We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Refresh Your Rusty Patio Furniture With A Common Medicine Cabinet Staple

You may have thought you purchased the perfect outdoor furniture ... until it began to develop rust spots that may seem impossible to remove. This is a common problem with metal patio furniture, mostly occuring in moist or humid environments. Once the metal starts to rust, you might be tempted to replace it with new furniture. Thankfully, you should be able to get rid of the problem and keep your outdoor furniture with a simple medicine cabinet staple. Hydrogen peroxide can be used to eliminate those stubborn rust spots.

All you need to do is create a paste using hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. This solution will help restore your metal patio furniture. Once you have completed this repair, you might want to explore ways to protect your metal furniture from future rust stains. This will help prevent you from having to carry out this rust removal method continuously. While it is relatively simple and convenient, you probably only want to have to do it once.

How to use hydrogen peroxide to restore rusty patio furniture

This rust removal method is so simple that it makes for the perfect DIY home maintenance project. Start out by creating a thick paste using hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Apply it to any spots on your metal furniture that contain rust, and allow it to work its magic for no more than 20 minutes. After it has penetrated the rusty areas, use an abrasive scrubbing tool to remove the loosened rust spots. Wipe and dry the areas once complete, and your formerly rusty metal patio furniture should look as good as new. Keep in mind that you might need to repeat these steps though.

Although you could purchase harsh chemicals to attempt to achieve the same results, this is a great way to remove rust from outdoor furniture naturally. You might prefer to use this method if you have kids or pets who are vulnerable to harsh fumes. Using hydrogen peroxide that you likely already have around the house is also much more affordable than purchasing pricy rust removal products from a retailer.

Protect your metal furniture from future rusting

After you have removed all of the rust spots from your metal patio furniture, you can use one of these methods to prevent the problem moving forward. The simplest method is to keep the furniture as dry as you can. You can place it under a large umbrella or other shelter that will protect it from rain. Avoid spilling liquids onto the metal. When the furniture does become wet, wipe it dry ASAP.

Obviously, keeping outdoor furniture protected from all moisture is nearly impossible. This is why rust prevention sprays and oils are extremely helpful, and there are quite a few different products that you can use to achieve this. Paste wax can be applied to metal furniture to help protect it from rust. Ace Hardware sells Minwax Dark Finishing Wax Paste for $16.99, so you can purchase it there if you'd like. However, you should be able to find paste wax at most home improvement and hardware stores. You could also use WD-40 to keep rust off of your metal furniture. This should be available at your local home improvement or hardware store as well. It is also listed on Amazon for $14.87.