Cleaning rust from glass

[Goldenplug]

Has anyone discovered methods for removing rust from glass using certain chemicals or other tested methods? I bought a product that claimed to do just that and I had very poor results. If you pry it off using instruments you risk losing glass as well sometimes as it’s so attached. Generally I use wood to try and pry it off but there’s often a residual amount of rust or it is so attached that prying it would do more harm than good. Thanks.

 

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[NJKLAGT]

I'm also curious about this. I do the same thing Goldenplug, get as much off as I can using wood or plastic, but there's always that amount of rust that's seemingly married to the glass.

Also curious if there are any everyday household products, like Coke or orange juice or whatever it may be, that are as effective...

 

[epackage]

Wet the rusty area with vinegar and sprinkle on some baking soda and let it bubble up and work on the stain, then use a wet SOS pad after 5 or 10 minutes and it should clean right up. Wash it off with soapy water and dry...

 

[Goldenplug]

I will give this a try and let you know how it works out.

 

[NJKLAGT]

Sounds like a good idea for the rust! But speaking of pads, can I use a polishing pad to "tumble" a troubled area (let's say, some case wear around the heel of the bottle)? I'm trying to think of alternatives to tumbling, something that I could do manually, targeting a specific area.

 

[Rookster]

To self, write that down.

 

[Plumbata]

What about soaking in a solution of Oxalic acid? Or CLR?

I bought a few pounds of Oxalic acid ("wood bleach") off ebay to remove rust from encrusted iron objects and it ate through down to the bare metal which was quite impressive, so i'm pretty sure it would work as a bottle soak even for the thick rusty crust.

 

[epackage]

Sounds like a good idea for the rust! But speaking of pads, can I use a polishing pad to "tumble" a troubled area (let's say, some case wear around the heel of the bottle)? I'm trying to think of alternatives to tumbling, something that I could do manually, targeting a specific area.

I know guys using Dremel tools with a polishing wheel and glass polish that have great success, also a bench grinder with a glass polishing wheel would do the same, but I would use the Dremel instead. Most tell me they put water in the bottles so the glass doesn't heat up too much and crack...

 

[NJKLAGT]

Thanks Jim, I might just try the Dremel idea! I'll practice on some junk bottles first of course.

 

[Harry Pristis]

Plumbata has the right idea . . . oxalic acid is very effective. But, any strong, commonly available acid will reduce the iron so that you can simply wipe away the residue. Muriatic acid and bath tile cleaner are safe on glass.

I have thought that warming a bottle gradually using tap water would inhibit thermal shock when spot-polishing a bottle with for example a rotary tool. I have never gotten around to trying it. Has anyone here had any experience spot-polishing bottles?

 

[epackage]

I know a young guy who does it all the time Harry, with great success...

 

[Dug]

Plumbata has the right idea . . . oxalic acid is very effective. But, any strong, commonly available acid will reduce the iron so that you can simply wipe away the residue. Muriatic acid and bath tile cleaner are safe on glass.

I have thought that warming a bottle gradually using tap water would inhibit thermal shock when spot-polishing a bottle with for example a rotary tool. I have never gotten around to trying it. Has anyone here had any experience spot-polishing bottles?

Much to my horror I found out that it is quite easy to crack a bottle when cleaning it with a rotary tool with a wool wheel and silicate carbide grit as it generates quite a bit of heat in a very small spot; the bottle was warm when it happened. Since then I now exercise patience by allowing the glass to cool down frequently and use the rotary at it's lowest rpm while frequently dipping the wool wheel in cool silicate carbide slurry to avoid generating to much heat. I spot polish the stopple marks off bottles after tumbling them and sometimes spot polish bad scrapes/scratches before tumbling.

 

[islamoradamark]

Had a bottle a couple a weeks ago heavily stained bottle brush did not work then tried straight vinegar that got some of it out. When i tried straight muriatic acid and let it stand awhile that stain came off. just be real careful with the acid where groves and use next to a water hose that stuff will burn ur skin it smokes hold far from face when pouring in bottle

 

[Harry Pristis]

Much to my horror I found out that it is quite easy to crack a bottle when cleaning it with a rotary tool with a wool wheel and silicate carbide grit as it generates quite a bit of heat in a very small spot; the bottle was warm when it happened. Since then I now exercise patience by allowing the glass to cool down frequently and use the rotary at it's lowest rpm while frequently dipping the wool wheel in cool silicate carbide slurry to avoid generating to much heat. I spot polish the stopple marks off bottles after tumbling them and sometimes spot polish bad scrapes/scratches before tumbling.

Thanks, Dug, for the response. Beyond more patience, have you tried other polishing grits? You don't say what size grit you use, but carbide sounds aggressive. Maybe there are other options available. Have you tried Tripoli, a mild polishing compound?

 

[Mich. Wolverine]

Lime-A-Way has worked really well for me on bottles that have rust on them.

 

[Dug]

Thanks, Dug, for the response. Beyond more patience, have you tried other polishing grits? You don't say what size grit you use, but carbide sounds aggressive. Maybe there are other options available. Have you tried Tripoli, a mild polishing compound?

Good question Harry. I tumble bottles with SC grit that I buy from the same source that I bought my machine as I find his quality of grits are excellent quality, dependable and produce expected results with each grade. Here are the grades of silicate carbide grit I use: 600 which is a very aggressive cutter for extremely sick or scratched non embossed bottles. 1000 a medium cutter for very sick/scratched embossed bottles that will somewhat breakdown into a polisher. 1200 (I primarily use for tumbling) a medium/light cutter that breaks down into a polisher. 1500 that is a very light cutter and easily breaks down into a polisher. I have AO polish for situations where the bottle is very soft glass and needs a follow-on polish after 1500.

I use 1500 when spot polishing with my Dremel as it is not very aggressive and will leave a gloss afterwards. I have never tried Tripoli for spot polishing since it does not break down into polisher like 1500. I tumble glass shards in rock tumblers for a project and use Tripoli as a pre-polish before going to an Aluminum Oxide polish stage. I find the Tripoli leaves a nice smooth surface on the glass but also a flat appearance instead of gloss.

 

[A2coins]

good post