How to Remove Rust Stains From Carpeting

Light-colored carpets can give a room a very open, inviting look, but they can be problematic when it comes to attracting stains. One type of stain that can be particularly difficult to remove is the rust stain–you often get these when furniture with metal legs becomes damp and the legs then leave rust marks on the carpet. Although you may eventually need to call in a professional carpet cleaner if your stains are old or particularly extensive, there are a number of “home remedies” you can try first if you’d like to attempt getting the rust stains out yourself.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Butter knife
• Dish soap
• Sponge
• Light-colored towels
• Ammonia
• White vinegar
• Lemon juice
• Salt
• Cream of tartar
• Commercial rust-removing products

1. Remove the metal item that has left the rust stains on the rug. If you do not wish to find a new location for this item, you should try to place it on top of a darker throw rug or a pad and/or find some plastic caps to keep metal from contacting the rug.

2. Scrape up all of the rust that you can from your carpet. Use a butter knife or other non-serrated instrument, and be very gentle so as not to damage the fiber of your carpet.

3. Pour a tiny amount of dish soap onto a damp sponge, then gently blot it into the stained area of the carpet and let it sit for five minutes. Blot the area with a clean white or light-colored towel soaked in cool water. If the rust stain appears to be coming off onto the towel, keep blotting, and repeat the detergent application as needed. If the stain isn’t budging, proceed to Step 4.

4. Mix one tablespoon of household ammonia with 2 cups of warm water. Pour this mixture into the stain and let it sit for five minutes, then blot and repeat as above. If the stain is not coming off onto the cloth, proceed to Step 5.

5. Pour plain white vinegar or lemon juice mixed with salt onto the stained area. Let it soak in for a few hours, then blot with a damp towel as above. If the stain is still visible, try Step 6.

6. Make a paste with cream of tartar and water and apply this to the stain. Let it sit for a couple of hours, then brush off the dried crumbs and rinse/blot the stained area with a cool damp towel.

7. Look for commercial rust removing products if none of these kitchen sink remedies do the job for you. If even a commercial rust removing agent can’t get the job done, then you may need to call in the carpet cleaning professionals.

Tips & Warnings

• Your carpet’s color may be affected by some of these cleaning agents, particularly if it is beige, pink, or some other light color other than white, so you may wish to test them on an inconspicuous corner or carpet remnant before applying to the stain itself