I have a couple of bars that are otherwise usable but have heavy rust because they got wet and were resting against each other. Anyone know what removes rust without my having to scrape the paint/logo off? I ask because I cleaned my toilet last night with some stuff that you just squirt in there and don't even have to scrub, it just dissolves the funk ring, lol.
phosphoric acid will convert the rust. It is what is inside naval jelly which works but is slower than using straight acid. Hitting it with an angle grinder will basically just knock out the surface, it won't get into the pits. Unless you get aggressive. If you go with straight acid, wear respiratory protection.. Muriatic acid will also remove all rust but doesn't convert. So you will need to treat the bar to keep it from flash rusting.
I always soak my rusty stuff in 5% acidity white vinegar I buy in gallon jugs at the supermarket. You have to be careful not to let it soak for too long......I would soak for a few days, take it out, give it a scrub, and then put it back and keep checking. It worked amazing for restoring a pipe wrench that's been here since 1947 when the house was built....it also worked great on my two 75 year old splitting wedges that were totally covered in thick rust. I didn't need to use the vinegar in my latest restoration - wd-40 and a wire wheel on a drill worked just fine for that. There was only a thin coat of minor surface rust.
I have also used tomato paste on stainless steel, when I worked construction. I am not sure how it would work on non-stainless. We would just apply it like a paste and let it set over night, then wash it off and wipe down with something like WD-40.
Without taking the paint and logo off? Good luck! I guess I would try the acid for the toilet and see, probably wouldn't hurt much. I would try evapo-rust. That would probably be pretty good too.
