Finding rust stains on the balcony of the house always creates a little concern, because rust by nature tends to corrode metals if not acted upon immediately. Let’s see how we can intervene and if we have natural products available.
How rust is formed
Rust is quite common on many of our items that are outside our home, as well as on the balcony. In fact, it can appear on parts of our car, on some metal chairs, on the rake and even on the bicycle. On all these things can form traces of rust, it is quite common , but why does it happen ? Rust is caused by oxidation, when iron reacts with oxygen and water, the first rust marks appear. Water can accelerate this process because it introduces more oxygen into the iron that it absorbs, since the iron is contained in the material of the balcony. The three elements that cause rust on any surface are: Iron, water and oxygen. Since two of them occur naturally outdoors and our balcony is made of iron, rust is easily formed in this way. Although rust is unsightly, it is difficult to deal with. There are a few simple steps you can take to remove it. You will read about some of these steps below.
Use rust preventative
The first thing many people do is use a rust remover, there are many on the market and they work pretty well. Just put a small amount of the product on the rusted area and then scrub. In some cases the product may need to stay in place all night, in other cases they can fix the problem immediately. Although these formulas are often effective in application, they can be full of harmful chemicals, so wear gloves and keep the solution away from children and pets. However, there are safe and natural alternatives you can use.
Rust stains on the balcony, lemon juice and salt
It can be used to remove rust stains on the balcony by making a natural solution such as lemon juice. In fact, the acid of lemon has the power to separate iron and oxygen, and in the end, we have a shiny balcony again. To do this job, you need to pour coarse salt on the rust stain and then pour lemon juice on it. In this way, the salt provides a washing power, after a few minutes we can rub it and make the stain disappear. If the stain is superficial, half a lemon is enough to rub directly on the rust trace , almost like using a sponge. For more stubborn traces, you can leave the salt and lemon for a few hours before rubbing. Iron railings rust very often, because iron tends to rust over time due to contact with water. The problem can be solved by using half a raw potato. After rubbing it on the railing, you need to let it soak for a few hours. Finally, we need to rinse with hot water. Prevention of the railing can be achieved by oiling.
White vinegar against rust stains on the balcony
Even white vinegar is a natural product, whose abilities are recognized both in cleaning and decalcification of some surfaces, such as lime. For the problem of rust stains on the balcony, you just need to moisten a rag with vinegar and put it on the rust stain that you want to eliminate. After we have connected for half an hour, the soaked rag must rinse the surface with water and finally rub the stain. Due to the capabilities of vinegar, this solution is perfect for stains on floors.
