Remove the cover from the vent and use an old paintbrush or the brush attachment on your vacuum to clean and dust or cobwebs from the top and underneath.
Lay the vent cover on a flat surface and use some superfine steel wool or some two twenty-grit sandpaper to remove any flaking paint and rust.
When you're finished, wipe it down with a damp cloth to remove any sanding dust, make sure you don't forget to clean and straighten the fins as well.
When the cover is clean and dry, use some rust proofing paint made for metal surfaces. You can either use a spray paint or apply a regular paint with a sponge brush.
Let the cover dry completely and then follow it up with a second coat.
If your vent sits in a high traffic area, you will want to follow the paint with a little polyurethane. That's how easy it is to make these vent covers as good as new! I'm Mrs. Fixit and it's just that simple!
