These days, people are beginning to look for home materials that can be used to remove rust. There are so many fantastic DIY solutions out there for anyone to practice when it comes to removing rust. And this has made it a bit hard to decipher which one works. Considering using coke, does coca-cola remove rust?
Yes, Coca-Cola is very acidic and can penetrate through any rust to remove it and clean the metal underneath. All you have to do is pour it into a bowl, submerge the rusted piece of metal in it, and let it sit for an hour or so.
If you have ever wondered whether or not Coca-Cola can remove rust, you should give it a trial. This popular drink contains phosphoric acid, an element known to prevent oxidation and rust. If you have any household rust issues, then it is worth using.
On this page, you will discover how exactly Coca-Cola can deal with rust, along with some step-by-step procedures on how you can use it on your rusted items
Contents
What Is Coca-Cola?
Coca-Cola is a gassy (carbonated) soft drink produced by The Coca-Cola Company. Coke is prepared with the following ingredients: Sugar, Caramel color, Carbonated water, Phosphoric acid, and Caffeine.
A typical bottle of Coca-Cola has 0 grams fat, 140 calories, 0 fat, 50 mg of sodium, and 0 grams potassium.
Sugary Cokes can be sticky at times. If you leave your coke solution on your metal for long, it might be a bit tough to wipe off.
Why Coca-Cola?
Maybe you are wondering if the ingredients in Coca-Cola are capable of removing rust? Coca-Cola is naturally carbonated, making it possible to break up rust on various metals and alloys.
Coca-Cola contains two powerful substances: Citric acid and phosphoric acid.
Citric acid gives Coke the power to remove stains. And phosphoric acid, on the other hand, provides Coca-Cola with its rust-removing capabilities. Although Coca-Cola contains only a small amount of phosphoric acid, making the process take a little longer, notwithstanding, Coca-Cola is still a good choice compared with other commercial rust removers.
Here are some other reasons why Coke is a good choice for removing rust:
- It is a quick and easy method that requires less effort.
- Coca-Cola is less expensive and readily available anywhere.
- Coca-Cola has no side effect on iron or metals
- The properties of Coca-Cola helps disintegrate rust particles
- Coca-Cola doesn’t just remove rust. It also deodorizes materials
How to Remove Rust Using Coca-Cola?
There are several ways to clean rusty materials, such as using sandpaper, cooking oil, or salt, and the list goes on. But the challenge is that not all of them are as effective as using Coca-Cola.
Before you commence the process, you will need the following equipment:
- A bottle of Coke
- An empty container (depending on the size of the metal you want to clean)
- A sponge or Aluminum foil
- Soap, clean rags, and water
- The rusty metal
Once you have all the equipment in place, follow these steps:
- Soak the affected metal in a container of Coke for a minimum of 24 hours
- Remove the metal to see the progress level
- Rinse the metal with clean water to wash off any stickiness
- Use the sponge or aluminum foil to gently scrub off the rust particles
If there isn’t much difference after the first trial, you can allow the metal in the Coke container for a little longer until the rust is completely broken down.
More so, if you choose not to soak your rusty metal in the Coke solution, you can dip a piece of cloth in Coke and then use it to wipe the rusty metal. This is a more straightforward method for those who do not want to wait 24 hours or more.
There are several other ways you can use Coca-Cola on your rusty materials and still get the same results. With simple tools like toothbrushes, you can quickly remove rust. The bristles of your old toothbrush are firm enough to rid your material of rust and soft enough to prevent the iron from being scratched or reshaped.
If you choose to use a toothbrush, you can dip the toothbrush into the Coke solution and scrub the metal. Using a toothbrush is suitable when you have a less severe amount of rust to deal with
Things You Didn’t Know You Could Clean with Coke
Your regular Coca-Cola drink is more than just a sweet-tasting carbonated beverage. Its usefulness goes beyond what we’ve always known it to be. Here are some fun facts you didn’t realize about your Coca-Cola drink:
- Coca-Cola drives away oil stains: if your parkway is affected by oil spills, you can move the stain out with just a bottle of Coke poured on the oil spill.
- Treats Skunk: if you live in an area that is greatly disturbed by skunk smell, you can salvage such a situation with just a bottle of Coke and a bucket of soapy water. Coca-Cola contains a substance known as Cauldron, which can break down the odor.
- Treats cruddy erosion on car batteries: applying Coke to your battery connections is one quick way to fix excess corrosion on your car batteries
- It removes stains on clothing: getting rid of stains can be challenging at times. If your clothes are stained with substances like asphalt, grease, or creosote stain, you can quickly restore your clothing by washing in coca-cola mixed with wash water.
Conclusion
I believe it no longer sounds like a myth that Coke can successfully kill rust from our metal objects. If you have any rusty material around you, you can try it now using the steps we have laid in this article. You can either use an aluminum foil, a sponge, or a toothbrush.
