Things rusting in the garage is not uncommon. There are many reasons why things rust in the garage. Rust in the garage can be caused by high humidity and also a lack of ventilation. If you store tools in the garage, it is advisable to make sure that you protect them from damage.
It is advisable to understand the cause of rust and find ways to deal with it to keep garage items in good condition. Adopting smart storage solutions and learning how to control temperatures in the garage can be helpful.
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How to stop things rusting in the garage
1. Control garage humidity
Controlling humidity is probably the most important thing that you can do to minimize garage dust. Most of the garage spaces tend to accumulate moisture due to a lack of ventilation.
Moisture tends to accelerate rust, and it is always a good idea to keep the space as dry as possible. Controlling garage humidity involves a combination of different activities. Here are some tips on controlling garage humidity to prevent rust in the garage:
2. Seal the floor or use floor mats
One of the most effective ways to keep the garage dry is to seal the floor. If you have a concrete floor, you will notice that it accumulates moisture between the concrete pores. Using a garage sealant can be helpful to keep the space dry. Epoxy can also be good for sealing a garage floor, although it is a bit costly. If you are working with a tight budget, you can paint the floor or use garage floor mats.
On the other hand, you can cover the garage floor using garage floor mats. The mats will help you to cover the floor to reduce moisture and humidity. In case you are going to keep your tools on the floor, they will not be affected by moisture. You can check out the best garage floor mats to protect your floors from moisture.
3. Use a dehumidifier
Using a dehumidifier will help you to eliminate stuffy air from your garage space. If your garage does not have any ventilation, it is always a good option to use a dehumidifier. Ensure that you use the right size of the dehumidifier to eliminate the excess moisture.
4. Garage ventilation
Garage ventilation can also be helpful in getting rid of excess moisture. If you want to keep the garage space free from moisture, try and introduce garage fans. Using a combination of garage fans and heaters can help you to keep the space as dry as possible.
5. Prevent garage flooding
Water in the garage can lead to rusting. If you want to prevent rust in the garage, you need to avoid flooding or water accidents in the garage. Start by sealing your garage door so that rainwater does not enter your garage. Take time and also inspect your garage for leakage. Make sure that you do not have any leakage in your garage.
How to prevent rust in workshop tools
Workshop tools are also prone to rust since most of them are made using steel. Apart from creating an environment that reduces dust in the workshop, you can also prevent rust by taking care of your tools. Here are some tips to prevent rust in the workshop tools:
1. Use your tools regular
The standard way to prevent rust in the garage is to make sure that you use your tools. Make an effort to use your tools frequently. When tools sit in the workshop for a long time, they tend to accumulate dust and start rusting. It will be a good idea only to have tools that you are going to use. If you do not use your power tools, you will not notice when they start accumulating dust.
2. Keep your tools clean.
Apart from using your tools regularly, it is important to keep them clean. You need to make sure that your steel tools do not accumulate a lot of dust and other elements in the garage. If you are running a workshop, sawdust is likely to accumulate on your tiles.
Make sure that you wipe the sawdust and other elements as fast as possible. Dirt and other elements tend to accelerate the rusting of steel and other metals. Take one day a week to wipe and clean the tools. Do not clean your tools with water because it can promote rust.
3. Protect your tools from water
Water tends to accelerate rusting. It is important to keep your tools as dry as possible so that you can prevent rust. When it comes to preventing rusting, make sure that you do not clean your tools with water. It is also advisable to place your tools in an area that is near sources of water.
Place your tools in an elevated area as opposed to placing them directly on the floor or walls. Using floor mats can be helpful in keeping tools away from the floor. You can also use wood pallets to elevate some tools from the ground.
4. Adopt cleaver tool storage techniques
Your tool storage and organization methods can help you to prevent rust in the garage. Make sure that you come up with clever storage methods that will help you to protect your tools.
- Covering your machines with cloth or vinyl – covering your machines with cloth and vinyl can be helpful in preventing rust. If you are not going to use your table saws for some weeks or months, make sure that they are properly covered. Covering tools keeps moisture and dust away.
- Mesh liners and zipper bags – for small tools, you can use mesh liners and zipper bags. These are made using rust inhibitors, and they will keep your tools rust-free. For tools that you do not use frequently, make sure that you use mesh liners and zipper bags.
- Keep tools elevated – keeping tools elevated can be helpful in preventing rust. When you keep tools elevated, you will protect them from moisture from the floor. Using a pegboard can help you to keep tools elevated and avoid rust.
- Use garage cabinets – garage cabinets can protect your tools from rust. If you store your tools in garage cabinets, make sure that you use silica gel. Silica gel can be helpful in absorbing all the moisture from the cabinets. Moisture tends to accelerate rusting.
5. Use protective coating
Using protective coating on metallic surfaces and tools can be helpful. We have wax that you can use on your metallic tools to prevent rust. The wax serves as a protective cover, and it can be useful in keeping rust away from your tools.
6. Regularly treat rust
Treating rust on garage workshop tools
- Sand and scrub the rust – Once you notice rust on any metallic surface, the first step should be to sand and scrub the rust. You can use steel wool or sandpaper to remove the rust.
- Apply mineral spirits after the rust is removed – You can use an alternative between scrubbing, sanding, and applying mineral spirit on the affected area of the metal.
- Once you are sure that you have eliminated all the rust, apply machine oil.
- Polish the affected area with machine oil until you are sure that it is clean and polished.
All these methods are practical in keeping your garage or workshop rust free. Good luck in keeping your garage space rust free.
