If you own a garage door made of a metal material, you’ll have to prepare for the possibility of rust. Whether you own a residential or commercial property, garage door rust can bring down curb appeal and property value. If neglected, rust can also lead to further problems with its operation. However, if the garage door rust is minor, you won’t be as keen to spend too much on professional garage door rust repair. For this reason, you might be considering options for a DIY garage door rust repair. Luckily, you can check out three DIY garage door rust repair methods in this blog.
What Causes Garage Door Rust?
Before diving into the three DIY garage door rust repair methods, it’s vital to understand what causes garage door rust. If you live in a coastal area, the chances of rust appearing on your garage door are higher due to the proximity to salty air and high levels of humidity. Even if you don’t live in a coastal area, allowing humidity, corrosive materials, and precipitation to accumulate at the bottom of your garage door can also lead to rust.
3 DIY Garage Door Rust Repair Methods
Hopefully, understanding what causes garage door rust has clarified any remaining questions before exploring the three following DIY garage door rust repair methods. Keep in mind that these methods should be utilized if there isn’t a lot of rust. In cases where your garage door has significant rust, you’ll need to contact a professional.
1. White Vinegar Method
The most popular method for DIY garage door rust repair uses white vinegar as the main ingredient. Aside from white vinegar, you’ll also need dishwashing detergent, a steel wool pad, warm water, sandpaper, auto body filler, and metal-friendly primer and paint. Right away, you’ll rub the white vinegar-soaked cloth onto the rust spots on your garage door. Apply the steel wool pad to each spot until the rust is gone.
You’ll repeat these two steps until all the rust is gone. If there are any holes, you’ll use a metal-friendly auto-body filler. Afterward, you’ll sand down the spots that were once rusted with sandpaper so that the primer can effectively stick. Before applying the primer and paint, wash your garage door once again to ensure any dust and debris are out of the way. As soon as the sanded areas are dry, proceed to prime and paint.
2. Baking Soda Method
Sometimes white vinegar won’t be able to complete a garage door rust repair job by itself and will require some assistance. This help will come in the form of the baking soda method. This DIY garage door rust repair method utilizes the same steps as the white vinegar method, except this time, you combine the white vinegar with baking soda. Baking soda strengthens the vinegar solution, allowing rust to come off more easily. All you need to do is add a single tablespoon of baking soda to the white vinegar solution. After letting it fizz out and mixing it into a paste, you’ll apply this makeshift rust-be-gone and let it sit for about thirty minutes before proceeding with the rest of the process for each area of rust.
3. Lemon Juice And Salt Method
Finally, the last DIY garage door rust repair method that’ll be explored today is the lemon juice and salt method. The lemon juice is acidic enough to get rid of rust, and the salt provides enough coarseness to ensure the rust is removed successfully. However, you’ll use an old toothbrush instead of a steel wool pad. You’ll start by applying the lemon juice to the rusted areas, covering them with salt, and using the toothbrush to remove any and all rust. All other steps in the process will remain the same as the white vinegar and baking soda methods.
We Provide Heavy-Duty Garage Door Rust Repair Services!
If you find that there are some minor but concerning instances of rust on your garage door, these three DIY garage door rust repair methods should hopefully make a difference. Unfortunately, there will be times when the extent of rust is too severe for a DIY solution. In these cases, you’ll need the help of a professional garage door service. If you live in Conroe, you can contact us to receive excellent heavy-duty garage door rust repair services.
