On returning from sunny days, it is not uncommon to have unpleasant surprises when we reinvest our outdoor spaces and rust is a particularly complicated to clean … but not if we know this method as simple as natural.
Rust spots on outdoor tiles are often due to prolonged contact with a damp metallic object. It can be a table foot, a garden chair, a metal pot or even a planter with rusty screws or hooks. The rain or watering then creates a wet environment, and the metal oxidizes, leaving a red or orange trace on the ground. Sometimes it is also due to water -rich water, especially if it comes from a drilling. The iron accumulates, oxidizes, and leaves marks over time.
And it is difficult to drive the rust on tiles because it infiltrates. It is not just a stain on the surface: iron oxides penetrate microcofissurs or pores of the tiles, all the more if it is a little porous material like terracotta or certain sandstones. And the longer the rust stays, the closer it hangs. It can even tint the surface in depth, especially with heat and humidity, which accelerate the process.
If we know the effectiveness of soda bicarbonate, mixed with a little water to form a paste, that of white vinegar or oxygenated water, anyway these products do not overcome it, it is time to turn to a grandmother tip that has proven itself. Start by mopping the area to dry the surface well. Pour lemon juice on it, then add coarse salt and leave for two good hours. Then rub gently with a steel sponge and voila, you will find an immaculate tiles, as on the first day. Indeed, citric acid attacks rust while salt strengthens abrasive action.
Ketchup’s trick also exists and it is not so far -fetched: the acetic acid it contains (as in vinegar) can act a bit like lemon. But the effect is often less powerful. Let’s say it can work on a light spot.
In order to avoid the appearance of rust spots on the outdoor tiles, be sure not to place metal objects directly on the ground, especially if they are in regular contact with water. Remember to use wooden pads or wedges under the pots and garden furniture. If your tiles are porous, a water repellent treatment makes it possible to limit infiltration. In case of rain or watering, it is also useful to quickly dry the areas concerned. Finally, a small regular maintenance of the furniture, with an anti -rusting or a protective paint, can avoid many unpleasant surprises.
