How to Remove Rust Stains From Clothing or Laundry
Rust stains on clothing can be caused by coming into contact with a rusted object, but they can also originate in your washing machine, either from hard water, faulty or rusted plumbing or even a rusted piece of metal that has been accidentally washed with your laundry. Rust stains are often unsightly, especially on white garments. Traditional methods for removing stains, such as applying chlorine bleach, are often ineffective at removing rust stains from clothing, and in some cases may actually make the rust stains more difficult to remove. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Test for colorfastness by wetting the inner seam of a garment with cold water and allowing it to sit for a few minutes; press firmly onto the seam with a white cloth. If no color bleeds onto the cloth, then the garment is colorfast and you can attempt to remove the rust stains. If the garment is not colorfast, then it will need to be taken to a commercial dry cleaner for professional treatment.
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Sprinkle the rust stain with enough salt to barely cover it, and saturate the stain with lemon juice.
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Allow the garment to completely dry in a sunny area.
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Rinse the article of clothing well and launder as usual.
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Tips & Warnings
If the rust stains remain after the lemon juice treatment, cover the stains with powdered cream of tartar and soak the garment in hot water for approximately five minutes.
If your washing machine is the source of rust stains, use an alternate washing machine or launder by hand.
Never use chlorine bleach as a means of removing a rust stain.
Avoid drying rust-stained laundry in a dryer.
References
- Texas A & M Extension: Water Quality and Laundry Problems
- Care2: Effective Ways to Remove Laundry Stains
- Tipnut: Laundry Stain Treatments
- Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County: Alternative Cleaning Methods
- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville: Freshman Laundry Tips for a "Clean" Transition to College Life
- Photo Credit laundry washer image by Vasiliy Koval from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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I have tried the lemon juice and rubbing alcohol to remove rust from my white blouse to no avail. If there is another way or product to remove rust from clothing please put it on here. The lemon juice and alcohol DO NOT WORK.
