Rust remover?

[walter]

The lid of my top-loader washing machine shows rust in a small area (the edge of the inside rim). If allowed to continue, this rusts will stain our laundry items.

The machine is about 10 years old and works great. Would hate to buy a new machine to compensate for this little defect.

Is there anything I can do to chemically eliminate the rust and then paint over it with appliance enamel? I tried to get down to bare metal but it's difficult, if not impossible, to get to get a wire brush or other implement into this area.

Photo:

Walter

[Home Guy]

You're joking - right?

You'd actually consider buying a new machine because of that *blemish* ?

There is no way that any rust residue (and I doubt there is any) would actually get into the tub to the extent that it would stain anything.

But if you must attack this "major problem", try sandpaper or steel wool (SOS pads).

A chemical remedy is too messy given the geometry and orientation of that blemish, unless you take the lid off.

Or unless you soak a paper towel with muriatic acid (diluted 50:50) and let it sit there for an hour. But good luck finding a pint (instead of a gallon) of the stuff at Home Despot - or anywhere else.

[dadiOH]

Any acid, preferably one made for the purpose. CLR will work, so will any of many available at auto parts stores that carry paint. They work by chemically reducing ferric oxide (red rust) to ferrous oxide (black rust). Paint afterwards. Rust-o-leum makes paints - rattle cans - speciffically designed to go over rust.

[gregz]

laundry items.

You could just use a rust converter, like permatex sold at auto stores, but will look ugly, but will not stain. Or you can sand it, and spray paint after masking with appliance epoxy paint. You can paint over rust converter but will bulge a little.

Greg

[clare]

a bit of phosphoric acid (metal prep, water softener resin cleaner, or Naval Jelly) will convert what rust you cannot remove and prepare for the enamel repair.

[hrhofmann]

That lookls like a very comon machine, go to a scrap metal junk yard and get a replacement lid.

[Jim Elbrecht]

someone mentioned Naval Jelly- and that Loctite bought them. Loctite also apparently bought 'Extend"- Naval Jelly removes the rust-- Extend *converts* it.

I would choose Extend for this one-- it turns the rust into an epoxy-

*Follow* the directions. Jim

[Norminn]

I've tried rust converters, with poor results. You can remove the loose rust, or or just sand it. Rig a little piece of wood or even a toothbrush, wrap with sandpaper and get as much rust as possible. Clean with denatured alcohol and paint right away with rusty metal primer and Rustoleum enamel. Make sure moisture doesn't collect there after using the washer, and give paint time to cure before exposing to water.

[trader4]

Agree. This is just a cosmetic thing, in a spot that is barely visible with the door open. If the door had been left open after use, this probably would not have happened.

A bit of sandpaper and a little bottle of appliance paint sounds a lot easier and cheaper.

[gregz]

>

I have used at least 4 rust converters. One was from a spray can, and I don't think it was water based. Didn't seem to do anything. A couple turned purple, seemed to work well. A popular on my datsun forum is Por 15 . I have used navel jelly to form a rust converter, but it takes days, months. By applying to auto, it eventually formed a very hard coating. I already mentioned permatex in a bottle.

Greg