How to Repair Rust on a Toyota Pickup

Clean up rusty spots on your Toyota pickup before they become a bigger problem.

Rust forms when iron reacts with oxygen (oxidizes), usually with the help of humid or rainy weather. Because vehicles are often left outside to bear the brunt of the elements, they are easily attacked by rust. Although extensive sub-surface rusting and corrosion can turn any vehicle's exterior into a lost cause, small patches of surface rust (on body paint, chrome trim or other metal components) can be easily removed using household products.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

things you'll need:

• Warm soapy water
• Sponge
• Light oil or rust remover
• #0000 steel wool pad
• Clean towel
• Textured scrubbing pad
• Glass cleaner
• Paper towels
• Car wax
• Buffer cloth
• Metal polish
• Flannel polishing cloth

1. • 1

     Wash the pickup's exterior thoroughly with a sponge and warm, soapy water. Some surface rust can be easily removed using simple dish detergent and the friction created by a sponge.

   • 2

     Remove rust from chrome trim or rims using grade #0000 steel wool as an abrasive. Pour a generous amount of lubricating oil onto a pad of steel wool and rub the rusted area in a circular motion. Wipe with a clean, soft towel to check progress. Repeat as needed for all chrome areas.

   • 3

     Moisten a textured scrubbing pad with oil or rust remover to remove surface rust on the pickup's body paint, as steel wool may damage or scratch it. Move the pad in a slow, circular motion. Wipe clean with a towel and repeat for any other rusted areas.

   • 4

     Wipe away rust from any glass surfaces using the same textured scrubbing pad. Clean the area with glass cleaner and a paper towel.

   • 5

     Apply a coat of wax to the body of your Toyota pickup. Allow it to dry and then buff it off with a buffer cloth. Regular wax treatment will protect your exterior paint from surface and sub-surface rust. Regularly polish any chrome or metal trim with metal polish and a flannel cloth to protect it from further rust damage.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have to drive in wet weather, dry all metal trim on your Toyota pickup and park it in the garage. Doing so will prevent future formation of rust.

• A variety of rust-removing home remedies exist. Moistened aluminum foil, vinegar, lemon juice, cola and baking soda have been known to get rid of surface rust.

• Do not ingest or inhale any rust-removal or polishing compound. Both contain harmful chemicals that can be poisonous or fatal if consumed.