Will Iron X remove orange spots from my Ford F150 Tailgate?
Test # 2: White Ford F-150 King Ranch – Tailgate
Will Iron X remove orange spots from my pick up tailgate? Yes, in my second test of the entire tail gate, I found that the Iron X formulation removed all rail dust orange spots. The formulation turns purple as it works and revealed tiny spots of rail dust that I didn’t see before the test!
I completed my first test of Iron X to remove orange spots from my Ford F-150 King Ranch Tailgate. The first test was effective. Orange spots were removed. I was pretty excited after the first test. Iron X definitely showed potential. However, I was not convinced. I needed to do another test. I found more spots and decided to set up a better camera angle for a second test.
In the second test of the tailgate, I chose spots located to the right of the tailgate handle. I did this because I wanted to have a before/after marker. I wanted to have some way to see where the orange spots were before, rather than try to guess where the spots were previously located. So, I chose space to the right of the tailgate handle were there were a number of orange spots. Also, I tried to get a better angle to see the spots.
I double checked the directions. Sometimes, reading the directions after performing a task leads to an “aha moment.” Details that didn’t have much value before the test seem to take on a higher level of importance. So, one more read. The directions on the side of the bottle read:
Directions:
Wash the surface of the vehicle.
Shake the bottle well.
Spray on. Wait 3-5 minutes while contaminants change color to purple-red.
Rub in with a damp soft sponge. Avoid drying under direct sun.
Rinse well with water
The Scientific Approach:
Still trying to think like a scientist. My goal is to get a solid test. I’d like to address the following problem:
Problem Statement: tiny orange dots have appeared on my white Ford F-150, King Ranch. These spots look like rust, but I cannot remove them by washing or scrubbing. Can I confirm that Iron X will remove orange spots from my white tailgate?
Testing plan: Find a section of spots on the tailgate with a marker that will not disappear with the orange spots. Spray Iron X onto the tailgate (following the directions) and see if the spots fade or disappear.
Wash the surface of the vehicle.
The tailgate was cleaned earlier. No issues. However, I learned after the first test that if I wanted to have a true test of Iron X, then I would need to have a tailgate that was fully clean of any dirt. Dirt specs might look like dark orange spots and lead to a false result. So, I was sure to remove all dirt that I could with a quick, wet towel rub before the Iron X test.
Shake the bottle well
I gave the bottle a good shake. It seems like the liquid is well mixed, but I gave the bottle a quick shake.
Spray on. Wait 3-5 minutes while contaminants change color to purple-red.
I wore gloves and safety glasses for the first test. This was a good idea. I could feel the tiny droplets of Iron X wetting my arm. I could also sense the liquid particles drifting through the air. I suppose it is possible that the liquid could get into my eyes. I’d recommend gloves and safety glasses, at a minimum. A change in wind direction could accidentally allow the mist to drift into your eyes.
Double check the precautions. The label states:
Precautions:
Test the product on an inconspicuous area before applying.
Recommended eyes and skin protection.
Work in a well ventilated area
Keep in a dry cool place
Keep out of reach of children
Again, I chose a space to the right of the tailgate handle. There were a number of orange spots in this area. The tailgate handle could be seen on the left side of the picture.
I sprayed Iron X onto the tailgate. I sprayed across the test area from the right to the left, then, the left to the right to ensure good Iron X coverage.
Next, I set a timer for five minutes. In order to give this material a fair test, I wanted to leave it on my truck for the full duration.
Here’s what I observed:
After one minute: the spots began to change color from orange to purple. Interesting
After two minutes: The shade of purple became more dark or intense. Also, tiny dots of purple began to appear in areas where I had not see orange spots before the test.
After three minutes More of the surface area began to show purple dots.
After four minutes No real change.
After five minutes: No change. My timer indicates five minutes. Time for the next step!
Rub in with a damp soft sponge. Avoid drying under direct sun.
Fortunately, the day was overcast, so I didn’t need to worry about drying under direct sun.
I wiped the surface with a damp towel. This towel was starting to take on the color of Iron X (purple/red.) This towel will not see the inside of my wife’s clothes washer/dryer again!
Rinse well with water
Again, I rinsed the truck with plenty of water. I don’t know the impact this could have on my paint, so I was sure to rinse thoroughly. I used the 2500 psi washer, just to be sure.
My original problem was:
Problem Statement: tiny orange dots have appeared on my white Ford F-150, King Ranch. These spots look like rust, but I cannot remove them by washing or scrubbing. Can I confirm that Iron X will remove orange spots from my white tailgate?
The orange spots had disappeared as consistently as they did in Test #1. However, I thought that I saw a “shadow” of a spot. I rubbed with the towel and the spot shadow was gone.
The second test confirmed that Iron X will remove orange spots. This test was a success.
Bonus observations:
So, I’m not a patient person…. While waiting for the test described above to take place, I sprayed the entire tailgate of the truck. I followed the same test protocol described above. The entire tail gate was covered with purple spots!
I suspected that if I looked closely, I would find more orange spots. Rather than study the tailgate for another patch of orange spots, and a third test, I decided to just move forward quickly and spray the entire tailgate. I’m glad that I did because the tailgate was orange spot free!
Video of the test:
I took a video of the test and posted it on your tube. If you have any doubts about the honest of my test, take a look at the video. You’ll see that the tailgate handle makes a great reference point for the before and after shots. Here’s a link to a video that shows the entire Test #2.