Wrought iron is generally resistant to rust as it is considered to be purest form of iron then Cast iron. The wrought iron products being resistant to rust can easily be maintained. However, to keep off the rust stains these can be rubbed with kerosene or washed with damp cloth and wipe dry. Commercial stain removers can also be used.

Properties
Following are some of the common properties of wrought iron:

Wrought iron becomes soft on constant heating and can easily be molded into any form.

It is the purest form of iron and is completely corrosion free and this perhaps is its best property as corrosion affects other related structures as well.

Its melting point is as high as 1500°C. Having this much high melting point, it is not affected much by heat.

It is quite compressive and tensile. Properties like durability and malleability make it a perfect choice among metals.

Causes of Damage
The major causes of damage to iron artifacts are:

Corrosion
Metals are generally subjected to corrosion, but wrought iron is an exception and is resistant to rusting.

Poor handling
Wrought iron artifacts should be avoided to touch without gloves as salt and oil from human body makes it more prone to rusting. More risk of corrosion is there if it is not painted.

Steps to take care prevent corrosion:

Painting on wrought iron artifacts can save them for longer period.

In case of some wrought iron products such as kitchen stove etc., corrosion can be removed by rubbing them with steel wool pads.

Regular cleaning of your wrought iron artifacts is required to make it corrosion free. Avoid oil exposure of wrought iron artifacts.

To prevent corrosion, wrought iron may also be coated with wax. Wax provides a relatively flexible coating that is easily applied and that can be easily renewed.Microcrystalline waxes are generally used because it usually gets absorbed in wrought iron artifacts very fast and can be easily applied with clean cloth. Don’t ever use liquid wax on fireplace accessories because it is flammable.

Black powder coating is applied so that wrought iron artifacts enjoy a long life for many years to come. It is advisable by many experts that powder coating is highly affective for both outdoor and indoor wrought iron items and is better than painting. The powder coating can be easily cleaned with soap and water. Painting if required can be done over it.