Before and After: Removing Rust from Chrome

With thrifting and garage sale season upon us, no doubt we’ll find a ‘can’t pass up’ piece of 60’s or 70’s chrome furniture with some nasty rust spots.  If you research the best techniques for removing rust from chrome, you’ll find up to nine different techniques people swear by to clean up their bike frames, chrome wheels, chrome furniture and more. See Before and After results on rusted bicycle chrome using Ted Carl’s ‘Old School’ Oxalic Acid soak (from VintageBMX.com’s Forum)

Before:

After the Oxalyic Acid soak:

Here’s a list of various methods other use to clean rust from chrome:

1. Water and aluminum foil crumpled up
2. Coca Cola and aluminum foil crumpled up
3. Naval Jell7y
4. Bar Keeper’s Friend
5. An onion wiped on the rust
6. NevRDull automotive wadding polish
7. Steel Wool
8. Vinegar and aluminum foil crumpled up
9. Oxalic Acid-also known as wood bleach– with this soak, there is no chance of scratching the chrome