Have traces of rust appeared and you don’t know how to remove them? Novoceram tells you everything you need to know about how to remove these stains, the products to use, how to apply them and how to prevent rust from reappearing.
What are rust stains on exterior tiles?
Rust stains on outdoor tiles are brown or reddish stains that are difficult to remove and do not appear suddenly. They are generally caused by your exterior tiles coming into contact with a rusty metal object.
They can be caused by moisture coming into contact with a metal object placed on your tiles. They impregnate the tiles and will resist the first attempts to remove them with water or a sponge.
Rust can only be removed from your exterior tiles following a chemical reaction to remove the iron oxide. This substance is responsible for the brown colour. It is the iron that oxidises when it comes into contact with oxygen, causing these marks to form. To remove these marks, the idea is to reverse the process.
What should you do about rust marks on your outdoor tiles?
Due to climatic conditions, your outdoortiles are very susceptible to rust stains. All types of exterior covering, like porcelain stoneware, can be damaged by rust. It’s essential to anticipate this when laying your outdoor tiles.
To remove these marks, you can choose between two options. One is a classic, old-fashioned recipe, and the other is more modern and available in the shops.
Classic recipes
Certain elements have a chemical composition that can reverse the oxidation process and consequently remove traces of rust. Most of these are old grandmother’s recipes based on lemon or bicarbonate of soda.
The modern option
In addition to the classic option, products designed to remove rust marks from outdoor tiles are available on the market. These are special stain removers that are effective against rust. A litre of these stain removers costs around fifteen euros. You can also buy rust remover that you can apply directly to the mark you want to remove.
How do you remove rust marks?
The process of removing rust marks depends on the product used and whether your outdoor tiles are porous or non-porous.
Products to use
Apart from commercially available stain removers, bicarbonate of soda and lemon seem to be the ideal solution to rust marks. But you need to know how to use them.
With bicarbonate of soda
Applying baking soda to rust marks requires the use of a few materials. These are washing-up liquid and an abrasive sponge.
The operation involves pouring the baking soda directly onto the rust. Leave for at least thirty minutes. Then scrape vigorously, adding hot water and washing-up liquid. Repeat the whole process if the rust is persistent.
With lemon
The first step is to sprinkle lemon juice generously over the rust stain. Then use coarse salt as an abrasive. Leave to take effect before rubbing vigorously with an abrasive sponge. The chemical reaction will reverse the oxidation process that caused the rust to appear on your tiles. Don’t hesitate to repeat the operation if the rust persists.
The nature of the exterior tiles
The cleaning process could seriously damage your outdoor tiles.
Before you start, you need to know the type of your outdoor tiling. Is it porous or non-porous?
Rust marks on non-porous tiles
Apply lemon juice directly to the rust stain before covering with coarse salt. Leave to work for thirty to sixty minutes, depending on the stain to be removed, then rub with an abrasive sponge. Be careful not to scratch the tiles.
There is another method for non-porous outdoor tiles. You can create a paste by mixing the bicarbonate of soda and lemon. After a few minutes, you can start scrubbing.
Rust on porous outdoor tiles
In this case, certain instructions must be followed. As its name suggests, porous tiles can absorb certain substances that could damage them over the medium and long term. It is therefore advisable to avoid abrasive and acidic products.
The best solution is to use Marseille soap. Mix it with hot water in a container, then scrub vigorously with a brush. You can do the same with black soap.
For widespread rust marks on your outdoor tiling, you can repeat the previous two operations on a larger scale. Mix the ingredients with a large amount of water in a bucket.
Prevent rust marks from reappearing
Once you’ve cleaned your outdoor tiles, the next step is to prevent rust marks from reappearing. You need to protect your tiles from rust.
The first thing to do is avoid contact between your outdoor tiles and any metal objects. It would be wise to choose a storage area that is not close to your tiles.
However, the ideal solution is to protect your metal objects from rust. Opt for the multi-purpose product WD-40, which is available on the market. Spray it on your metal objects before wiping with a cloth. This operation should be repeated frequently, as outdoor metal objects are more exposed to humidity.
