How to Remove White Corrosion of Galvanized Steel

Remove light corrosion from galvanized steel by brushing the surface with a stiff-bristled brush. Put on a pair of safety goggles to protect your eyes from corrosive particles. Put on a breathing mask to prevent inhalation of the particles during removal. Start at the top of the piece of steel, and work your way down with the brush, scrubbing at the surface until you no longer see any signs of the white powder on the steel.

Use a wire brush to remove the corrosion, once it's been in place long enough to cause etching of the surface. Scrub the steel surface with the wire brush to remove the white corrosive coating, going from top to bottom of the piece of steel. Rub a thin layer of aluminum paint into the surface with a cloth pad to add a layer of protection to the zinc coating on the steel to avoid further corrosive rusting. Allow the paint to dry overnight.

Put on a pair of rubber gloves. Wash the surface of the steel with a 5-percent chromic acid solution, if you'd rather go with a quick chemical removal process instead of manual removal. Apply the acid solution with a paintbrush onto the corroded area. Use a stiff wire brush to scrub the steel surface over the white corrosive deposits for 30 seconds. Rinse the surface with a water hose to remove the acid.