Having a rusty padlock can affect its appearance and its effectiveness will be reduced, in general, rust can appear on iron and metal objects. The use of rusty padlocks that have been installed for too long and have been used both to lock cabinets, fences, doors and others can have difficulty accessing to open them and this is very annoying, can threaten residential security, disturb, and cause concern for the residents of the house. Various factors cause padlocks to be jammed, rusty and difficult to open such as not being lubricated, the influence of environmental humidity, material quality, rarely opened and others.

The installation of padlocks on a residence is a necessity to maintain security because there are still many homeowners who use padlocks as a tool to protect their dwellings, goods or valuables from theft, but over time the padlocks are prone to corrosion and rust. Therefore, it is important to maintain, clean, improve the appearance and of course restore its function so that it can be used again, if this problem occurs then the owner can overcome it himself without the need to throw away the rusty padlock. Here are some simple steps to clean a rusty padlock and restore a padlock without buying a new padlock, including:

Disassembling the Padlock

The first step that must be taken to clean a rusty padlock is that if possible, the padlock owner can remove the removable parts, this aims to make the padlock clean as a whole and cleaner.

Use of Vinegar

Prepare a container to make a solution using vinegar, add water and salt to taste, stir until evenly distributed, for the manufacture of the solution can be adjusted to your needs and also depends on the level of rust so that the acid can react and dissolve the rust, after that soak the padlock in the container overnight or leave it for a few hours for better results.

Cleaning and Brushing

After the next soaking process is carried out, namely brushing or sanding the rust on the object that has formed, then gently rub it on the surface until it is clean, but for objects that have an area that is difficult to reach to brush, you can use a used toothbrush or other types of brushes that are small, and it should be noted that if stubborn and thick rust is found, the solution can use kitchen spices, namely the use of baking soda and How to use, just add water and baking soda, stir until thickened like a paste, after which you can pour it on a surface with thick rust and let it sit for about 15 minutes, then rub slowly and repeatedly until it produces a clean and shiny look.

Rinsing Process

Removing the acid left behind and rust particles that have loosened after previously the brushing-brushing process is carried out, the next process is to rinse with running water to make it cleaner and rougher, after finishing don’t forget to dry the parts of the padlock using a soft, dry and smooth cloth because making sure the padlock is dry and clean is very important to prevent further rust formation.

Anti-Rust Lubricants

After everything is clean and dry, the next step is to provide anti-rust lubricant, consider using lubricant with quality products or suitable for the type of padlock material you have, for example using WD-40 products or other special padlock lubricants for better results, then to apply it, namely by spraying on the surface and parts of the padlock and then letting it seep in, The provision of this anti-rust lubricating product can help clean rust easily and provide smooth operation. Regular use of lubricants can prevent rust, maintain lubrication sustainability, help protect padlocks from various weather conditions because the protective layer of lubricant can block elements that can trigger corrosion such as water, air and moisture.

Installing the Padlock Disassembly

Reassemble the disassembly of the removed padlock parts into a complete padlock and then do a thorough wiping.

Conducting Experiments

A padlock that has been perfectly assembled is then tried to find out if the padlock runs smoothly or not, but when trying to make sure not to use excessive pressure so that it is not damaged, do it slowly and gently.

Conclusion

It is very important to carry out regular, correct, and proper maintenance on a padlock, this is the best step to prevent rusty padlocks, in addition to maintaining the appearance but has a very extraordinary benefit, namely that the padlock can function more optimally and prolong its life. Before cleaning, it is necessary to pay attention to preparing the equipment in detail so that the body can be protected, but when following the steps above and the results are not successful, the owner can contact the nearest locksmith if it has not been successful, the owner can also buy a new anti-rust lock that is specially designed.