compounds. It is possible that this cycle will have to be repeated.

Acetic acid 70% can be used as chemicals... If the concentration of the main substance is lower, then the treatment efficiency will be zero.

For the same reason, it doesn't make sense to use:

• citric acid
• hydrogen peroxide,
• soda.

They will not be able to cope with the task.

What is prohibited to use?

Horseshoes are made of mild steel, so it is not recommended to use a hard brace to remove rust from them. Such aggressive tactics will damage the product.

Helpful information

Tips to help remove rusty deposits safely and efficiently from a horseshoe:

1. Working with chemistry, you need to take care of your own safety. It is unacceptable to start cleaning without using gloves.
2. If the layer of rust is thick, the corroded metal must be brushed off before the main treatment.
3. After completing cleaning, the part must be rinsed under running clean water or wiped with a damp cloth. This must be done in order to remove chemical residues.

Related videos

The video will tell you how to clean a horseshoe from rust:

Conclusion

You can remove rust from a horseshoe with the help of improvised tools and professional household chemicals. The main thing is to strictly follow the recipe and observe basic safety measures.