How to Clean Rust

Unless you’re trying to preserve an antique to maintain its value, most people want to remove rust stains from wherever they happen to appear.There are several alternatives, including non-chemical and commercial products, but an issue of concern is whether you’re removing rust from something that’s going to be used to cook on or eat from (like a baking pan or skillet) from something that simply needs to be cleaned.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Lemon juice
• Vinegar
• Salt
• Paper towels
• Plastic brush
• Pumice bar
• Cola
• Cooking oil
• Commercial rust remover (for non-food service, challenging items)

1. Start with the mildest of rust-cleaning alternatives, as they are the least toxic.

2. Try Lemon juice with or without salt or both

3. Try Vinegar with or without salt (vinegar and salt is an excellent way to remove tea stains from cups and teapots) or both.

4. It may be a surprise, but try Coca-Cola -- soak item in cola or pour cola on the stain and rub the stain with aluminum foil

5. Often recommended for pots, pans and utensils, try cooking oil rubbed in with a paper towel.

6. Rinse a rusted pan in water, don't dry. Sprinkle baking soda on the rusty areas. Leave on for 30 minutes, then scrub. Repeat if necessary.

7. Soak pans in a small solution of crystal automatic dish-washing detergent.

8. After any or all of the above treatments, follow up with a rubbing of olive oil or a sliced potato.

9. If the above "natural' alternatives don't work, you may have to venture into commercial alternatives (which are not recommended for food-service items)

Tips & Warnings

• Never try to remove rust stains from leather or suede. It must be done professionally.
• Remember that rust isn't really a stain, it's corrosive and a significantly rusty item will be structurally compromised.