In our industry, there are a couple of basic questions about rust: What is rust? Why does rust happen? How does rust happen? We’re here to explain rust to you.
Rust – What it is:
Rust is a blanket term for iron oxides. The substances of iron + oxygen = iron oxide. When we refer to rust, we’re usually talking about the “red” kind.
Rust – How it happens:
When water meets iron, strange things happens. Parts of the water (oxygen) do things with parts of the iron, and then iron oxides are born. Those iron oxides are rust.
Rust – Why it happens:
Rust is no surprise in certain conditions, such as where water is abundant, like outside in the rain or in pools or showers. But rust pops up on objects we think we keep dry. There’s moisture in the air. Everything touches the air. That moisture has water. That water has oxygen. That oxygen meets iron, and…. we have rust!
There’s obviously a lot more science behind how rust happens, but we wanted to break it down simple for you.
Ok, so you know about rust, now what? Knowledge is power! Now you can apply this science to preventing and removing rust.
To prevent rust, keep your metals as dry as possible. If they get wet (some things have to be outside or be cleaned) make sure it’s dried as quick as possible. For inside, dehumidifiers are a good idea. There are many products that are made to prevent rust, and we happen to make one called Rust-Block. It works, it’s easy (spray bottle) and it’s safe.
Another way to prevent rust is to get rid of it. There are tons of ways to get rid of rust. People have had success removing rust with special tools or ingredients, but it usually requires a lot of work, time, money, or is unsafe. Evapo-Rust® removes rust easily and safely. You can buy it online or offline.
Now you know the basics of what causes rust and what you can do to prevent it and get rid of it. Below are some awesome articles that further explain the science behind what causes rust and what you can do about it.
How Stuff Works: “How does rust work?”
WiseGeek: “What Causes Rust?”
Wikipedia: “Rust”