USAGE TIPS
Metal Rescue™ Rust Remover Bath is your clean, safe and easy solution to removing rust from iron and steel. When we say “safe on everything except rust” we mean it! Metal Rescue™ Rust Remover Bath will take rust off the most heavily corroded metal parts, yet is safe enough that you can put your bare hands into it. Just soak, check and rinse/dry. It’s that simple!
FOR BEST RESULTS, USE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE (68°F OR 20°C) OR ABOVE.
Metal Rescue™ works optimally at room temperature (68°F or 20°C) and above, so it may require heating in cold temperatures. Nearly all of the photos and testimonials found on this website were of metal parts that were de-rusted at room temperature. However, if you are trying to speed up the rust removal process, Metal Rescue™ will continue to work faster up to a temperature of 150° F (70°C). Remember, Metal Rescue™ is a water-based liquid and therefore operates differently than an acid or other traditional rust remover. A useful analogy is of very soiled and dirty dishes. It would be very difficult to remove heavy grease or sticky substances in cold soapy dish water compared to warm soapy dish water. Because Metal Rescue™ is water-based it functions in a similar way. Please note that this analogy is meant only as an analogy. Metal Rescue™ does not have to be heated up to work-but it does require room temperature or above.
METAL RESCUE™ CAN BE USED OVER AND OVER UNTIL IT TURNS JET BLACK AND STOPS WORKING.
Keep Metal Rescue™ liquid covered when in use or in a closed container when not in use to prevent evaporation from occurring. If performance slows down prior to liquid turning completely black, evaporation may have occurred. In this case, a small amount of clean water may be needed to bring the solution back to the correct mixture. The best way to know how much water is needed is to mark the soaking container you are working with at the liquid level, prior to placing parts inside.
AFTER METAL RESCUE™ HAS DE-RUSTED THE PARTS, REMOVE PARTS AND MAKE SURE THAT LIQUID LEVEL IS THE SAME.
If not, then you will need to add enough water to bring the solution back to the mark line. Please note that this is seldom needed. It typically would only occur if you are working with Metal Rescue™ in hot outdoor conditions. To avoid evaporation, keep a cover over the soaking container and pour Metal Rescue™ back into a closed container or original bottle/pail after usage. One gallon of Metal Rescue™ should be able to de-rust approximately a 1/2 pound of pure rust!
DO PARTS HAVE TO BE COMPLETELY CLEAN BEFORE USING METAL RESCUE™?
No. Metal Rescue™ will penetrate oil and dirt. However, it’s recommended to pre-clean your parts before applying Metal Rescue™. Detergents are more economical and are designed to remove various contaminants. This will also speed up the process of rust removal and extend the life of the Metal Rescue™. Cosmoline, heavy greases, and similar materials should be removed prior to de-rusting.
WHAT WILL METAL RESCUE™ REMOVE?
Metal Rescue™ will remove iron oxide (rust) from ferrous based substrates in 5 minutes to 24 hours depending on the degree and age of the rust. It will remove zinc phosphate, bluing, browning, and other oxide finishes in about 20 – 40 minutes immersion time. It also brightens copper and copper based alloys such as brass and bronze. For metals with questionable finishes, we recommend you test a small portion of the metal in Metal Rescue™ prior to full submersion. Your metal parts can be restored in 5 minutes to 24 hours, depending upon the amount of rust, type of steel and temperature of the solution. NOTE: for industrial customers, this de-rusting time can be accelerated dramatically to improve process times by increasing the heat and applying agitation. Contact an ARMOR representative to discuss your particular situation. Metal Rescue™ has completed de-rusting of metal parts for industrial customers in as little as 60 seconds when conditions are altered.
RESTORING A RUSTY GAS TANK WITH METAL RESCUE™.
Metal Rescue™ is an excellent rust remover for gas tanks of any type. (We’ve done some video demos on motorcycle gas tanks so be sure to visit the Media section and watch the videos!) One question we commonly receive is what to do after de-rusting a gas tank with Metal Rescue™. Many mechanics and hobbyist are used to using a cream coating of some type to seal the gas tank. This cream coating is often used for two primary reasons: 1) to prevent flash rusting or re-rusting of the gas tank and 2) to fill in any pin holes or holes that were caused by the rust. If there are pin holes in the gas tank, after removing the rust with Metal Rescue™ we do recommend a cream sealer coating of some type. Please read carefully the instructions on the cream sealer coating. Some of these coatings actually require rust to be present in order to allow it to bond properly. This is common with some of the POR products. From our perspective, we would never want to restore a vehicle and leave rust of any type on the metal. If you do not follow some of the paint over rust product instructions carefully you may see the rust creeping back through the coating which, of course, would not be a good thing. Our philosophy is always to remove the rust completely in a safe, clean and easy way and then find a sealer that will work on clean metal. Regarding the concern of flash rusting, typically, this is not a concern when using Metal Rescue™ since Metal Rescue™ is attracted only to the iron oxide and not the metal substrate. However, due to the nature of gasoline tank metals, the fact that years of gasoline stored in them breaks down the metal coatings and makes them susceptible to re-rusting, we do recommend a cream sealer after de-rusting. Again, when using a cream coat sealer, be sure that the sealer will properly bond with clean metal so that it adheres correctly. Always read and follow the instructions on cleaning and de-rusting products before use!
HOW TO USE ON PAINTED SURFACES
Metal Rescue™ will not remove or harm the vast majority of paint coatings. However, if there is a layer of rust under the paint some of the paint coating will be lost as Metal Rescue™ removes the rust and therefore the paint on top of the rust. Also, some paints (and inks) may use iron oxide pigments (usually orange or red). Since Metal Rescue™ has been engineered to remove iron oxide, it may dissolve the pigment in these types of paints. It is always best to test on a small section or hidden area prior to use.