Q&A for How to Clean Wrought Iron

Yes, you can use pressure washers on wrought iron furniture. Particularly when your furniture is covered in rust, pressure washing may be a good way to clean the item.

Hot water and distilled vinegar will clean just about anything, without leaving a film. Also, pure (not sudsy) ammonia is a fantastic cleaner of decorative metals. If you want to just bring the beauty back out of the iron, then my suggestion would be Never Dull - it comes in a small can, and you can find it where you would find Brasso, etc. Reasonably priced, and a little of this stuff will polish an entire gate!

In order to remove concrete, your item may need to be professionally sandblasted. Sandblasting involves the use of machinery that removes rust, paint, and other materials from metal by aiming a jet of sand compressed by air or steam at the item.

Use paint thinner.

A steel wool pad or brush is good for taking out rust. Sometimes you need a little solvent such as WD-40 to loosen the rust from the metal.

The best way to prevent rust is to keep your item clean and dry. If you're able to store your hand plow in a shed or garage when it's not in use, this will help it from rusting in wet weather. Beyond that, be sure to regularly clean and apply wax to the item.

If your wrought iron has turned milky or white in color, it may have been covered with a protective coat of zinc, in a process known as galvanizing. "White rust" often affects zinc-coated metals, but the process for removing this type of rust is the same as removing the rust discussed in the article. Start by using a wire brush to gently scrub at the material. If this doesn't work, use sandpaper to remove the rust.