How to Take Out Rust Stains

Just reaching into a rusty mailbox can leave stains on your clothes.

Rust from rusted items like tools, metal furniture, appliances and cars often gets transferred to fabrics such as clothes, upholstery, linens and other items, causing stains. While rust stains are easier to get out when the fabric is first stained, you can remove set-in rust stains--it just takes longer. Take advantage of common household ingredients for removing rust, instead of commercial cleaners that can contain harsh chemicals.

Things You'll Need

• Towel or paper towels
• Lemon juice
• Table salt

Instructions

1. Lay out a towel or paper towels on a flat surface to absorb excess liquid used to treat the rust stains.

2. Place the rust-stained fabric on the towel or paper towels, the rust stain facing up.

3. Pour a liberal amount of lemon juice on the stain. Use bottled lemon juice or squeeze the juice from a cut lemon, which has bleaching properties.

4. Take a container of table salt and sprinkle salt on the rust stain. Gently rub the salt into the fabric. The salt is an abrasive product that helps in removing the rust.

5. Take the fabric outdoors or place it near a window that gets a lot of sun. The sunlight accelerates the bleaching properties of the lemon juice.

6. Let the lemon juice dry on the rust stains.

7. Launder the fabric in the washing machine, using a temperature setting suitable for the type of fabric.

8. Take the fabric out of the washer and look for the rust stains. If they are gone, dry the fabric in the dryer as usual. If the rust stain is still visible, repeat steps 1 through 7 until rust is gone.

Tips & Warnings

• If lemon juice is not available, you can use white vinegar.

References

• Good Housekeeping: Stain Busters--Rust
• Mrs. Clean USA: Tips on Removing Rust Stains