How To Remove Oxidation From Metal Garage Door? (The 6 Best Ways!)

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How To Remove Oxidation From Metal Garage Door?

Steel Garage Doors are the most popular, followed by Aluminum Garage Doors. Steel is mainly made up of Iron. In the basic elemental form, Iron will rust and Aluminum will oxidize, when exposed to the atmosphere.

Rusting & Oxidation are the same chemical reaction. Manufacturers do take steps to prevent oxidation from happening. But should it happen, How To Remove Oxidation From Metal Garage Door?

In this blog post I will explain the chemical process of oxidation, the steps that manufacturers take to minimize it and finally The Best Way of How To Remove Oxidation From Metal Garage Door?

What is Oxidation of a Metal Garage Door?

Oxidation is a chemical reaction, actually a very simple and a very natural reaction. What I mean is that oxidation just happens in nature all the time, all around. You do not need a chemistry lab or any special chemicals for this reaction to take place.

The Oxidation reaction is simply when a metal combines with oxygen in the atmosphere to form an oxide. The external environment, such as heat or moisture, can help speed up the reaction. 

Let us take the example of Aluminum (Al), as that is associated with oxidation the most. Chemically this is what happens when oxidation takes place.

Aluminum + Oxygen = Aluminum Oxide

In chemical symbols that is 

4Al + 3O₂ = 2Al₂O₃

Aluminum Oxide that forms on the Aluminum Garage Door is a thin, hard, dull white film. The oxidation of a bright shiny aluminum garage door makes it dull and visually unappealing.

Is Oxidation the same as Rusting?

Chemically speaking the answer is yes in terms of the nature of the reaction.

The main difference is that

• Rusting happens to iron (Fe)
• Rust is a hideous reddish brown color

Chemically this is what happens when rusting takes place.

Iron + Oxygen = Iron Oxide

In chemical symbols that is 

4Fe + 3O₂ = 2Fe₂O₃

Is Oxidation as Bad as Rusting? (Does it Result in Corrosion?)

No. Rusting is certainly worse, a lot worse. Not only does it look terrible, it is the beginning of corrosion.

Corrosion occurs naturally as nature attempts to return metals to their original, stable, oxidized state. Corrosion eats up the metal. Rust itself is powdery and brittle. Worse a layer of rust promotes more rusting underneath. Before you know it your steel (which is mostly iron) is disintegrating.

Aluminum Oxide, on the other hand, is pretty inert chemically. So the oxidation of aluminum actually imparts a level of corrosion resistance to the aluminum garage door.

But it is not as if the aluminum oxide formed by oxidation will prevent corrosion of the aluminum garage door forever. Under certain environmental conditions, aluminum can corrode too.

This can happen when the protective layer suffers localized damage and self-healing cannot occur. Localized damage can be caused by mechanical damage such as scratches or high acidity.

How do Manufacturers prevent Oxidation of Metal Garage Doors?

Manufacturers use several techniques to protect the metal from garage doors from oxidation. They may use a combination too.

How Manufacturers Prevent Rusting of Steel Garage Doors?

The most common ways of preventing or at least minimizing the chances of a steel garage door from rusting are:

Galvanizing

Galvanizing is a process by which steel is coated with a thin layer of zinc. The zinc coating protects the steel beneath it from rust and makes it corrosion resistant.

Paint Coating

Coating steel with paint is another way of giving steel a decorative finish and making it corrosion resistant.

How Manufacturers Prevent Oxidation of Aluminum Garage Doors?

The most common ways of preventing or at least minimizing the oxidation of an aluminum garage door are:

Anodizing

Anodizing is an electrochemical process that converts the aluminum surface into a decorative, durable, corrosion-resistant, anodic oxide finish.

Paint or Powder Coating

Coating Aluminum with paint (liquid or powder) is a great way of giving aluminum some color while preventing oxidation.

To learn more on the differences between Steel & Aluminum Garage Doors, check out my earlier blog post Steel Vs Aluminum Garage Doors (6 Reasons Steel Is Better)

How To Remove Oxidation From Aluminum Garage Door?

Painted aluminum will oxidize as the paint coating wears off with time. Anodized aluminum will oxidize, especially in coastal regions where there is lots of moisture and salt in the air. Unprotected aluminum will oxidize almost immediately.

1. Soap, Scrub, Polish

To remove oxidation from a metal (in this case, aluminum) garage door, wash the aluminum garage door with the garden hose to remove the surface dirt. Use a pressure washer, if possible.

Next use soapy water and a stiff brush. Rub vigorously. The soap will remove the oil & grease stains that must have accumulated. The vigorous brushing will scrape away the aluminum oxide layer. 

It is hard work as the oxidation layer is stubborn. You will be better off using a rechargeable battery powered scrubber.

Once the aluminum garage door has got its shine and is dry, quickly apply a good quality aluminum polish. STAR BRITE Aluminum Polish, available at Amazon, is one of the best. Apply liberally for best results.

2. Clean Chemically

If the oxidation is pretty thick as well as uneven, then using a chemically active cleaner and restorer will make the job easier. The results will be better too.

STAR BRITE 87764 Ultimate Aluminum Cleaner & Restorer, available at Amazon, is engineered to bring back unpainted aluminum surfaces that have become dull or stained. It strips away grime, stains and oxidation with ease and without harming the metal.

Apply STAR BRITE 87764 Ultimate Aluminum Cleaner & Restorer, to the surface in smooth, even strokes using the fine mist setting on the sprayer nozzle. 

The cleaner is acidic and works by chemically reacting with the oxidation. The cleaner will foam when it contacts oxidation which indicates it is working. 

Start from the bottom and work your way up. Use a scrubber to spread the liquid evenly over the oxidation.

Be sure to use acid resistant gloves and proper safety glasses.

Once the cleaner has done its work, wash the aluminum garage door with clean fresh water using a garden hose or a power washer.

After the aluminum garage door is completely dry, apply STAR BRITE Aluminum Polish, available at Amazon, using a cloth or a buffer. Apply liberally for best results.

How To Remove Rust From Steel Garage Door?

Steel Garage Doors, more often than not, rust at the bottom edge. It is the bottom edge which is often wet and sometimes even submerged in water. You can use:

3. Household Chemicals

Rust can be removed using any one of the following two household chemicals.

Sprinkle some baking powder on the rusted paint surface and then rub it gently with a soft yet stiff brush dipped in water. The baking powder will break down the rust and rubbing will remove the rust marks without removing the paint. 

For light rusting white vinegar can also be used to remove the rust. Dab the rusted area with the white vinegar using tissue paper or a rag. Leave it for a while. Chances are the rust will be gone.

However, NEVER mix baking powder and white vinegar. Baking Powder is a “base” while White Vinegar is an “acid”. When mixed they result in a violent (even explosive!) chemical reaction.

4. Mechanical Scraping

You can remove the rust by scraping it with a stiff wire brush. For very small areas a hand held brush will suffice. For larger areas use a wire brush that can be attached to a small power drill.

If the rusting is deep and widespread you will need to take a more aggressive approach. Use a power tool like a grinder, sander, oscillating tool or drill to remove the rust.

Of course this will remove the paint as well and expose the bare metal. A coat of rust inhibiting primer and matching paint top coat will need to be applied to restore the spot.

Make sure to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) which must include safety gloves, safety glasses and the appropriate face mask.

5. Remove Rust with Chemicals

There are plenty of products available in the market that can help you remove the rust from the steel garage door.

Evapo-Rust Super Safe Rust Remover, available at Amazon is an environmentally-safe, water-based product that removes rust in minutes, without scrubbing or sanding.

Evapo-Rust Super Safe Rust Remover is Non-toxic, Biodegradable, Non-corrosive, Safe on skin and eyes, No fumes or bad odors, Contains no acids, bases, solvents, or VOCs

Rust-Oleum Rust Dissolver, available at Amazon, is another option. 

Rust-Oleum® Rust Dissolver Gel clings to iron, steel and other metals to make rust removal convenient, fast and effective. It 

• Removes rust fast
• Inhibitor protects bare metal up to 12 months
• Creates an ideal surface for painting
• Assortment includes bath brush application and spray gel
• Spray gel provides added convenience by clinging to the surface to keep the formula activated

6. Rust Converter

There are some products in the market that do not remove rust. Instead they convert rust back into metal. So you do not have to remove rust. Just paint right over it. 

Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer, available at Amazon is the perfect product for you. Its features are:

• For use on exterior or interior rusted metal surfaces only
• Water-based film forming product converts rust into a paintable surface, there’s no need to sand to bare metal
• Dries to touch in 20-40 minutes and covers up to 12 sq. ft.
• Seals and protects surfaces from future rust
• Creates a flat black finish that can be painted 24 hours following application with any oil-based top coat

Bottom Line

The bottom line is that oxidation is a natural chemical reaction. Most metals will oxidize in the presence of oxygen in the atmosphere.

Oxidation of Steel Garage Doors results in rust which if not checked leads to corrosion and disintegration of the steel garage door.

Oxidation of Aluminum Garage Doors results in the formation of an inert but dull white film. The door loses its luster.

Rust and Oxidation can be removed by using either mechanical or chemical methods. A fresh coat of protection must be applied immediately to prevent the recurrence of oxidation.

Thank you very much for reading the post. I do hope you found it informative and useful.