When your outdoor mailbox is exposed, it can react with the elements in the atmosphere, causing a process that is known as oxidation, and that is responsible for the formation of rust on a variety of different types of metal surfaces. Mailboxes tend to be particularly vulnerable when they are left untreated or unprotected because they are fully exposed to all of the elements, including rain, sun and snow.

If your outdoor mailbox is experience a rust problem as a result of oxidation, then you should that removing the rust is something that you can do. After you remove the rust from your mailbox you can take steps to prevent a further build up of rust by painting your mailbox or sealing it with a rust-proof finish.

For this process you are going to need heavy duty steel wool or a wire brush, white vinegar and baking soda, a chemical rust remover, lemon juice, a pair of rubber gloves, a thick shop rag, a mask, paint and a paintbrush.

The first step in the process is to remove the rust, or at least as much of it as you possibly can using the steel wool or wire brush. If you can remove your mailbox, do so, so that you may work on a shop bench or some other sturdy surface. The biggest flakes of rust should scrub off this way. To deal with the trickier rust, you can either make use of a commercial and chemical based remover or you can create your own home made solvent. The materials needed for both are listed already in this article.

Non toxic solvents that you make at home work well for this purpose. You can apply white vinegar much in the same way that you would apply any other chemical cleaner. Scrub the mailbox using the shop rag so that you can get the more resistant rust out with scrubbing. You can also sprinkle baking soda and lemon juice onto the rust areas before scrubbing with the vinegar for good measure. The vinegar and the baking soda will react, creating a foam, and the foam will be powerful enough that it can eat through some of that rust for you. You should plan on doing some decent scrubbing though, because rust really can be persistent. The rust certainly is not going to remove its self.

The next step in the process is going to be to take a brand new, clean shop rag, wetting it down and rinsing off the mail box. Make sure that you dry the mailbox thoroughly following the rinse down to make sure that you do not give the rust a chance to form again.

Finally you are going to want to prevent your mailbox from having rusting issues in the future by applying a rustproof finish or painting it. Both of these options is capable of protecting it from sustaining any further rust, though you should plan on refinishing or repainting occasionally to keep it in good shape.

Photo Credits: Brandy Shaul

Originally posted 2009-10-23 03:01:20. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Related Posts

• Repairing a Crack in the Driveway If you have a driveway that is made out of asphalt, then understanding the essentials behind driveway crack repair is going to be rather necessary. There are a number of benefits to using an asphalt driveway over one made out of gravel or dirt, including a longer lifespan and better......
• How to Refinish Furniture When it comes time to replace your furniture, you may be able to save money and refinish the piece of furniture. What that entails is to remove the old finish, prepare for the new finish, and then apply the new finish. A little bit of effort can save you a......
• Installing a Pet Door Installing a unique door for your dog or your cat is a great way for you to make pet ownership a little simpler, because it will allow your pet to go out and come in at will rather than scratching at the door for your attention all throughout the day.......
• Cutting Home Improvement Costs The cost behind home improvement projects can easily become higher than you anticipated. When you follow a few simple and straight forward guidelines for cutting home improvement costs, you can and will reduce the expenses of your home improvement endeavor in order to save yourself a lot of money in......
• Screws and Screwdrivers 102 Smoother Screw Driving Holding Power - Before you drive a screw you should dip the screwdriver blade tip into a small mound worth of scouring powder, or perhaps dig it into a carpenter's chalk cone. The coating of the cleanser or the chalk is going to make it easier for......

Related Websites

• 10 Essential Elements of Weight Loss Success pt 2 Continued from part 1, we are looking at the ten essential elements for weight loss success. 6 - Exercise - Daily activity is a really important part of the equation, along with including periods of structured, intense activity, or 'working out'. This should cover resistance training to build long, lean......
• Making the Most of Your Trip to the Coin Collector Shop If you are heading to a coin collector shop you are going to want to make sure that you get as much out of the trip as possible. You will want to make sure that you are going to be able to get the coins that you want, and that......
• Caring for your Skis Ski equipment can really add up in costs and can become quite expensive over time. By systematically maintaining your ski gear, you can actually save a lot of money in the long run. Your skis will be kept durable over time, providing you with a much better conduct on the......
• Want a Loan? Do Your Homework First! Understanding the differences between loan types is difficult enough, so researching them for comparison purposes is not always at the top of everyone's list. Before you walk into your current bank to fill out a loan application, consider all of your options. When the loan you are seeking is a......
• How to Clean and Lubricate Skate Bearings Clean bearings are going to roll smoother, roll faster, and will last much longer than dirty bearings. Dirt and grime foul the bearings and can cause pitting which make rotation uneven and rough. The following paragraphs have instructions for cleaning bearings with removable shields. If you do not have removable......

Online Stores

• Ads Pepsi Soda Advertising Collectibles
• Wool Fingerless Gloves Hats & Gloves Clothing, Shoes & Accessories Fishing
• Banks Coca-Cola Soda Advertising Collectibles
• Thermometers Coca-Cola Soda Advertising Collectibles
• Home Fragrances Home Décor & Accents Home Store

If you liked this article, vote for it on del.icio.us and stumbleupon.


Categories:

Clean, Handy Man, Mailbox, Remove

Tags:

duty steel, elements in the atmosphere, good measure, heavy duty, lemon juice, mailboxes, mask paint, metal surfaces, oxidation, paintbrush, proof finish, rubber gloves, rust problem, rust proof, rust remover, steel wool, sturdy surface, toxic solvents, vinegar and baking soda, white vinegar