You’re working on a project for your home, school, or office and you have the perfect table or shelf waiting to be built. You have all the other materials you need, except for one small problem. There are some screws that need to be screwed into a piece of plastic that has rusted slightly due to being left outside in a damp area. The screws will not go in, no matter how hard you try. What do you do? The obvious answer is that you cannot use those screws and must find alternative ways of attaching the two pieces of plastic together. But how do you get rid of the rusted screws as fast as possible? This blog post will show you how to remove rusted screws from plastic and keep moving with your project sooner rather than later.
How To Remove Rusted Screws From Plastic
1. Remove the Rusted Screws from Plastic
You first need to remove the rusted screws from the piece of plastic. The screws can be removed using a screwdriver or a pair of pliers. Make sure that you do not damage the plastic in any way, as it will deteriorate if you do so and could even cause it to break. If you are using a screwdriver, then make sure that you use a small one with a head that is about 2cm in diameter. If you need to use pliers, then make sure that they are very strong as well and can hold up to being put under pressure on the screwheads.
2. Clean Up the Area
Once all of the rusted screws have been removed, then you must clean up any debris left over from them and any other debris around your work area. This is because if there is too much debris left over from removing them, it will prevent other things from working properly with your new pieces of plastic once they are attached together. You must also keep in mind that any dirt or grime left behind in your work area could cause rusting to take place again when exposed to dampness later on down the line so clean up before anything else happens!
3. Apply Some Lubricant on All Screws That Need It
If there are still some rusted screws remaining after removing all of the ones that have come off easily, then you may have some more problems ahead of time thanks to them. However, if you can get all of them off, then you can use the remaining ones by applying some lubricant on them to help them go in smoothly once more. This will help make things much easier for you as well when it comes to putting the new pieces of plastic together.
4. Screw the Plastic Together
Once all of the screws have been lubricated, then you are ready to put the two pieces of plastic together that you have separated before. Simply screw them together using a screwdriver or pliers and be sure that everything is lined up perfectly before doing so. If not, then there could be a problem and it may end up being difficult for you to get those screws in again at some point down the line! There are many different types of plastic out there that are available in different shapes and sizes as well, so make sure that you do your research ahead of time on what size screws would work best with your particular material before purchasing any!
5. Attach Some Lubricant to Screws That Are Still Rusted
Although all of the rusted screws have been removed, there are still some that are still rusted because they were left out in a damp area for too long without any lubricant being applied to them first beforehand. This is where a little bit more work is needed from your part when it comes to getting these screws out using only pliers or a screwdriver again because they will not come off easily this time around thanks to their rusting.
Rusted Screw Extractor Set
- The first step is to get access to the rusted screws that won’t budge. You can do this by drilling a small hole into the piece of plastic and screwing a screw extractor set into it. The set comes with a drill bit and several different-sized bits, so you can choose the one that is best for your project.
- Once you have finished drilling a hole into the plastic, put your screw extractor set into it and start turning it. The reason for this is that the bit will not go deep enough on its own, so you need to use some force to get in deeper than normal.
- Once you have turned the screw extractor set in as far as possible, take it out of the hole and continue turning it until you feel resistance from it hitting something inside of your plastic piece. This might take a few attempts because there will be some resistance from your plastic piece as well, but eventually, you should be able to remove all of those rusted screws from your plastic piece!
- After removing all of those rusted screws, simply wipe off any dirt or debris that may have gotten on them before putting them back into their holes in order to prevent rusting again in the future!
Vinegar, Baking Soda, And Dish Soap
- Place the screw head into a bowl of vinegar.
- Place the bowl of vinegar into a saucepan filled with water and add some baking soda.
- Let the mixture boil for about 20 minutes or until the vinegar and baking soda have dissolved in the water.
- Remove from heat, add a cup or two of dish soap, and let sit for one minute.
- Remove from heat and pour onto rusted screw head in a bowl of vinegar solution and let sit for five minutes before removing it from the solution with pliers or a pair of tongs.
Salt And Lemon Together
- Fill a bowl or container with a small amount of salt.
- Fill the container with lemon juice.
- Place the rusted screw into the bowl of lemon juice and salt, and wait for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the screw from the bowl and wipe it off with a clean cloth or paper towel, then place it in a container of vinegar, let it soak overnight, and then wipe it off again with a clean cloth or paper towel before reattaching to your project.
Conclusion
Rust is a common issue across the world, and while it might not be the most serious issue, it can still be extremely frustrating to deal with. If you are trying to remove rust from something, you may have to use a couple of different methods to get the job done. Rust is a common issue that can happen to anything made from metal, so it is important to know how to get rid of it when necessary. This can be done with either home remedies or industrial-grade chemicals. Whatever you choose, make sure to follow the instructions closely so you can get the job done quickly and easily. With these tips, you should be able to remove rust from screws with ease.
