Rust-Removing Chemicals | McMaster-Carr

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Primary Chemical

Citric Acid (3-7% Concentration)

Citric Acid (10-25% Concentration)

Hydrochloric Acid (9% Concentration)

Hydrochloric Acid (10-30% Concentration)

Phosphoric Acid (20% Concentration)

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56 Products

Rust Removers

Restore rusted metal surfaces to their original state.

Powder Removers


Bottle	Jug	Packet	Pail

Use powder rust removers to clean surface stains. Mix with water and apply to a wet surface with a brush or sponge. Rinse with clean water once stains are gone. They can also be used inside tanks and water heaters.

Container							Each
Size, fl. oz.	Net Wt.	Type	Solution Type	Approx. Coverage, ft²	For Removing		1-11	12-Up
22	—	Bottle	Water Based	350	Rust	0000000	00000	00000

							Each
76	—	Jug	Water Based	1,000	Rust	00000000	00000	0
—	4 oz.	Packet	Water Based	60	Rust	00000000	0000	0
—	50 lb.	Pail	Water Based	12,000	Rust	00000000	000000	0

Liquid Removers

Jug

Use liquid rust removers to dissolve rust and prevent it from returning. Dip, brush, or spray to apply. Wipe off excess and allow to dry.

Container
Size	Type	Solution Type	Approx. Coverage, ft²	For Removing		Each
32 fl. oz.	Jug	Water Based	50	Rust	000000000	000000
1 gal.	Jug	Water Based	200	Rust	00000000	00000

Gel Removers

Use gel rust removers on vertical surfaces to permanently remove rust. They’re stickier than liquid removers, so they won’t slide down walls or inclines before drying. Spray gel onto the rust, wipe off excess, and wait for it to dry.

Container
Size, fl. oz.	Type	Solution Type	Approx. Coverage, ft²	For Removing		Each
32	Spray Bottle	Water Based	50	Rust	00000000	000000

Noncorrosive Rust Removers


Jug	Pail

These acid-free rust removers are safe for contact with people and surfaces. Dip, brush, or spray metal to remove and prevent rust. To use as a remover, rinse after applying; to use as an inhibitor, apply again and allow remover to dry on the item—removers prevent rust for up to four weeks.

One gallon removes_1/2 pound of pure rust, enough to treat 300 pounds of moderately corroded steel.

Removable Basket—Pail with removable basket includes a second container for soaking and cleaning parts.

Cannot Be Sold To—Product labeling requirements restrict sales to the listed areas.

Container
Size	Type	Solution Type	Approx. Steel Coverage, lb.	For Removing	Includes	Cannot Be Sold To		Each
1 qt.	Jug	Water Based	75	Rust	—	Outside United States	0000000	000000
1 gal.	Jug	Water Based	300	Rust	—	Outside United States	0000000	00000
3 1/2 gal.	Pail	Water Based	1,050	Rust	Removable Basket	Outside United States	0000000	000000

Rust Converting Paint Primers for Metal


Can—Alkyd	Aerosol Can—Vinyl Plastic

These paint primers convert rust into a layer of protection that prevents new rust from forming. Use them to prepare your surface to extend the life of paint and coatings.

Can—Apply coatings in a can with a brush, roller, or sprayer.

	Container			Dry Time
	Size	Net Wt., oz.	Solution Type	Touch, min.	Overall, hr.	Approx. Coverage @ Thk.	Max. Temp., ° F	For Topcoat Composition	For Use On	Color		Each
Can—Alkyd



		8 fl. oz.	—	Water Based	30	6	18 ft² @ 3 mil	200	Water Based	Aluminum, Steel, Iron, Galvanized Iron, Galvanized Steel	Red	0000000	000000


		1 qt.	—	Water Based	30	6	75 ft² @ 3 mil	200	Water Based	Aluminum, Steel, Iron, Galvanized Iron, Galvanized Steel	Red	0000000	00000
		1 gal.	—	Water Based	30	6	300 ft² @ 3 mil	200	Water Based	Aluminum, Steel, Iron, Galvanized Iron, Galvanized Steel	Red	0000000	000000


		Aerosol Can—Vinyl Plastic



				—	10 1/4	Solvent Based	20	24	12 ft² @ 3 mil	200	Solvent Based	Steel, Iron, Fiberglass	Black	0000000	00000

Jelly Rust Removers

Dissolve rust on iron and steel. Apply jelly with a brush or sprayer, leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes, and then rinse with water.

Container
Size, fl. oz.	Type	Solution Type	Approx. Coverage, ft²	For Removing		Each
8	Bottle	Water Based	50	Rust	0000000	00000

Noncorrosive Gel Rust Removers

Use this thick gel to remove rust from vertical surfaces. Removers are acid free and are safe for contact with skin and sensitive surfaces, such as copper, brass, aluminum, and plastic. They’re low odor and contain no VOCs, so they can be used in enclosed and occupied areas. Brush them onto rusty surfaces; after an hour or two, rinse the rust and removers away with water.

Cannot Be Sold To—Product labeling requirements restrict sales to the listed areas.

Container
Size, fl. oz.	Type	Solution Type	Approx. Coverage, ft²	For Removing	Cannot Be Sold To		Each
8	Jug	Water Based	5	Rust	Outside United States	0000000	000000

Rust Removers for Pipes and Tanks

Remove and prevent rust inside of pipes and equipment such as boilers and heat exchangers. These rust removers also have corrosion inhibitors to protect copper components in pipe systems. Unlike other harsh rust removers, they use citric acid to dissolve rust, which is nonhazardous and noncorrosive. Use when the system is shut down to remove heavy rust deposits or while it is operating for continuous rust prevention.

Container
Size, gal.	Type	Solution Type	For Removing		Each
5	Pail	Water Based	Rust	0000000	0000000

Passivating Cleaners

Spray

Bottle

Image of Product. Front orientation. Passivating Cleaners. Jug.

Jug

Restore and maintain the surface layer on stainless steel that protects it from corrosion. Also known as passivating fluids, these cleaners are made from citric acid, which removes iron from the surface of stainless steel that has been damaged from machining, heat, or chemicals. This exposes the chromium in stainless steel and reacts with air to form a protective layer. These cleaners also remove dirt, discoloration, and minor corrosion. Unlike nitric acid and other passivating fluids, citric acid does not create dangerous fumes and is safe for use throughout your plant. These cleaners come ready-to-use, so you don’t have to mix them, but you can dilute them with water for 400-series stainless steel and other sensitive parts.

These cleaners meet SAE and ASTM international guidelines for passivating stainless steel. They also meet ASTM international guidelines for descaling and cleaning titanium and titanium alloys.

Liquids—Liquid cleaners are thinner than gel cleaners, making them ideal for submerging parts. When spot cleaning, however, they will drip down vertical surfaces.

Gels—Gel cleaners are thicker than liquid cleaners, so they cling to surfaces. Use them on vertical surfaces, weld joints, and other parts that can’t be submerged.

For Removing Dirt and Rust—Cleaners for removing dirt and rust contain an additive that eliminates existing rust.

	Container
	Type	Size	Solution Type	Harshness	For Use On	Specs. Met		Each
Liquids







				For Removing Dirt and Rust

				Spray Bottle	22 fl. oz.	Water Based	Moderate	Stainless Steel	ASTM A380, ASTM A967, ASTM B600, SAE AMS2700	0000000	000000


				Jug	1 gal.	Water Based	Moderate	Stainless Steel	ASTM A380, ASTM A967, ASTM B600, SAE AMS2700	0000000	00000


				Gels







								For Removing Dirt and Rust

								Spray Bottle	22 fl. oz.	Water Based	Moderate	Stainless Steel	ASTM A380, ASTM A967, ASTM B600, SAE AMS2700	0000000	00000


								Jug	1 gal.	Water Based	Moderate	Stainless Steel	ASTM A380, ASTM A967, ASTM B600, SAE AMS2700	0000000	00000

Calcium, Lime, and Rust Removers


Jug	Pail	Drum

Clean rust and lime deposits such as calcium and scale from HVAC systems, coolers, tools, and vehicles. These removers are nonabrasive and noncorrosive, so they won’t damage surfaces. Derived from plants, they don’t contain toxic chemicals such as bleach, ammonia, alcohol, or phosphates. These removers break down quickly, so they won’t pollute air and water. They’re NSF registered for use in food- and beverage-processing facilities, and meet the EPA Safer Choice standard for environmentally friendly ingredients. They also help you meet LEED Green Building standards.

	Container
	Type	Size, gal.	Solution Type	Harshness	For Use On	For Removing	Specs. Met	Food Industry Std.		Each
Liquid Concentrates



		Jug	1	Water Based	Moderate	Aluminum, Brass, Concrete, Copper, Fiberglass, Glass, Linoleum, Painted Surfaces, Plastic, Porcelain, Stainless Steel, Steel, Stone, Vinyl Plastic	Lime Stains, Rust	EPA Safer Choice Standard	NSF Registered A3	0000000	000000


		Pail	5	Water Based	Moderate	Aluminum, Brass, Concrete, Copper, Fiberglass, Glass, Linoleum, Painted Surfaces, Plastic, Porcelain, Stainless Steel, Steel, Stone, Vinyl Plastic	Lime Stains, Rust	EPA Safer Choice Standard	NSF Registered A3	0000000	000000
		Drum	55	Water Based	Moderate	Aluminum, Brass, Concrete, Copper, Fiberglass, Glass, Linoleum, Painted Surfaces, Plastic, Porcelain, Stainless Steel, Steel, Stone, Vinyl Plastic	Lime Stains, Rust	EPA Safer Choice Standard	NSF Registered A3	0000000	00000000

Stainless Steel Surface Restorers

Bottle

These restorers remove weld scale, discoloration, black oxides, and other impurities from stainless steel (also known as pickling) while restoring the corrosion-resistant chromium layer.

	Container
	Type	Size, fl. oz.	Solution Type	Harshness	For Use On	For Removing		Each
Liquids



		Jar	32	Water Based	Harsh	Stainless Steel	Dirt, Rust, Scale, Tarnish	0000000	0000000


		Gels



				Jar	32	Water Based	Harsh	Stainless Steel	Dirt, Rust, Scale, Tarnish	0000000	000000


				Pastes



						Jar	32	Water Based	Harsh	Stainless Steel	Dirt, Rust, Scale, Tarnish	0000000	000000

Rust Removers for Tumbling


Bottle	Jug	Pail

Remove scale and surface rust on parts and stored steel media. Mix 1 to 4 oz. of compound with 1 gallon of water and then add the solution to your media. To prevent future rust buildup, protect parts from oxygen by coating with a cleaner (not included).

		1 qt. Bottle		1 gal. Jug		5 gal. Pail
For Use On	For Media Material		Each		Each		Each
Steel, Stainless Steel, Titanium, Aluminum, Brass, Bronze, Copper, Iron, Nickel, Gold	Ceramic, Plastic, Porcelain, Steel	0000000	000000	0000000	000000	0000000	0000000

Water-Based Parts Washing Solutions

Clean faster by heating these solutions up to 140°. After washing, parts can be rinsed with water.

Liquid Concentrates—Dilute liquid concentrates with water. 5-gallon pail makes up to 50 gallons of solution. 55-gallon drum makes up to 500 gallons of solution.

Powders—Mix three to eight ounces of powder per gallon of water.

	Container
	Size, gal.	Net Wt., lb.	Type	Solution Type	For Use On	For Removing	Max. Temp., ° F		Each
Liquid Concentrates



		5	—	Pail	Water Based	Aluminum, Brass, Bronze, Copper, Glass, Iron, Plastic, Stainless Steel, Steel, Titanium	Carbon Residue, Epoxy, Grease, Oil, Paint, Rust	140	0000000	0000000


		55	—	Drum	Water Based	Aluminum, Brass, Bronze, Copper, Glass, Iron, Plastic, Stainless Steel, Steel, Titanium	Carbon Residue, Epoxy, Grease, Oil, Paint, Rust	140	0000000	000000


		Powders



				—	25	Pail	Water Based	Aluminum, Brass, Bronze, Copper, Titanium	Carbon Residue, Epoxy, Grease, Oil, Paint, Rust	140	0000000	000000

Nitric Acid

Also known as technical-grade chemicals, industrial-grade chemicals like nitric acid are not suitable for food or medicinal use.

Nitric acid is used for industrial and laboratory applications such as treating wood, pickling and passivating stainless steel, cleaning electronic components, and etching metals.

ACS Reagent Grade—ACS-reagent-grade nitric acid meets quality standards set by the American Chemical Society. ACS-reagent-grade chemicals are also known as Reagent material.

	Container
	Size	Type	Material	Form	CAS No.	Specs. Met		Each
0.3%, Light Viscosity (31 SSU)



		500 ml	Bottle	Plastic	Liquid	7697-37-2	—	00000000	000000


		4.27%, Light Viscosity (31 SSU)



				500 ml	Bottle	Glass	Liquid	7697-37-2	—	00000000	00000


				10%, Light Viscosity (31 SSU)



						500 ml	Bottle	Glass	Liquid	7697-37-2	—	00000000	00000


						20%, Light Viscosity (31 SSU)



								500 ml	Bottle	Glass	Liquid	7697-37-2	—	00000000	00000


								50%, Light Viscosity (31 SSU)



										500 ml	Bottle	Glass	Liquid	7697-37-2	—	0000000	00000


										1 L	Bottle	Glass	Liquid	7697-37-2	—	00000000	000000
										2.5 L	Bottle	Glass	Liquid	7697-37-2	—	00000000	000000


										70%, Light Viscosity (31 SSU)



												500 ml	Bottle	Glass	Liquid	7697-37-2	ACS Reagent Grade	00000000	00000


												1 L	Bottle	Glass	Liquid	7697-37-2	ACS Reagent Grade	00000000	000000
												2.5 L	Bottle	Glass	Liquid	7697-37-2	ACS Reagent Grade	00000000	000000

Multipurpose Cleaners

Use these cleaners to remove dirt, grime, and stains from most surfaces.

Dissolvable Packets

Cleaners in dissolvable packets are sized for dilution in 32-fl. oz. spray bottles. Their concentrated design means they take up less storage space than liquid concentrate cleaners, and they don’t require the use of gloves during mixing.

	Solution Type	Harshness	For Use On	For Removing	Includes		Each
Jar



	2	Solvent Based	Mild	Aluminum, Ceramic, Chrome, Fiberglass, Galvanized Steel, Porcelain, Rubber, Stainless Steel, Steel	Dirt, Dust, Lime Stains, Rust, Scale, Soap Scum	—	0000000	00000


	20	Solvent Based	Mild	Aluminum, Ceramic, Chrome, Fiberglass, Galvanized Steel, Porcelain, Rubber, Stainless Steel, Steel	Dirt, Dust, Lime Stains, Rust, Scale, Soap Scum	32 oz. Spray Bottle	0000000	00000
	40	Solvent Based	Mild	Aluminum, Ceramic, Chrome, Fiberglass, Galvanized Steel, Porcelain, Rubber, Stainless Steel, Steel	Dirt, Dust, Lime Stains, Rust, Scale, Soap Scum	—	0000000	00000
	80	Solvent Based	Mild	Aluminum, Ceramic, Chrome, Fiberglass, Galvanized Steel, Porcelain, Rubber, Stainless Steel, Steel	Dirt, Dust, Lime Stains, Rust, Scale, Soap Scum	—	0000000	00000

No-Residue Cleaners

Often used to clean sensitive parts and equipment in precision applications, such as electronics and medical device manufacturing, these cleaners rinse away without leaving a residue. They can be used for both manual and ultrasonic cleaning.

Liquid Concentrates

Jug

Citric Acid (10-25% Concentration)—Cleaners with citric acid (10-25% concentration) are phosphate free, making them safe for use on aluminum, brass, bronze, and copper. They also remove rust.

	Harshness	For Use On	For Removing	Primary Chemical		Each
Jug—1 gal.



	Water Based	Moderate	Aluminum, Brass, Ceramic, Chrome, Bronze, Copper, Fiberglass, Galvanized Steel, Glass, Plastic, Porcelain, Rubber, Stainless Steel, Steel	Dirt, Grease, Oil, Rust, Scale	Citric Acid (10-25% Concentration)	00000000	000000

Low-Foam Water-Based Parts Washing Solutions

This type of solution is good for use in spray washers where foaming can be a concern. It can be heated to 140° for faster cleaning. Dilute with water to make up to 40 gallons of solution.

	Container
	Size, gal.	Type	Solution Type	For Use On	For Removing	Max. Temp., ° F		Each
Liquid Concentrates



		5	Pail	Water Based	Iron, Stainless Steel, Steel	Carbon Residue, Epoxy, Grease, Oil, Paint, Rust	140	0000000	0000000

Toilet Bowl and Urinal Cleaners


Bottle	Squeeze Bottle

Dissolve mineral deposits and erase stains in toilets and urinals with these acid-based cleaners.

Hydrochloric Acid (9% Concentration)—Cleaners with 9% hydrochloric acid are suitable for most cleaning jobs.

Hydrochloric Acid (10-30% Concentration)—Cleaners with 10-30% hydrochloric acid remove even the toughest stains and mineral buildups. Note: Use on acid-resistant surfaces only.

Phosphoric Acid (20% Concentration)—Cleaners with 20% phosphoric acid handle a variety of cleaning jobs. You can use them where hydrochloric acid cannot be used.

Citric Acid (3-7% Concentration)—Cleaners with 3-7% citric acid are good for light duty cleaning. They contain cedar oil to deodorize as they clean.

Container								Each		Package
Type	Size, fl. oz.	Primary Chemical	Solution Type	Harshness	For Use On	For Removing	Scent		Each	Pkg. Qty.		Pkg.







			Liquids

			Bottle	32	Hydrochloric Acid (9% Concentration)	Water Based	Harsh	Porcelain	Lime Stains, Rust, Scale	—	000000000	00000	12	000000000	000000


			Bottle	32	Hydrochloric Acid (10-30% Concentration)	Water Based	Harsh	Porcelain	Lime Stains, Rust, Scale	Wintergreen	0000000	0000	12	00000000	00000
			Bottle	32	Phosphoric Acid (20% Concentration)	Water Based	Harsh	Porcelain	Lime Stains, Rust, Scale	Cherry Almond	000000000	0000	12	000000000	00000
			Squeeze Bottle	24	Citric Acid (3-7% Concentration)	Water Based	Mild	Porcelain	Lime Stains, Rust, Scale	—	00000000	0000	—	———	0