Asked on Jun 07, 2018

Re:bathdoor? How to clean rusty door hinges?

Eileen Irene
by Eileen Irene
The hinges on the door are rusty, how do I clean them. Also, there is a faded area below the door knob . What do I do aside from painting or replacing the door? Help and thank you!

  9 answers
  • Mogie Mogie on Jun 07, 2018

    Removing rust from hinges:


    Step 1

    Remove the door hinge. Use a screwdriver to remove the hinge plates from the door.


    Step 2

    Scrub the door hinge with steel wool. Remove as much rust as possible, but expect rust to remain near the edges and around the screw holes.


    Step 3

    Place the hinge in a container. Fill the container with basic cola, such as Pepsi, Coca-Cola or a generic substitute. Carbonated beverages contain phosphoric and carbonic acids, which remove rust via etching.


    Step 4

    Check the hinge for rust every three hours. Depending on the extent of the rust, it may take more than a day to dissolve. Remove the door hinge once all signs of rust are gone.


    Step 5

    Clean the hinge with liquid dish detergent and warm water to remove any stickiness. Dry the hinge completely with a towel, and then reinstall the door.

  • Pat Russell Pat Russell on Jun 07, 2018

    I think you could use steel wool to scrape/clean the hinges, but if they are badly rusted, you should probably replace. The faded area under the door knob is probably from cleaning off the fingerprints! Painting the door is probably the only answer to that!

  • Vimarhonor Vimarhonor on Jun 07, 2018

    Hinges are relatively inexpensive to replace and would be involved is removing the screws that hold them in place to the door. That may be an easier consideration rather than the rehab and cleaning, removing the rust and repainting/ sealing, which probably should be done removed from the door to do a complete and effective cleaning and sealing paint job.


    You might consider painting the whole door with hinge replacement at the same time.


    The hinges with screws can be purchased in single pieces or in multi package sets at big box hardware stores generally there they start around $ 3-4 each or less depending on your finish and if its solid brass or not.


    https://www.amazon.com/Design-House-202523-6-Hole-3-5-Inch/dp/B004Q9DW42/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1528384692&sr=1-1&keywords=Hinges&th=1#HLCXComparisonWidget_feature_div

  • GrandmasHouseDIY GrandmasHouseDIY on Jun 07, 2018

    Hi there I've found vinegar is the best for rust removal. I would take the door off its hinges and remove the hardware so you can soak the hardware in vinegar. When you say a "faded area" I wonder first, is the door painted or is it a stained wood door? If its painted and the paint faded it would be easy enough to paint it over. If its a fade in the stain I would sand the door down and restain it. No reason to replace the door.

  • Cheryl A Cheryl A on Jun 07, 2018

    Door Help : How to Remove Rust From Door Hinges - YouTube

    ▶ 2:27

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLEIVcD19B4

    Jan 27, 2012 - Uploaded by essortment

    it can get real stiff it can pull the screws out of the door jamb or the door. so you want to correct that so the thing ...


    How To Remove Rust From Metal Door Hinges in 3 Easy Steps ...

    ▶ 1:06

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ik0L0DL-uM

    Apr 7, 2016 - Uploaded by Metal Rescue Rust Remover Bath from Workshop Hero

    In this short video, we will show you how to remove rust from metal door hingesusing Metal Rescue Rust ...


    How to remove rust from the surface of a hinge - YouTube

    ▶ 0:45

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g6JHuFj8JY

    Jun 30, 2013 - Uploaded by Geek Street



    How to remove rust from the surface of a hinge. ... How to Remove Rust Naturally : How to repair your home ...



    try cleaning the faded area below the door knob with Fantasik or Mr Clean Magic Erasers (they are wonderful) but you may need to touch up the paint depending on how bad it is Good luck to you

  • Sharon Sharon on Jun 07, 2018

    I use steel wool - 000 to 0000, to remove rust off metal. at bit of paint stripper can help too. You would need to match the paint to touch-up the door to avoid repainting the whole door.

  • Sally Wiese Sally Wiese on Jun 07, 2018

    Well, we used to go to auctions and some items had a little rust on them. We used >>>NAVAL GEL

  • Jeanette S Jeanette S on Jun 11, 2018

    Everything in a house has a time limit before they either have to be repaired or replaced.


    Take Down the door.

    Remove all hardware.

    Sand down the door slightly and repaint.

    Replace the hardware.


    By the time you buy sanding paper, rust prevention primer and paint, buy a couple of hinges, a new striker plate and a new knob!

  • Lifestyles Homes Lifestyles Homes on Jan 15, 2021

    If the rust is minor, WD 40 & scrub with a small wad of aluminum foil.