Rust isn’t inevitable but it does often occur when metal or ferrous surfaces are involved. Ferrous surfaces are particularly vulnerable as these surfaces have large amounts of iron in them and iron is more prone to rusting than other metals. It’s worth noting that ferrous materials are also strongly magnetic, limiting the options when cleaning them.
Of course, the best approach is to keep anything metal away from moisture. However, as there is moisture in the air this is virtually important. Therefore, it is better to accept that rust will occur and invest in suitable strategies to remove it. Fortunately, there are ways in which you can remove rust even from ferrous materials.
The Blast Chamber
You can purchase your own blast chamber, allowing you to treat rusting metal whenever you need. This is a good investment as it is generally agreed to be the most effective approach.
The metal piece is placed inside the blast chamber and then subjected to air at extremely high pressure. This is enough to dislodge particles of rust on the surface of the metal without damaging the surface itself.
Because the only thing used is air this is a great approach when you have ferrous surfaces or even electronics that you can’t afford to damage.
Because this approach only uses air there is no danger of particles being left on the surface or caught in the metal anywhere. This makes it the safest approach especially when cleaning sensitive materials.
Abrasive Chambers
Another option which has proved to be effective and is environmentally friendly is abrasive chambers. These are designed similarly to blast chambers. The difference is that these chambers don’t use air. Instead, they will blast the surface with an abrasive material, such as sand.
It should be noted that the sand or other abrasive material is reduced to very fine particles, much smaller than you can see with the naked eye. These will dislodge the rust from a metal surface without damaging the metal finish. In fact, it can work on many different surfaces.
When used with an integrated collection chamber you can be assured that all particles are collected, allowing them to be reused. This makes the machine more efficient, cheaper to use, and environmentally friendly.
It should be noted that sandblasting is only one type of fine particle that can be used in abrasive chambers. There are several others, your choice of which is best will depend on what you are trying to clean.
Additional Thoughts
Blast chambers are undoubtedly the best approach as they are effective, cost very little to run, and they can be purchased in a variety of sizes, ensuring that whatever metal surfaces you have can be successfully cleared of rust.
But, before you buy, it is worth talking to the experts to confirm you are making the right decision. A well-chosen machine will last for years and save a small fortune on damage to ferrous surfaces.
