How to Get Rust Off Golf Clubs
If your irons are older, there’s a chance they’ve picked up some rust. But that’s no longer a death sentence for your favorite golf clubs.
With some elbow grease and a simple mixture of a few elements, you can take those rusty golf clubs and revolutionize them, bringing them as close to their original shape as possible.
In this guide on how to get rust off golf clubs, I’ll give you some tried and true methods to removing rust, including a few all-natural ways to clean rust off your treasured irons.
What causes my golf club to rust?
Water or moisture left on the steel of your irons and shafts is why rust pops up during the off-season. If you live in a humid environment and store your clubs in the garage, your irons will likely rust unless you closely monitor them when not using them.
If you want to prevent golf clubs from rusting, then make sure they remain dry, and if you can store them inside your home, please do so, as it will prevent even a little rust from developing on the steel.
What materials do I need to clean rust off golf clubs?
There are a few natural and non-natural ways to clean your golf clubs. If you are looking for a natural, non-chemical approach, warm water and liquid soap could help you clean off rust.
Golfers also like using vinegar and lemon juice with steel wool to remove rust and restore the club’s original shine.
If you don’t mind harsh chemicals, industrial rust removers can do the trick quickly and efficiently.
Also, Coca-Cola, which contains the rust remover known as phosphoric acid, has been known for removing rust from golf clubs after soaking the club head for a few days.
When scrubbing rust from the steel, you can use ultra-fine steel wool, a microfiber cloth, a scratch-free scrubber, or a soft-bristled brush to help remove golf club rust.
Can you get rust off clubs?
You can get rusted areas off your beloved clubs using simple household items you can find anywhere in your home.
Soap and water, lemon juice, rust remover, and even multipurpose lubricant can help you succeed with the task of cleaning rusted areas of the club head of your favorite iron set and restoring the club’s shine.
Also, you can soak the club heads in various chemicals and other solvents to loosen rust from the steel. After the clubs soak for a few minutes, you can gently use steel wool, a clean fiber cloth, or other methods to remove the rust from your golf clubs.
Does WD-40 remove rust from golf clubs?
Yes, WD-40 can remove rust from your clubs, but there’s a catch. If your clubs have a unique finish, the WD-40 can remove the rust and finish, dulling the club head.
So if you want to prevent further damage to your irons, you might try less abrasive options, such as warm water and dishwashing liquid soap to remove rust from your clubs.
Some golfers love using WD-40 on their golf clubs with a light sprinkling spread with a clean cloth because the chemical compound creates a waterproof barrier along the steel that helps prevent rust.
However, clubs or a single club, like a driving iron, from a specialist golf store that demands special care probably don’t need treatment with WD-40.
Is vinegar bad for golf clubs?
No, vinegar is a safe and effective liquid to remove surface rust from clubs. Since vinegar carries mild acidic properties, the liquid works excellently as an all-natural alternative to rust removal.
How do I use vinegar to clean a golf club?
If you want to use vinegar to clean a golf club, pour a few liters into a bin. Take each golf club in your set and soak just the head for several minutes. The vinegar will begin loosening the rust from the surface of the steel.
After the soak, take a small steel wool ball and gently remove the rust with small circles. Don’t worry about the steel wool scratching the heads if you are using light pressure.
If you somehow scratch the iron’s head with too much pressure on the club with the steel wool, you can later use a metal shine solvent to brighten and help reduce the appearance of wear and tear from the iron.
As always, once you finish with the vinegar as a rust remover, remove each golf club from a humid location to allow them to dry separately.
Vinegar can remove rust from your raw wedges, so you want to be careful there. Since raw wedges need rust to create spin, managing the rust-affected areas with vinegar could backfire and restore your raw wedges to their initial appearance.
What dissolves rust on iron?
Believe it or not, a dip in a few liters of Coca-Cola can assist in the very difficult task of helping to dissolve rust from your golf clubs.
The Coca-Cola utilizes acid to break down the rusty areas, then all you’ll need to do is use some soapy water with either steel wool, a clean cloth, or a scratch-free rubber device to remove the sticky soda.
After you’ve done that, a tap water cleaning can remove all the soap, and then you’ll be ready to use after removing all moisture with a soft cloth.
Soaking the clubs in vinegar can do the trick if you are looking for a safe alternative. If you don’t like the smell of vinegar, then after you remove the clubs, give them a quick bath in dish soap and water to remove the odor.
What’s my last resort if I can’t remove the rust from golf clubs?
If you still struggle to clean rust from your golf clubs, I suggest using an industrial rust remover.
They are expensive and can require some safety measures, but these liquids are exceptional at removing rust to make your irons shine for their next trip to the golf course.