A rusty cars will always need extra care, as rust is a natural enemy of your vehicle.
If you have been ignoring the rust stains on your car, we advise you to stop doing so as it will quickly spread and become more difficult to remove. If you start removing rust at an early stage, you can prevent it from spreading, while giving your vehicle a few extra years. Read more to find out how.
How to remove rust from a car with 5 steps
A brownish stain on the bumper or a bubble in the door paint are two examples or signs that rust is invading your vehicle.
Despite the evolution of car coatings, the unstable chemical composition of iron causes it to rust. However, this does not mean that your car is doomed. Get to know 5 simple steps to eliminate rust from your car:
1. Buy the necessary materials
In order to remove the rust from your car, it’s important not only to have the right tools and products but also that they are of good quality, as this is one of the most important factors. Paints, varnishes, primers and sandpaper, grease and wax removers, polyester foil or kraft paper, adhesive tape, cotton / flannel gauze and a microfiber cloth are essential products. First, you need to find the car manufacturer’s paint code. This code can be hidden in various places: in the vehicle body, in the engine compartment or in the luggage compartment, for example.
Even if you’re experienced with paints, we recommend you purchasing aerosol cans for major repairs and paint pens for repairing scratches.
2. Protect the repair area, remove the rust, and wash it
Protect the area to be repaired with a sheet of polyester or kraft paper. Remove the rust by sanding it well, until the metal is uncovered. Now, increase the sanded area to smooth the edges out. In order to do it, change to a softer sandpaper (start with 80 grit sandpaper and go up to 150). Complete the sanding with an even finer sandpaper. Then, use a cloth to remove particles from the area.
Finally, clean the sanded area with a degreasing dishwasher detergent and then rinse with clean water. Let it dry, wipe the area with a cloth and apply the paint stripper.
3. Apply the primer
Spray the cleaned area with the filler primer, creating heavier layers to cover the entire area. Slightly move the can away from the surface and mix it with the surrounding painted area.
Apply two to three coats, respecting the recommended waiting time listed on the label (usually 15 minutes) between coats. Wait an hour for it to dry completely.
4. Sand the primer
Sand the primer, starting with a wet 600 grit sandpaper , in order to smooth the edges.
Change to a 1000 grit sandpaper, also wet, to sand the entire repaired area, including mixed areas. Rinse with clean water and let it dry completely.
Clean the primer with a cloth and apply two to three “heavier” layers of primer respecting, once again, the drying time between layers. Let the varnish primer to dry for at least one hour before sanding again. The sand drips and falls with a 320 grit sandpaper. Finally, sand the entire area one last time.
5. Start painting
The time to start painting and say goodbye to rust marks has finally come. Hold the spray can about 30cm from the surface and spray the repaired area. Start at the bottom of the repair zone and apply the color layer in rows, from left to right, overlapping each row by about a third.
Build the color slowly with two to three layers. Give it about 10 to 15 minutes between coats, so it can dry properly. Let the first coat dry until you really feel it is dry when you touch it. It will take at least 60 minutes. After painting, apply several coats of varnish, also respecting the recommended drying time (at least 48 hours before polishing).
Using a cotton rag (or microfiber cloth) and a polishing compound, you should now polish the repaired area.
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