Fashionable, Functional Doors: A Style and Security Door Blog

Even a small amount of rust on your steel garage door can have a huge impact on both the way your door looks and on the strength and durability of your door. That is why it is so important to remove rust spots as quickly as possible. Thankfully, removing existing rust and protecting your garage door against future rust can be much easier than you realize. In fact, by following the simple steps outlined below, you will be able to complete this task quickly without the need to hire a professional repair contractor.

What You Will Need

• wire brush
• fine grit sandpaper
• microfiber cloth
• white vinegar
• warm water
• dish detergent
• towels
• rust sealant

Step 1: Remove Rust

Begin by tackling the rust spots on your garage door with a wire brush. In order to avoid scratching the underlying door surface, you will want to use a limited amount of pressure and scrub in circular motions.

After scraping away as much rust as possible using your brush, you will need to repeat this same motion using a piece of fine grit sandpaper in order to eliminate the majority of the rust from your garage door.

Step 2: Eliminate Stubborn Rust Spots

After ridding your door of any loose rust, you will need to take on the task of tackling the stubborn rust spots that remain. This can be done by carefully applying a generous amount of white vinegar to the rusted area. Allow the vinegar to sit for approximately one hour so that it can eat away at the rust on your door.

After allowing ample time for the vinegar to disintegrate the rust, you will need to wash the surface of your door using a mild mixture of warm water and dish detergent. This should be done using a sponge or microfiber cloth in order to avoid scratching the door's surface.

Finally, use some towels to thoroughly dry the door before moving on to the last step in the process. If you discover any remaining rust, repeat this step until all rust is removed.

Step 3: Protect Against Future Damage

After successfully removing all of the rust from your door, it is vital that you take steps to prevent this rust from reoccurring in the future. The best way to do this is by applying a rust resistant sealant to the door. While you can choose to apply this sealant only to the recently repaired areas, sealing the entire door at once will often be far more effective.

A Final Thought

While minor rust spots can be eliminated easily using the steps outlined above, it is important to note that this repair process is not designed for dealing with severe damage. For instance, if the rust on your garage door has successfully eaten through the surface of your door, this type of damage will require more in depth repairs than you may be able to complete on your own. In this situation, you will need to enlist the services of a professional garage door repair contractor, such as All Kind Door Services Ltd., to ensure the strength of your garage door is not permanently compromised by the rust damage.