Hex Head Bolts: Useful Cleaning Tips That Can Maximize Their Lifespan

A lot of contractors prefer to use hex head bolts because they're strong and easy to secure into materials. Like with other fastener types, these bolts can get dirty over time. That won't be a problem if you clean them using a couple of tactics.

Treat Rust Right Away

If you see any of your hex head bolts starting to rust, you don't necessarily have to toss them out completely. You just need to treat the rust immediately before more structural damage is able to take place. You can start by choosing a reliable rust removal cleaning solution.

As long as it's strong and designed for the exact material your hex head bolt is made of, it will quickly break down rust and thus make it easy for you to wipe it away. You may need to apply multiple treatments before you completely remove all the rust.

Use Dish Soap For Grease

Sometimes, hex head bolts can collect grease, and this can make them pretty difficult to work with. The grease can also break down the hex head bolt's materials, so it's important to remove this substance as quickly as you can. Dish soap works particularly well for grease.

You just need to get a bucket and fill it with water and dish soap. Then you can let your greasy hex head bolts sit in this solution for a couple of hours. The grease should come right off and remain in the water, leaving behind perfectly clean bolts that you can use effectively again.

Scrub Hard-To-Remove Residues With a Soft Sponge 

If you have really old hex head bolts in your collection, some of them may have collected residues that don't easily come off. In that case, you'll probably want to scrub these residues with a soft sponge.

The sponge's soft nature won't damage the surface of these bolts, but it should create enough friction to break up the residues pretty quickly. You just need to scrub long enough until you see the residues come off entirely. You may want to apply some warm water and dish soap to help you get better results.

Hex head bolts are an amazing fastener solution that will eventually get dirty, but you can easily deal with this problem if you perform the right cleaning actions. You can use the right tools and clean often so that you help these fasteners last a long time. 

For more information about hex head bolts, reach out to a local supplier.