How to Remove Rust From White Clothes

There's just no hiding stains on white shirts. Every spill and stain shows up in full color against a white backdrop, announcing itself to the world despite your efforts to wipe it away or cover it up. If you've brushed up against something rusty, you'll find that these particular stains are of a different caliber, as many tried and true stain removal methods won't touch this ugly stain. The good news is that these stains can be removed with the right stain-removal method.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Lemon
• Table salt
• Clean cloth
• Rhubarb stalks

Lemon Method

1. Lay the garment on a flat surface with the stain facing up.

2. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze fresh lemon juice all over the stained area, making sure that the entire stain is saturated.

3. Sprinkle table salt all over the stain.

4. Scrub the salt into the stain with a clean, damp cloth or sponge.

5. Place the shirt outside in the sunshine until the stain is gone.

6. Launder the garment as usual.

Rhubarb Method

7. Cut up several rhubarb stalks into 1-inch pieces.

8. Put the rhubarb stalks into a pot of water.

9. Place the pot of water on the stove and bring it to a boil.

10. Allow the rhubarb to boil for 15 minutes.

11. Take the pot away from the heat and allow it to sit for 15 minutes.

12. Place the stained garment in the pot with the rhubarb stalks.

13. Allow the shirt to soak for 24 hours.

14. Launder the garment as usual.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not put the garment in the dryer until the stain is gone or it will set the stain in.

References

• Removing Rust Stains