How to Get Rust Stains Out

By Matt Oden | Comments | Other Stains → Rust

When people think how to get rust stains out it is normally because they are faced with a rust stain and are unsure as to how to remove them. Never fear! Although, rust stains are a little more difficult to remove with the right steps and tips you should be able to save your carpet, clothing, or furniture.

How to Get Rust Stains Out With Lemon Juice and Salt

What you will need:

Lemon juice
Salt

Lemon juice and salt is a combination of natural substances that will break up rust stains. This method of removing rust stains will work on fabrics, cloth, carpet, and upholstery. This might be a great method to removing rust stains, but beware! Lemon juice is a bleaching agent. Make sure that you test the fabric to ensure it is colorfast before using lemon juice. Once you know lemon juice is safe to use on the fabric you can proceed with the stain removal steps.

To begin this stain removal process you will need to lay out the fabric flat.
Next, pour a very generous amount of salt over the rust stain. Ensure that the stain in completely coved with salt.
You will now need lemon juice. This can be either bottled lemon juice or fresh squeezed lemon juice. Pour a good amount over all of the salt, ensuring you have completely saturated the salt. The combination of the two substances will pull the rust stain from the fabric.
Allow the salt and lemon juice to sit for about 30 minutes. You can leave it for a little longer, but remember that lemon juice is a bleaching agent and you could cause the color to change or fade.
Rinse the salt and lemon juice off of the fabric using clean water. If you are working with a garment then you can simply place the clothing under the faucet. If you are treating a carpet or upholstery you will need to flush the area with a squeeze bottle filled with clean water. Ensure that you have removed all of the salt and lemon juice.
Inspect the area. If the rust stain still remains you will need to repeat this method of stain removal until the stain has been removed. If you are removing rust stains from clothing you should wash the garment as you normally would once the stain has been removed.

How to Get Rust Stains Out Using White Vinegar

What you will need:

White vinegar
Bucket or sponge

This method of removing rust stains can be used on clothing, carpets, and upholstery. It is also a quick, easy, and safe way to clean almost any type of fabric whether it is colored fabric or white fabric. White vinegar is a common solution to treating stains and you can use it on many surfaces without needing to worry about ruining any of your possessions.

To begin this rust stain removal process you will need to fill a bowl, bucket, or squeeze bottle with pure white vinegar.
Next, you will only soak the stained part of the garment in the vinegar. If you are trying to get the rust stain out of the carpet or furniture you will need to squeeze a small amount of vinegar on a sponge and blot the stained area with the vinegar. You should try not to wet more of the fabric than you have to.
Allow the garment to soak or the vinegar to sit for a few minutes. You should begin to see the rust lift from the fabric.
Flush the stain with clean water. This will allow you to remove any of the remaining vinegar on the fabric. Vinegar is a great cleaner, but it is not the greatest smelling substance in the whole world.
Inspect the stained area. If the stain remains you can repeat the process only this time you can leave the fabric to soak for a little longer if you have a particularly stubborn rust stain.
If you are removing rust stains from clothing you can wash the garment as you normally would. For further details you can look at the tag.

How to Get Rust Stains Out With Cream Of Tartar

What you will need:

Boiling water
Cream of tartar
Water

This method of removing rust stains if for white clothing only. Cream of tartar has a natural chemical makeup that can help remove rust stains from white clothing, but when mixed with hydrogen peroxide you can remove rust stains from surfaces like bathtubs and toilets.

To remove rust stains from your white clothing you will need to start by dampening the fabric with water. Do not saturate the fabric only dampen it.
Apply the cream of tartar to the rust stain. You can do this by making a small pile on top of the stain.
Next, you will need to boil water in a small sauce pan.
Once the water has come to a boil hold the rust stained fabric, with the cream of tartar, over the steam coming from the hot water.
Allow it to sit there for a few minutes. Be careful you do not burn your hands with the steam.
Rinse the cream of tartar off of you clothing with clean water.
Inspect the rust stained fabric. If the stain has been removed wash as you normally would. If the stain remains you will need to repeat the process until the stain has been completely removed.