Best Way To Clean A Sheet Metal Sign

You don t need to get down to bare shiny metal just clean off the flakes and powdery surface rust that prevent paint from adhering.

Best way to clean a sheet metal sign.

These old porcelain signs are growing in popularity as a collector s item. And be sure to use a very soft cotton towel steering clear of paper towels which can be too rough. Twisted wire cup brushes like this one are good for digging into rust pits in sheetmetal. Carefully dump out the water after 15 minutes and dry the item off thoroughly.

Dip a soft bristle brush into the cleaning solution and begin washing by making small circles with the brush. To clean lightly dip the non abrasive cloth into the cleaning solution of your choice water isopropyl alcohol or glass cleaner or use a spray bottle to very lightly spray the metal print with the solution. Simply wipe your sign gently being sure to get in the small crevices and corners. Be careful too much cleaning solution may cause streaks to form.

Gently wipe away dust and dirt from your metal sign. Don t use anything stronger as it could easily erode the sign materials. Use a clean cloth and clean water to wipe off any soapy residue. You have to be careful with this technique not to overheat metal and warp it.

Today most signs are made from pressed sheet metal or twisted tubes filled with colored neon gases. Slightly soapy water is all you need to make sure your sign looks bright and shiny. Begin at one edge of the metal and work across to the other side. Moisten the cloth with the soap mixture and wring it out well.

The first step is to clean off loose rust and flaking paint and then apply a rust inhibitive primer. The signs were then painted with text and images before being sealed with enamel. Warm a gallon of water until it reaches a level you would consider hot then mix in 1 4 cup of dish washing liquid. However years ago signs were made out of a metal core surrounded by a porcelain layer.

Wash the pot or pan with warm soapy water. Rinse it out then fill it up with clean water 2 tablespoons 30 ml of lemon juice or white vinegar and boil the water for 15 minutes. However badly rusted metal areas need more prep work and possibly a special primer. Disc sanding works well to remove paint and rust from body panels.