Rust and stain chemistry for metal and fabric

Sanding removes the loose rust you can see; Phoskleen chemically converts and removes what sits in the pits and pores, then conditions the metal surface so paint keys properly — it acts as a primer base. That is why boats at Walvis Bay and car-body shops inland treat with Phoskleen after mechanical prep and before spraying. Paint over untreated pitting and the rust simply continues under the film; the coastal salt air finds it within a season. Rinse and dry per the label before coating.

Rustaway — the laundry-side rust and iron-mark remover, formulated for fabric rather than metal. Commercial laundries use it on linen stained by iron-rich borehole water and on workwear marked by rusty equipment; it belongs at the spotting table next to P.O.G, Standout and Purple Magic, each of which handles a different stain family. Never use a metal rust remover on textiles — the acid strength that cleans steel destroys cellulose fibre. Treat before washing, and never tumble-dry a still-stained item.

For batch work use a bath, not a brush. Magnus 645 is the powder for a ferrous-metal cleaning bath that strips carbon, rust and paint together — ideal for engine and machinery components. Chloracid 90 is the inhibited liquid acid for pickling and descaling where heavier rust and scale must come off steel without eating sound metal. Both are re-usable bath charges. After either bath, rinse, dry and protect immediately — bare de-rusted steel begins flash-rusting within hours, faster at the coast; priming or oiling the same day closes the window.

Brass Brite is the dedicated brightener and cleaner for copper and brass — lodge fittings, valve gear, instrument cases, engineering components. It removes the tarnish layer chemically instead of abrading the metal away, which matters on thin decorative pieces. After brightening, a light protective wipe (Silprolease, or lacquer on display pieces) slows re-tarnishing, because bare brass in Namibian air dulls again within weeks. For engineering contacts, follow with the appropriate Solvene cleaner rather than a dressing.