Here are other tips for keeping rust away: Can baking soda damage stainless steel? Baking soda's mild abrasiveness will not harm stainless steel. It gently removes stains and will not create ...

When mild acids mix with iron oxide, they form iron oxalate, which is water soluble, and washes away. Heavier rust on shop tools requires tough solvents like mineral oil and steel wool.

In fact, iron and steel (an alloy consisting of iron and carbon) will completely reduce to iron oxide and other constituent elements over a long enough period of time. So, how to stop rust on a car?