PPG Industries’ industrial coatings business has introduced CORROKLEEN 44 rust remover, an application-friendly citric-acid-based gel cleaner that is more effective at removing rust and mill scale and safer for both users and the environment than traditional grinding, sanding, media blasting or chemical-based solutions.

Formulated without phosphates and other strong acids, CorroKleen 44 rust remover features a shear-thinning gel structure for easy spray application and a low-shear thixotropy that adheres the product to surfaces on which it is applied.

Designed for convenient, worker-safe and environment-friendly application on rusted or mill-scaled hot-rolled steel or rusted cold-rolled steel, CorroKleen 44 rust remover effectively eradicates metallic oxides, heat scale and heat-treated stains. Useful for the removal of blush/flash rust from previously blasted surfaces, it is ideal for cleaning industrial machinery, hot-rolled steel fabrications, heavy-duty construction equipment, valves, trailer frames and other equipment that is sensitive to blast media.

Marie C. Vicéns, product manager, PPG TRUEFINISH products, said CorroKleen 44 rust remover delivers a unique combination of cost-effectiveness, environmental compatibility and enhanced performance. “Not only is this product less expensive to use than sanding, blasting and harsh chemical treatments, its gel-like consistency also makes the treatment easy to apply to vertical, three-dimensional and hard-to-reach surfaces. Additionally, because its formula is based on natural citric acid, using and disposing of the product is much simpler and safer.”

CorroKleen 44 rust remover is available in 5-gallon pails and 55-gallon drums, and it can be applied with a brush, airless spray nozzle or manual sprayer. In most applications, CorroKleen 44 rust remover eliminates heavy oxidation and scale within two to four hours of application.