Provided is a chromium-free surface treatment method which imparts practical rust inhibitive performance to a metal product having a zinc surface to which it was difficult to impart rust inhibitive performance of practical level. A conversion-coated film of zinc phosphate etc. is formed on the zinc surface of the metal product as pretreatment, and the silica-based film is formed by applying a chromium-free surface treatment agent which uses alcohol or mixture of water and alcohol as a solvent to the conversion-coated film. As a result, when an aqueous surface treatment agent containing alcohol is applied, it is possible to suppress the formation of white rusting for 72 hours or longer in the salt spray test.