Despite the protective layers of paint and polish, cars are prone to rust. Without regular care and maintenance, rust is almost inevitable in areas with high humidity. However, it isn’t something you can’t get rid of. While prevention is always the best way to go, you can still remove rust that has already formed on your car.
Read on to know how to remove rust from cars just at the right time when it begins to spread. Let’s explore how to address the stages of rust, how do vehicles rust and what stuff you need to get the job done.
Items Required for Removing Rust from Car
Before we begin with the step-by-step process to remove car body rust, you’ll need to ensure that you have all the tools and supplies. Here is what you need for effective removal of rust from your cars:
- Sandpaper in selection of grits
- Primer (epoxy and lacquer)
- Masking tape
- Poly sheeting
- A tack rags
- Polishing compound
- Touch-up paint and clearcoat
- A sanding block, grease and wax remover
- Painter’s tape
- Microfiber cloths
- A hand scraper
- Grinding tool—if applicable
- Prep solvent
How to Remove Rust from Cars
Here is an answer to one of the most commonly asked questions “can rust be removed from cars?” The steps detailed below will guide you on how rust can be repaired or removed from a vehicle:
Step 1: Mask the Area
Using the poly sheeting, tape the leading edge just a few feet away from the area requiring repair so that you have adequate space to paint and blend it through.
Step 2: Start Removing the Rust
Scrape off any blisters on the paint, and use 40-grit sandpaper on the rust spots and sand down to the bare metal of the car. Ensure that the sanded area is large enough so that you can feather the edges of the area under repair. Use a 220-grit for feathering. Remove the particles from the unmasked area using a tack rag.
Step 3: Clean with a Detergent
Fill up any pits in the metal with a body filler. You can also wait for the epoxy primer to dry up to apply coats of filler primer. Now clean the area with a grease-cutting dishwashing detergent and thoroughly rinse it with plain water. After it’s dry, use a lint-free cloth to mop up the entire unmasked area for any remaining dust or lint. Finally, apply the prep solvent for the next step
Step 4: Apply the Primers
Now spray the filler primer heavily on the rusted area and also, blend it on the surrounding of it. Wait as per the recommended time written on the label of the clear coat, after each application. To confirm, touch and check if it’s wet or not (it might take longer to dry in humid climates).
Step 5: Sand the Primer
The next step is to sand the primer when it dries up. Take 600-grit sandpaper and smooth the primer and feather its edges. Once it’s done take 1000-grit sandpaper and sand the entire repaired area. After sanding, rinse with clean water and let it dry.
Wipe up the dried epoxy primer with a microfiber, lint-free cloth and then apply three heavy coats of lacquer filler primer. Give each application some time to dry. Now with 320-grit sandpaper, sand dripping and sags as well as the entire affected area.
Step 6: Apply the Colour
Now paint the repaired area by keeping the spray can about 12 inches away from the car’s body. Now apply the colour coat at the bottom first and bring it up in left-to-right rows. Make sure they are overlapped by about one-third of each spray.
You might need to apply two to three coats and build up the colour slowly. Apply each coat after 15 minutes and let the base coat dry for about 60 minutes.
Step 7: Finalize the Clearcoat
Apply multiple layers of clearcoat on the repaired area and make sure you let the coat dry after each application (as per the recommended time on the bottle’s label. Now let the clearcoat reach the surrounding unaffected areas slowly for a smooth blend line. You can start buffing after 48 hours.
Step 8: Buffing
The last step is to buff the repaired area. For this, take a microfiber cloth (you may use a cotton T-shirt as well) and a buffing compound to hand-buff it.
Now leave it for 30 days before waxing and avoid using a polishing machine.
Preventing Cars from Rusting
If you didn’t know, vehicular decay is completely preventable. There are several environmental factors that cause damage to vehicles in the form of rusting. The best advice for keeping rusts away from the body of your car is to regularly wash it. A few other preventive measures are:
- Keep it clean of road grime, salts, and dirt that leads to the formation of the rust and with it, the corrosion.
- Make sure the undersides are also regularly rinsed.
- Check for the drain holes at the bottom of doors and rocker panels that let the rainwater to flow out.
- Clean those holes at all cost with a pipe cleaner, and keep all the nooks and crannies dry because they tend to feed rust.
- Use the lubricant, WD-40. It removes rust from cars and is a popular tool to fight against corrosion particularly at the underbody, tight spots.
Now that you know how to remove rust from a car, ensure that your vehicle does not fall victim to it ever again. Keep the metal clean of corrosive salt and grime and ensure there are no scrapings that have unsealed the metal. As long as you follow these guidelines, you can keep your car safe from rusting for several years to come. However, if the car is too rusty to salvage, you should consider replacing it. You can easily buy used cars in the UAE online at affordable rates.
Stay tuned to UAE’s top auto blog for more information on repairing and replacing different auto accessories and parts.
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