Make Removing Rusty Bolts A Breeze With A Kitchen Essential

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If you've ever tried loosening an old bolt only to find it rusted solid, you're not alone. Rust is sneaky that way. It's not something that forms overnight. Generally, it starts when metal gets exposed to moisture in the air, perhaps from humidity or rain. Then oxygen comes in. It reacts with the iron within the metal to create that reddish-brown coating we know all too well. Neglect is also a factor. When you leave your outdoor furniture or garden tools untouched for a season, chances are, you'll come back to find a layer of rust clinging to the surface. Over time, it eats into the metal until one day the bolt in your chair or gate hinge refuses to budge. 

But don't worry — you don't have to hasten off to the hardware store for a rust remover. Using club soda, the same fizzy drink you add lime and gin to, can help loosen rusty bolts with ease.

Ingredients like potassium sulfate and potassium bicarbonate give club soda a slightly alkaline nature. That's exactly what makes it strong enough to dissolve mild oxidation and clean up rust. In simple terms, it's a gentle but effective option, a perfect middle ground between doing nothing and using harsh chemicals. And once you find out that this little trick works, you'll start to see club soda in a different light. You'll realize that it deserves a place in your toolkit as a handy everyday helper.

Begin by pouring a generous amount of club soda, the common bar ingredient, directly over the rusty bolts. Let it sit for at least 24 hours. Patience pays off here. During that time, the minerals inside club soda get to work. They'll dissolve rust and break down oxidation. The fizzing may appear subtle, but it's doing more work than you think.

After a day, inspect your bolts. If you still spot some rusty patches, grab a thick sponge, like the Scotch-Brite Heavy Duty Scrub Sponge. Use the green abrasive side to give the bolts a good scrub, and you'll see that the rust lifts away much more easily now. Once you're done, wash it with clean water. Then, twist and pull the bolts free. At this point, they should come off without a fight.

If you've got rusty bolts sitting in your toolbox instead of stuck in place, this trick is still good to go. You need only to fill a small bowl with club soda. Toss the bolts in and soak them overnight. By morning, the fizz will have softened all the rust buildup. Who knew a bit of kitchen fizz could make such light work of a heavy-duty problem?