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Bleach and rust! ! 21 Jul 2020 09:22 #831119

  • Sheath
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Hey everyone, I'm not sure if this is the right kind of section. ..anyway I had an hour free today and I've been thinking about how most toilet bleaches are up to 47% hydrochloric acid and I wondered what it might do to a few rusty pieces so I set up a foil disposable bake tray, gloves ,glasses and a cheap tooth brush and started scrubbing the bits with bleach! Here are the before pics.....

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Bleach and rust! ! 21 Jul 2020 09:29 #831120

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Mixed results!! After scrubbing I filled up the tray with very hot water and left for an hour then I thoroughly rinsed and dried everything and this is how everything came out, some things did better than others, I'm sure a wire wheel would improve things more and perhaps a metal polish but to be honest I'm surprised what the bleach did to these bits, it could be a useful technique on rusty exhausts and things? :)

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Last edit: by Sheath. Reason: One more picture

Bleach and rust! ! 21 Jul 2020 16:57 #831171

  • Nessism
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HCl is harsh stuff and should be neutralized with some base solution such as baking soda so it doesn't continue to eat into the parts after rinsing. Phosphoric acid is much safer to the metal.
Edit: better still is oxalic acid. Found in many wood bleach products. The bicycle restoration guys love that stuff and with good reason; it eats off rust and don't hurt chrome or paint. A great mild cleaner that's environmentally safe.
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Bleach and rust! ! 21 Jul 2020 17:19 #831173

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Please be very carefull Sheath.
Toilet cleaner is not bleach, its HCl. Bleach is hypochlorite. Mixing the two together can generate chlorine gas which can kil you.
1980 kz750E1, Delkevic exhaust
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Bleach and rust! ! 21 Jul 2020 23:34 #831186

  • Sheath
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Thanks for the feedback guys :) don't worry JR I only used the bottle in the picture ,no mixing going on :) I think I'd better cover those exhaust clamps in baking soda though! I intend to use those! :laugh:

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Bleach and rust! ! 22 Jul 2020 18:02 #831240

  • Highway Magician
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Evapo-Rust is the best product I've used for safe rust removal. I'm currently restoring two gas tanks using 3 gallons of it undiluted.

I've been moving the tank in different positions for a couple of days. I checked inside a few times and it's amazing. Clean bare metal inside.

www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/evapo-...er-safe-rust-remover
Motorcycle builder since 1973. Master Tech. Current bike: 1982 GPZ1100B2.
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Bleach and rust! ! 22 Jul 2020 23:26 #831249

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Hmmmmm Evapo-rust, I'll have to look that up :) I've been trying different things on my fuel tank for the past couple of years! Plus I have many rusty tools and things that I'd like to refurb :)

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Bleach and rust! ! 24 Jul 2020 17:49 #831371

  • TexasKZ
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Nessism wrote: HCl is harsh stuff and should be neutralized with some base solution such as baking soda so it doesn't continue to eat into the parts after rinsing. Phosphoric acid is much safer to the metal.
Edit: better still is oxalic acid. Found in many wood bleach products. The bicycle restoration guys love that stuff and with good reason; it eats off rust and don't hurt chrome or paint. A great mild cleaner that's environmentally safe.


Can metal that has been de-rusted with oxalic acid be painted as is, or will all the residue need to be removed? I need to repaint a set of pipes that are showing some tiny specs of rust.
1982 KZ1000 LTD parts donor
1981 KZ1000 LTD awaiting resurrection
2000 ZRX1100 not ridden enough

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Bleach and rust! ! 24 Jul 2020 20:18 #831375

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TexasKZ wrote:

Nessism wrote: HCl is harsh stuff and should be neutralized with some base solution such as baking soda so it doesn't continue to eat into the parts after rinsing. Phosphoric acid is much safer to the metal.
Edit: better still is oxalic acid. Found in many wood bleach products. The bicycle restoration guys love that stuff and with good reason; it eats off rust and don't hurt chrome or paint. A great mild cleaner that's environmentally safe.


Can metal that has been de-rusted with oxalic acid be painted as is, or will all the residue need to be removed? I need to repaint a set of pipes that are showing some tiny specs of rust.


I'd scotchbrite the metal before painting to make sure it's roughed up and 100% clean.
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