cure equiepement that was in the rain... best practices???" - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

16 Apr 2002

...
  Douglas H. Quebbeman wrote:
  Using a small area of the board where you could
correct any damage
 that this substance might cause, try a little CLR... it's a mixture
 sold throughout the midwest (U.S.) that dissolves Calcium, Lime, and
 Rust deposits. Phosphoric acid is one of its components... so be real
 careful. I've never used it on PC boards before, but it can't be beaten
 for removing corrosion off metal parts.  
 I've thought about picking some CLR up, but don't really have a current 
 use for it. You mention that it will remove corrosion, does that include rust? 
I use CLR for:

    * cleaning the coffeepot (rinse with vinegar afterward)
    * decalcifying the showerhead
    * removing rust from nuts, bolts, etc. hardware.
    * removing rust stains from the clothes washer
    * making copper pennies be shiny again

As others mention, after you clean rust off metal, it will begin
to rust almost immediately. I usually use a lubricant made by
BG Industries called 'HK' afterward, to prevent corrossion, but
sometimes settle for WD-40.

If you leave ferrous metals in too long, some ionization 
process starts to leave a dark film on the parts. It looks
ugly, but so far, those parts don't further rust (but the
dark film looks like corrosion itself though I don't think
it is).

hth,
-dq

-Douglas Hurst Quebbeman (DougQ at ixnayamspayIgLou.com)     [Call me "Doug"]
  Surgically excise the pig-latin from my e-mail address in order to reply
  "The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away."  -Tom Waits