How to Remove Rust, Oxidation & Limescale with Oxy Cleanze

How to use Oxy Cleanze for rust, oxidation and limescale removal on compatible smooth, painted and metal surfaces.

What is Oxy Cleanze?

Oxy Cleanze is a professional ready-to-use gel for removing rust, oxidation and mineral deposits such as limescale from compatible smooth, painted and metal surfaces.

Its thick gel consistency makes it particularly useful when you need to treat a specific area without the product immediately running away from the stain.

This gives you much better control than a thin liquid, especially on vertical surfaces, cladding, metalwork and detailed areas where good contact time is important.

Where can Oxy Cleanze be used?

Oxy Cleanze can be used on a wide range of compatible non-porous or sealed surfaces, including steel, stainless steel, cast iron, painted metal, painted wood, industrial steel and aluminium cladding, lead, GRP, uPVC, PVC, most plastics and window glass for limescale removal.

It can also be suitable for painted render and coated masonry surfaces, but we always recommend carrying out a small test first to confirm compatibility.

Oxy Cleanze should not be used on bare stone, concrete or cement-based surfaces. For rust staining on those surfaces, use Rust Cleanze instead.

Oxy Cleanze or Rust Cleanze?

This is an important distinction because the two products are designed for different types of surface.

Oxy Cleanze is the better choice for compatible smooth, painted, coated and metal surfaces where controlled rust, oxidation or limescale removal is required.

Rust Cleanze is our non-acid rust stain remover for porous mineral surfaces such as natural stone, concrete and other suitable cement-based materials.

Choosing the product according to the surface is just as important as identifying the stain itself.

Using Oxy Cleanze on lead

One particularly useful application for Oxy Cleanze is lead that has become discoloured following contact with sodium hypochlorite.

This can leave lead looking bright orange, red, brown or yellow. Oxy Cleanze can be very effective at improving this type of surface discolouration and restoring the appearance of the lead.

There is an important limitation though. Not all staining on lead is simply surface oxidation.

Modern lead can contain iron inclusions, and staining caused by these inclusions can be much more difficult to remove. If Oxy Cleanze produces very little change after correct application, the discolouration may be coming from within the lead rather than sitting on its surface.

How does Oxy Cleanze work?

Oxy Cleanze reacts with iron oxidation and mineral deposits on compatible surfaces, breaking down the staining so the residue can then be thoroughly rinsed away.

The gel formulation helps keep the product in contact with the affected area for longer and reduces unnecessary run-off.

This makes it particularly useful for detailed cleaning work where you want to treat the staining itself rather than apply chemical across the entire surface.

How to apply Oxy Cleanze

Oxy Cleanze is supplied ready to use and should not be diluted.

Apply it evenly to the affected area using a brush or roller. We generally prefer a brush because it gives good control and helps minimise splashing.

Allow the gel time to react with the staining, but do not allow Oxy Cleanze to dry on the surface. If it begins to dry before the reaction is complete, lightly mist the area with clean water to keep it damp.

Once the reaction has finished, rinse the surface thoroughly with clean water to remove the product and loosened residues.

For best results, work in cooler conditions where possible. During warm weather, early morning or later afternoon application can help prevent the gel drying prematurely.

Coverage depends on the surface and severity of the staining, but as a general guide 1 litre will treat approximately 10 square metres on a smooth, non-porous surface.

Always carry out a test first

Rust, oxidation and mineral staining can look very similar even when the underlying cause is different.

Surface coatings, previous cleaning chemicals, the condition of the substrate and the source of the staining can all affect the result.

For that reason, always carry out a small test application in an inconspicuous area before treating the complete surface.

A test will help confirm both surface compatibility and whether Oxy Cleanze is actually reacting with the type of staining you are dealing with.

Safety when using Oxy Cleanze

Oxy Cleanze is a professional chemical product and should be handled with appropriate care.

Although it provides an alternative to aggressive mineral acids traditionally used for this type of cleaning, Oxy Cleanze is still classified as corrosive to skin and can cause serious eye damage.

Wear suitable chemical-resistant gloves together with appropriate eye and face protection, keep exposed skin covered and always follow the current product label and Safety Data Sheet.

Keep members of the public, children and animals away from chemical application and storage areas until it is safe for them to return.

Watch Oxy Cleanze in action

Watch the short video below to see Oxy Cleanze being used to remove oxidation and staining:

More information about Oxy Cleanze

For full product information, container sizes and ordering, visit the Oxy Cleanze product page.

You can also download the current Safety Data Sheet, Product Data Sheet and other supporting information from our Product Documentation Pack.

We hope this Trade Tip helps when diagnosing and treating rust, oxidation and limescale staining.

Team Benz