It is a common misconception that stainless steel will never corrode. It is true that there are many fine examples of high quality stainless steel that haven’t rusted in decades. One example is the Chrysler Building in New York City. It was built in 1930 and was clad in stainless steel and yet remains in excellent condition. But not all stainless steel is created equal. When it comes to your backyard grill, often inferior grades of stainless steel, as well as parts that are not even stainless steel are used in manufacturing in an effort to cut costs. Of course, the lower the quality, the more frequent the occurrence of corrosion and rust.
Why the increase in lower quality products? Barbecuing at home has become an ever-increasing trend in the US, driving sales for stainless steel grills to higher levels each year. It is now estimated that 3 out of 4 American households own grills and use them on an average 5 times per month. According to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA), “16.7 million grills and smokers were shipped in 2008.” With high consumer demand, today’s mass production of stainless steel products and the current downturn in the economy, quality is frequently compromised in favor of price.
Many consumers have purchased stainless steel grills with the assumption that they would never experience corrosion problems, only to find that to be untrue.
So what can be done to remove and prevent additional rust and corrosion from occurring? With the right products you can easily restore your grill with a simple 2 step process. For stainless steel parts CitriSurf 77 Plus is designed to remove existing rust and through a process called passivation is able to replenish the highest chrome oxide levels possible in order to prevent additional corrosion from occurring. It is a fast and safe method for effectively dealing with corroded stainless steel or rust stains on stainless steel.
Thereafter a proper cover and careful protection from the elements will help keep the rust from reoccurring. It’s best to invest in a heavy-duty grill cover with a thick cotton flannel lining and strong Velcro straps for fastening to cover your grill in between uses well after it’s cooled down.
Here’s to rust free grilling… bon appétit!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Clay Pots can be Rejuvenated
Bonsai enthusiasts have found new life for their ceramic pots by removing unsightly mineral deposits with Sandflex Erasers.
When growing houseplants, it is common to have mineral deposits build up on the inner top edge of the plant pot surface. Many gardeners find the same ugly sediment after transplanting their plants to a larger pot. With bonsai, the trees are in the pots for even longer periods of time and therefore the build-up becomes even more noticeable.
But those nasty mineral deposits can be removed from both glazed and non-glazed pots. Even the heaviest deposits can be removed by using a medium grit Sandflex Eraser and then a fine grit can be used to remove the remainder from the surface. If desired, a mineral oil can also be applied to add even more luster to the surface.
When growing houseplants, it is common to have mineral deposits build up on the inner top edge of the plant pot surface. Many gardeners find the same ugly sediment after transplanting their plants to a larger pot. With bonsai, the trees are in the pots for even longer periods of time and therefore the build-up becomes even more noticeable.
But those nasty mineral deposits can be removed from both glazed and non-glazed pots. Even the heaviest deposits can be removed by using a medium grit Sandflex Eraser and then a fine grit can be used to remove the remainder from the surface. If desired, a mineral oil can also be applied to add even more luster to the surface.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Marble Rust Stains a Challenge for the Stone Fabrication & Maintenance Industry
The Marble Institute of America currently states that rust stains on light color marble are virtually irremovable and that they have no recommendations for removal. Unlike other stone, marble is a metamorphism of limestone, a very soluble stone. This property makes marble sensitive to many types of chemicals and makes the rust stains almost impossible to remove or leaving the surface deeply etched and marred.
One of their members, a Stone Fabricator himself, was confronted with the task of trying to remove rust from a polished White Carrara Marble. He contacted TheRustStore.Com and asked about using Concrete Rust Remover. Although we had tried it on many natural stones and found great success with no dulling or discoloring at all, we hadn’t had anyone try it on marble and therefore couldn’t recommend it. Eagerly seeking a solution he had us overnight a container to try.
Here’s how he applied the product: he applied a light coat and left it on for around 4 minutes. He noticed that it started to work, but that after 4 minutes it started to etch the surface, so he washed it off. Seeing some success in removing the rust, he then applied a second coat and after 4 minutes washed that off also. After the second application, he had complete success and removed all of the rust from the marble without marring the surface.
Will it work in every situation where rust has stained marble? Probably not, but It’s a possible solution worth considering.
One of their members, a Stone Fabricator himself, was confronted with the task of trying to remove rust from a polished White Carrara Marble. He contacted TheRustStore.Com and asked about using Concrete Rust Remover. Although we had tried it on many natural stones and found great success with no dulling or discoloring at all, we hadn’t had anyone try it on marble and therefore couldn’t recommend it. Eagerly seeking a solution he had us overnight a container to try.
Here’s how he applied the product: he applied a light coat and left it on for around 4 minutes. He noticed that it started to work, but that after 4 minutes it started to etch the surface, so he washed it off. Seeing some success in removing the rust, he then applied a second coat and after 4 minutes washed that off also. After the second application, he had complete success and removed all of the rust from the marble without marring the surface.
Will it work in every situation where rust has stained marble? Probably not, but It’s a possible solution worth considering.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Removing Rust from a Gas Tank
“A couple of months ago I tore apart my motorcycle and got busy with some other projects. Now that I’ve come back to it, I’ve found that the inside of my gasoline tank has rusted. What can I do?”
Whether it’s a motorcycle, or a collector car or truck, I’ve had many customers call with the same situation. Is there any product on the market that will safely and cost-effectively remove the rust without damaging the tank or be incompatible with using gasoline in the tank again?
Fortunately, Evapo-Rust will do just that. The environmentally friendly ingredients within Evapo-Rust will remove the rust safely from the interior surface of the tank. The most effective way to accomplish this is to remove the tank from the vehicle and pour out any remaining gasoline from the tank. Some customers will purchase enough Evapo-Rust to fill the tank, knowing that they’ll have other applications for the future. Other customers will purchase just one gallon, pour it in and allow it to soak on one side for a few hours, then rotate it ¼ turn allowing it to soak on that side for the same amount of time and so on until all of the surfaces have been treated. Next, pour out the Evapo-Rust being careful to retrieve the liquid and dispose of any rust residue from the tank. The liquid can be reused for future projects. The final step is to rinse any remaining residue from the tank with ample water, allow it to air dry, and then fill it with gasoline to avoid any flash rust from occurring.
By following these simple steps unusable gasoline tanks can be restored to full use in an environmentally friendly and cost effective way.
Whether it’s a motorcycle, or a collector car or truck, I’ve had many customers call with the same situation. Is there any product on the market that will safely and cost-effectively remove the rust without damaging the tank or be incompatible with using gasoline in the tank again?
Fortunately, Evapo-Rust will do just that. The environmentally friendly ingredients within Evapo-Rust will remove the rust safely from the interior surface of the tank. The most effective way to accomplish this is to remove the tank from the vehicle and pour out any remaining gasoline from the tank. Some customers will purchase enough Evapo-Rust to fill the tank, knowing that they’ll have other applications for the future. Other customers will purchase just one gallon, pour it in and allow it to soak on one side for a few hours, then rotate it ¼ turn allowing it to soak on that side for the same amount of time and so on until all of the surfaces have been treated. Next, pour out the Evapo-Rust being careful to retrieve the liquid and dispose of any rust residue from the tank. The liquid can be reused for future projects. The final step is to rinse any remaining residue from the tank with ample water, allow it to air dry, and then fill it with gasoline to avoid any flash rust from occurring.
By following these simple steps unusable gasoline tanks can be restored to full use in an environmentally friendly and cost effective way.
Rust Not Unique to Earth
Erosion on Mars has revealed a concentration of Rust. While much of the planet is covered by ferric oxides, there is a dark spot within the crater Aram Chaos that contains a much higher concentration of rust.
Why is this concentration of ferric oxides significant? It may lead to discoveries about the climate or the geological history of the planet.Monday, March 23, 2009
Defective Drywall Causes Corrosion
There aren't many times when the topic of corrosion makes national press. When it does, there is usually some type of large problem. In the news this week is the problem of Chinese drywall being used on some houses. This drywall is said to have high sulfur content. This unfortunate situation has caused problems for many homeowners.
As the case with many large problems, there is a lawsuit pending. As many as tens of thousands of homeowners have their homes contaminated with this high sulfur drywall. The problems being reported are not limited to health concerns but actual appliance failure due to corrosion.
Sulfur is one of a few gaseous materials that promote corrosion. We are all familiar with rust, the corrosion of steel and iron. However, other metals corrode as well. The appliance failures reported are related to the corrosion of copper. Copper, as well as other yellow metals, are normally corrosion resistant. However, in the presence of a sulfur gas, these normally corrosion resistant metals will corrode.
Protecting copper and other metals in this situation is very difficult. In a smaller closed environment, there are products to adsorb corrosive gasses. However, in this case, the areas to be protected are too numerous to be effective or too impractical to enclose.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Can Fertilizer Cause Rust Stains on Concrete?
Can fertilizer leave rust stains on concrete sidewalks and driveways?
Yes. Often times before the fertilizer can be swept off the concrete, either rain or water from a sprinkler system hits the fertilizer and turns the iron in the fertilizer to iron oxide, commonly known as rust.
This is one of the most stubborn rust problems that you can find. Many people will try muriatic acid or other harmful chemicals that are not only dangerous to your health, but also dangerous to the environment and can even damage cement.
Fortunately there is an alternative, Concrete Rust Remover. The product is safe to use, biodegradable and the most effective product we know of in removing rust from concrete.
Yes. Often times before the fertilizer can be swept off the concrete, either rain or water from a sprinkler system hits the fertilizer and turns the iron in the fertilizer to iron oxide, commonly known as rust.
This is one of the most stubborn rust problems that you can find. Many people will try muriatic acid or other harmful chemicals that are not only dangerous to your health, but also dangerous to the environment and can even damage cement.
Fortunately there is an alternative, Concrete Rust Remover. The product is safe to use, biodegradable and the most effective product we know of in removing rust from concrete.
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