After years of neglect within the home, those old tools could be coming to the end of their useful lifecycle. Metal tools can suffer from prolonged exposure to air and moisture and begin to rust.

At this stage, you have a decision to make. Do you try to repair the tool and save it for use in later projects? Or do you safely dispose of the metal product at a local facility and purchase a new home tool for work required on your property? In this blog, we’ll outline your options for handling rusted tools.

Dispose of Tools that Cannot be Expertly Repaired

It’s important to analyze the functionality of your tools before you consider whether to throw them away or keep them for later use. There are a number of reasons why you might wish to safely dispose of your rusted home tools. These reasons include:

• Rust Can Cause Safety Issues

Within a metal component that is required to connect two individual pieces of equipment, such as a bolt in a saw blade, any form of corrosion can cause a significant safety issue. If the bolts within the tool are rusted and coming away from the connecting material, this issue could cause the blade to come free from the equipment.

If you’ll be using the saw in the future for cutting wood and other home work, there is an inherent risk in using a rusted tool. It would be better to dispose of the tool if it’s no longer able to function safely.

• Rusted Tools May No Longer be Efficient

One of the challenges in working with any older tool is that it may have lost its working efficiency over time. This means you may be spending far too much time on home working projects with little progress. For example, a rusted saw blade will have you doing twice the work for half the result, which is likely to cause many hours of frustration. It might be worth purchasing a new product to save your time and energy.

There are Rust Repair Options Available

While the level of rust damage your tool has suffered could be overwhelming, there are cases where a small amount of rust can be removed from a tool. Consider the following rust repair options if you’re able to clean the product effectively and safely:

• Spray with WD-40 and Then Scrub

WD-40 can help remove a small amount of rust on tools. This penetrative lubricant is designed to provide moisture to older metal parts. You can use a combination of WD-40 spray and then a Scotch Brite pad to scrub away rusted material from your tools.

• Heavy Rust Requires a Dedicated Rust Remover

When your tools are heavily rusted, you’ll require a purpose-fit rust removal product such as Rust-Free, which is designed to comprehensively clean rust from older tools.

Before you begin using those older household tools, consider whether the product could have rust intrusion. For exceptional home safety, all tools should be completely free of rust before use. If you’re unable to clean the tool to the highest standard, you should dispose of it by following the metal product disposal guidelines within your area.

If you have rusted tools around your home, contact our team directly to find out the best methods of removal!