Using Electrolysis to Remove Rust

Removing rust from tools can literally be as easy as dropping the tool in to a bucket of water. Using electrolysis rust can be removed from any tool without damaging it in any way. This method attacks the rust and leaves the intact steel alone. Obviously this benefits over traditional methods because there’s no risk of scratching your tools when sanding or polishing the rust off.

The process is simple, involving little materials. The hardest part is to have a metal frame that goes around the bin to be submerged in water. Connecting to the frame above water level is a connector that plugs in to the 10 amp battery charger. Add a tablespoon of baking soda per gallon of water used. In this example it takes 5 gallons to submerge our metal frame. Put the tool you want cleaned on the bottom of the tub, but slightly elevated on two pieces of wood.

A demonstration of a simple way to use electrolysis to clean rust off of tools

Connect the battery leads to the frame and to the object you want to clean. Turn on the charger and start the process of electrolytic rust removal! After a few hours you should start to see the rust foam to the top and in no time it will be done. As soon as you remove the metal it’s important to dry it off and apply non silicon paste wax to keep it from rusting.

This method is good if you have a large amount of tools that you need cleaned. For instance if you inherited a hefty amount of old tools, or own a business that reuses and doesn’t want to create waste. It’s also good for complex items that can’t be sanded or taken apart easily.