The moment you start biking on the road, your bike will be exposed to several environmental conditions that can negatively impact the bike. In particular, oxygen and water can bring rust to different parts of your bike, like the handlebars. The handlebar is an essential part of the bike that needs to be maintained all the time, including removing rust.
So, how to get rust off bike handlebars? Fortunately, rust in handlebars can be removed easily using simple materials available inside our homes, such as baking soda, vinegar, salt, and many more. This article will show some of these methods to help bike owners remove rust in handlebars at home.
The use of baking soda is not limited to cooking because it is also an excellent cleaning material. More importantly, it can be used to clean rusty handlebars in combination with other simple materials.
What to Prepare:
- baking soda
- water
- soap
- toothbrush
- bowl
- sponge
Step 1: Initial Cleaning the Handlebars
When learning how to get the rust off handlebars, the first step is to do an initial cleaning of the handlebar to prepare the surface for the rust removal process. Use soapy water and a sponge to remove all the dirt and dust on the handlebar. If possible, you can also clean the other parts of the bike.
The purpose of cleaning the handlebar is to reveal all the surfaces that are covered with dirt or dust. Once the dirt is removed, covered stains will be exposed and have the chance to be appropriately removed as well.
Step 2: Preparing the Baking Soda Solution
When learning how to get rust off of bicycle handlebars, the next step is to create a baking soda solution that will be used to remove the dust on the handlebar—Mix 50% of baking soda and 50% water in a bowl. The measurement may vary depending on the stickiness of the mixture.
If the mixture is too watery, you will need to increase the amount of baking soda to make a sticky mixture. The mixture should be able to stick to the surface of the handlebar to maximize the cleaning effect of the solution.
Step 3: Applying the Mixture of the Bicycle
Once you have already prepared the right cleaning solution, the next step is the application process to remove the rust from the handlebar. You will need to dip a sponge into the baking soda paste and apply the cleaning solution to the whole handlebar.
The coating of the cleaning solution must be done equally to the surface of the handlebar. In this step, you can use a large toothbrush to help spread the cleaning solution evenly on the surface. Once the cleaning mixture is applied to the surface, leave it for 30 minutes to allow the cleaning effect of the mixture to remove the rust on the handlebar’s surface.
Step 4: Scrubbing the Mixture Off
After the waiting time has elapsed, the next step is to remove the cleaning solution from the surface of the bike handlebar. You can use the sponge or the toothbrush to remove the cleaning solution from the handlebar.
In addition, you can put the sponge in the water to soften the cleaning mixture. Slowly remove the cleaning solution and make sure that everything is removed thoroughly. Expect the rust to be removed once you lift all the cleaning mixture from the handlebar.
There will be some remnants of rust that you might see on the surface of the handlebar. If you see some spots with rust, use the toothbrush to remove all the stubborn rust in combination with the cleaning solution.
Step 5: Putting the Finishing Touches
After removing everything, the next step is to put the finishing touches by cleaning the handlebar. During this step, it is expected that the rust has been removed, and the cleaning solution is completely off the surface of the handlebar.
Rinse the handlebar using clean water and a dry cloth. When doing this step, ensure that there will be no droplets left on the bike handles. Then, you can apply some bicycle wax to keep the rust from returning to the handlebar’s surface.
Helpful Tips
Apart from baking soda, there are also other materials that can be used to clean rust on handlebars and other parts of the bike. These materials are also readily available inside our homes.
Vinegar
Vinegar can also be used to remove rust from the handlebar. The vinegar contains acetic acid, an excellent cleaning agent that effectively removes all the rust found on handlebars and other parts of the bike.
All you have to do is sponge, rag, or any scrubbing pad to apply the vinegar directly to the rusted area. After the application, expect the rust to be removed immediately from the surface. But, you need to make sure to rinse your bike after the removal process. This action is to prevent the acid from damaging the metal parts of your bike.
Coke
Carbonate drinks such as coke can also be used to remove rust from the handlebar. The phosphoric acid of a coke can effectively remove the rust by directly applying it to the surface. The only issue is that this cleaning agent can also damage a little bit of the metal structure of the bike.
Salt
Salt is also an effective cleaning agent if combined with other materials to remove rust on handlebars. The best combination is lemon and salt solution, which effectively removes the rust from the handlebar. You can also use lime if you do not have a lemon.
Conclusion
Learning how to get rust off bike handlebars is an essential skill to know when having a bike. The constant exposure of your bike to environmental factors can make the handlebar accumulate rust. However, removing the rust is easy using simple materials available in your home.