Metal doors can be an excellent option for doors at your home or your place of work.
They are more durable and often resistant to chemicals.
Unfortunately, metal doors are not immune to water and rust.
You may notice your metal door getting rust on the bottom if there is continual water from rain, or even a dog nose and back height from when your dog tries to nudge its way in, particularly after a rainy romp in the back yard.
While rust removal can seem intimidating, it is pretty straightforward.
Continue reading to learn how to remove rust from a metal door.
What You’ll Need
- Rust remover (available here)
- Foam brush
- Wire brush
- Sandpaper
Keep reading below for step-by-step instructions on how to remove rust from a metal door.
1. Apply Rust Remover To Door
First, you will take a sponge brush and apply the rust remover to the rust on the metal door.
You will want to let the rust remover sit on the rust for at least ten minutes, or however long the instructions on your rust remover container recommend.
Allowing the rust remover to sit on the metal door and the rust will give the rust remover time to eat away at the rust, dissolving it and removing its adhesion to the metal door.
Doing this will make it much easier to continue the rust removal process as you continue.
2. Scrape Rust With Wire Brush
Once you have allowed the rust remover to sit on the rust spot on the metal door for the recommended amount of time, begin to scrape the rust with a wire brush gently.
Wire brushes are intensive abrasives tools, so start gently to see how much rust is coming off.
If you are not noticing a lot of rust is removed from the metal door when gently scraping it with the wire brush, then you will want to scrape more aggressively to start removing the rust.
If still, then, with aggressive scraping, the rust is not coming off, consider allowing the rust remover to sit longer on the rust or apply more rust remover to the rust spot on the metal door.
3. Sand The Rust With The Sandpaper
Using either sandpaper or a sander, begin to sand the rust.
After you get a majority of the surface rust off with the wire scrapper, you can now use the sandpaper to get a finer removal of the rust.
You should see the finer bits of rust disappear.
In addition, if there were any scrapes from the wire brush, the sanding should help to even it out and remove the scratches or make the blemishes less visible.
In addition, by sanding the metal door, you are preparing the metal door for any sort of paint or other treatment, including rust prevention.
If there is still a considerable amount of rust on the metal door, you can repeat the above steps.
Consider using more of the rust remover or allowing the rust remover to sit on the rust longer than you had previously.
Video Instructions
- Step 1 (1:50) — Apply rust remover to door
- Step 2 (1:59) – Scrape rust with a wire brush
- Step 3 (2:05) – Sand the rust with the sandpaper
FAQ
What Are Other Ways To Remove Rust From A Metal Door?
There are several ways to remove rust from a metal door beyond the method described above.
Some may use different materials or will require some more patience and elbow grease.
Will Vinegar Remove Rust From A Metal Door?
One way is to dap some white vinegar onto the rust.
You can leave the white vinegar to sit on the rust for about 30 minutes.
You should notice that the acidic nature of the vinegar is breaking down the rust.
You can remove the white vinegar with a clean cloth afterward.
Will Baking Soda Remove Rust From A Metal Door?
You can also apply a paste of baking soda and water onto the rust.
Let the baking soda paste sit on the rust for about 30 minutes.
You can then use a clean cloth to remove the baking soda paste and loosen the rust carefully.
For both of these methods, clean the metal door with water and dishwasher detergent.
Be sure to dry the metal door thoroughly.
You do not want to allow for more rust to be created due to the moisture you’ve introduced.
I don’t want your hard work to go to waste!
Does WD-40 Remove Rust?
WD-40 is undoubtedly an excellent method to remove rust from different types of metals.
The lubricant nature of the WD-40 helps to loosen and remove rust on the surface of metals, such as metal doors.
You can liberally apply WD-40 onto the rust on the metal door and allow it to sit for at least 20 minutes.
Then you can use a wire brush or similarly abrasive tool to scrub off the rust.
Beyond just removing the rust from your metal door, WD-40 is also an anti-corrosive, so it should also prevent your metal door from getting rust on it again.
How Can I Prevent My Metal Door From Getting Rust?
One way to keep a metal door from getting rust is by regularly cleaning and drying the door.
After heavy rain has come through, check on the door to ensure that there is not any rainwater still on the metal door.
Cleaning it is also essential as debris stuck on the metal door may also absorb and hold onto more water, leading to the build-up of rust on the metal door.
Another preventative measure is to seal the door.
You can find several different types of outdoor paint specifically used to treat metals, such as metal doors, to seal the metal and protect it from moisture that would eventually cause rust.
Be sure to seal your metal door regularly.
