How to Remove Rust With Pressure Cleaning

How to Remove Rust With Pressure Cleaning

Pressure cleaning is a great way to breathe fresh life into wooden fences, vinyl and aluminium siding, driveways, and many other applications. It’s also great at removing rust. You read that right. Many homeowners mistakenly think that pressure washing isn’t a viable solution to rust stains on metal and concrete, but it’s actually one of the most efficient and environmentally-friendly ways of removing rust safely.

Why Does Rust Appear?

In climates with more than 50 per cent humidity, metal surfaces are prone to oxidisation, or rust. It doesn’t only appear on metal, although that’s the most likely place you’ll find it. Rust stains can also accumulate where concrete meets metal, on patios where rusted patio furniture sits, and along walkways and fences around your home.

Rust thrives in the early mornings and eats away at the metal and causes unsightly stains. It can also pose a danger, particularly if you’ve got children or pets that can come into contact with rusted metal. That’s why it should be removed safely and as soon as possible.

Conventional Methods of Rust Removal

There are many ways that homeowners can remove rust. These include powerful chemical compounds, either aerosol-based or in liquid form, which can cause breathing difficulties if personal protective equipment isn’t worn as well as harming the environment as it’s washed away into the municipal water stream.

Power tools and sanders are also great at grinding down rusted areas at the source, but they often can’t reach inside of cracks and other hard-to-reach places. There are also specialised brushes that can be used to scour and scrub away rust stains, but these too require acidic chemical products that can be hazardous.

Pressure Washing as Rust Removal

Many pressure washers are able to properly scour and remove tough rust stains at the source. Industrial pressure washers able to achieve pressures in excess of 3,000 PSI are recommended for removing tough stains and buildups, but the right selection of nozzle and detergent are also critical in ensuring that the rust can be removed without damaging the surface permanently.

DIY vs. Professional Pressure Washers

It’s certainly possible to remove rust with a rented pressure washer, but it’s not recommended. Improper use of a pressure washer can lead to permanent damage to the surface if too much pressure or too strong a detergent is used. Likewise, too low of a pressure or an improper choice of detergent or nozzle may be insufficient for removing the rust.

Professional power washers are able to use just the right settings for every surface such that permanent damage isn’t caused but the rust is removed thoroughly and cleanly at its source. All too often, novice DIY pressure washing projects end up solving the problem but creating a newer, costlier problem as a consequence of improper use of the equipment.

Remove Rust with Pressure Cleaning Sydney

Whether you’re looking to remove rust, rust stains, or need to have your home professionally cleaned in an environmentally-friendly manner, look no further than Pressure Cleaning Sydney. Our pressure washing experts have the right equipment and expertise to ensure that your property is rust-free, safe, and clean.

2023-09-11T05:20:17+00:00 December 5th, 2019|Cleaning Blogs|