I'm fixing up a couple of bikes, one was found in the trash, the other I got at a yard sale for real cheap, both have a lot of rust on the chrome.

Can anyone recomend some good, cheap chrome polish/rust remover type of stuff? I need a lot of it.

I think that chrome polish and rust remover are going to be kind of different steps and entail different products. I'd also warn you that if the rust is bad enough, there's no polish in the world that will bring back the shine. The shine finish isn't just hiding under the rust, it's literally gone.

So rust removers abound- light rust will come off with something as simple as WD-40 and scotchbrite pad, up to something like naval jelly, which is a phosphoric acid in a jelly base. A lot of the rust removers use some version of this chemistry- acid changes the ionic charge of the iron to break down the iron oxide in the rust, and you're left with a phosphate compound in it's place. CAUTION THOUGH- I make no claims as to the stability of otherwise healthy chrome under this acid treatment. I really don't know what a powerful rust remover will do to chrome. I'm betting for rust removal, elbow grease is more your friend than chemistry.

Once you get it cleaned up, you can move on to the polishing part. I'm not sure that 'good' and 'cheap' go together very often with this kind of stuff, but in general, the Mothers brand line of polishes and stuff are generally respected.

For true chrome polish, this is the stuff I use: Simichrome. It ain't cheap, if I recall. Probably ~10 bucks a tube. maybe more?? don't buy it real often.

Thanks. This was very helpful.

I might try a mild acid, like vinegar or something, and some scrubbing and then work my way down the pH scale from there if need be.

yeah, when i was fixin up an old bike from the early 70s i was really surprised at what elbow grease and a scotchbrite pad got me.


that's what she said.

but seriously. scotchbrite. yes.

steel wool + elbow greece = southern european chrome job.

DANG, I just remembered this little trick when I was at the grocery store last night. Sorry I forgot to mention it before. Somewhere on the caustic scale between vinegar and naval jelly would be the rust remover, like C-L-R brand, that they sell for bathrooms. Yeah, the R stands for rust. that shit is a good light rust remover. even though it's off the shelf, it's still pretty nasty stuff. momma nature appreciates it when you use in moderation.

What I use on my motorcycle with amazing results is Nevr-Dull. It wont take out deep rust, but pocking on the surface cleans right up. Great shine. Real easy to use and cheap too.

I may be too late to respond, but I have a friend who just re-vamped the chrome on his 50's kitchen set w/ a can of coke & aluminum foil. He said it worked really well.

Here's his message:
Subject: Re: chrome?
"Aluminum foil and coke. Good luck! Oh, and you should where gloves. It really did a number on my nucks when I cleaned our chairs."