It's something that needs doing every now and then -- painting the burglar bars.
Unfortunately, it's not like something from Mark Twain's "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," where Tom persuades other kids to whitewash his Aunt Polly's fence.
I could "persuade" others to do the work by offering cash, but then why should I pay when I can do it myself?
Anyway, there are 10 windows on the house, so there are 10 sets of burglar bars. So far I've done seven. Two of the remaining three seem to be the most difficult since they're covering the kitchen and bathroom windows, both small and kind of high up on the wall, especially the bathroom window.
What is needed: one soft-bristled brush, 1 1/2 inches wide, narrow and wider coarse sand paper (I used 80 grit), a sand paper block to make sanding easier, old newspaper, paint thinner, an old brush (to brush the dust from the bars) and paint! I use Rustoleum brand paint, leather brown, since that goes well with the house.
First, sand the old paint enough so you can scratch through the surface and give the new paint something to adhere to. Also, be sure to sand rusted areas thoroughly. Use the narrower sand paper strips to get into the decorative curlicues. When finished, brush the bars with the old paint brush to get all of the loose dust from sanding off. It's not necessary to sand down to the bare medal.
Then begin painting. I pour some paint into a small container and paint from there. Cover the window and area below the window with a plastic sheet or newspaper to protect against splashing paint. Then carefully paint the bars. Be sure to get inside the decorative curlicues. I start at the top and work my way down.
Then let everything dry thoroughly. The next day you can look over your work carefully and touch up what you missed or needs more going over.
Clean your brush with paint thinner. It also is effective in removing paint from your skin.
Allow yourself about three hours per set of bars.
And remember ... enjoy! :-)