Things You Will Need
What if the paint is chipping?
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Remove any screws around rusty areas, to make the job of removing rust easier and more thorough.
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Scrape small areas of rust away by hand, using a fine-grade piece of sandpaper or a wire brush. Alternatively, place two or three drops of kerosene or turpentine on a steel wool pad to remove the rust.
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Implement a chemical remover if the bed is antique or has decorative details. Hardware stores generally have a selection of such rust removers, but an organic product like Rusterizer is safer to use than traditional chemicals. Use low-pressure grit sandblasting if there are large areas of rust. This should only be performed by a professional.
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Repaint the rusted area yourself by choosing paint products designed specifically for wrought iron. Typically, these are spray on---not brush on---products. Because it's difficult to match paint colors, however, you'll probably have to repaint the entire bed.
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Apply a primer, followed by two coats of the color you desire.
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Spray on two layers of an acrylic topcoat for long-term protection. For antique furniture and for furniture that you want to last a long time, a professional powder coating is a better option.
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Screw the bed back together and tighten any other loose screws you may find. If the screws are badly rusted, replace them with new screws.
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Weld any broken pieces of iron. Do know wrought iron is difficult to weld, so if you've never welded it before, hire a professional to do the job. Most welders are used to working with iron auto parts, which are a bit different than wrought iron beds, so look for a welder used to doing historic repairs.