During the winter, we received the following inquiry:
“I’ve been using KC-12, but recently, it seems less effective at removing rust. Has anything changed?”

Response:
The effectiveness of rust removal can vary depending on the temperature (solution temperature).
There have been no changes to the solution itself.
The customer’s workpieces and methods have also remained the same.
The main factor that has changed (compared to summer) is the temperature (solution temperature).

Rust removal relies on the power of chemistry.
In general, chemical reactions tend to proceed more effectively at higher temperatures.

We conducted the following experiment:
We compared the rust removal performance of KC-12 diluted 5 times under two conditions:

1. At 45–50°C (113–122°F)
2. At 5–10°C (41–50°F)

Note: This was an experiment. Heating the solution may have unintended side effects.

The results showed that rust was removed more effectively at higher temperatures.
However, the effect on the base material also increased at higher temperatures.

We often receive other inquiries, such as, “Is it okay to heat the solution?”
Our recommendation is to keep the temperature at approximately body temperature (around 40°C or 104°F) to minimize effects on the base material.

Most of our rust removal solutions are formulated to minimize discoloration of the base material.
However, factors like temperature can alter the rate of chemical reactions and affect the results.

If you have any concerns or questions about rust removal solutions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.