Comments on: How to Remove Rust from Fabric

on 11/15/2007 Karen - thank you! i had Barkeepers Friend in the house so I tried it on a favorite white designer blouse that i dry clean because it has delicate embroidery. I made a paste with the cleanser & water & rubbed the paste gently into the stain, put a paper towel underneath. In a few hours the rust stain was completely gone, I just rinsed the spot with water & let dry.

on 10/24/2007 600 ml boiling water and 4 t. cream of tartar on fabric that can be washed in hot water, works very well.

on 3/18/2007 I tried the lemon juice method on a couple different rust stains and it didn't work for me. I found a rust remover online (TheRustStore.com) called Magica that takes rust off just about anything.

on 3/18/2007 I tried the lemon juice method on a couple different rust stains and it didn't work for me. I found a rust remover online (TheRustStore.com) called Magica that takes rust off just about anything. I'd give that a shot.

on 10/10/2006 I had a towel that had held rust stains for several years that I tried to remove with Shout, bleach, the usual suspects, but nothing worked. I couldn't believe it when I first tried the lemon juice-in-the-sun-technique: they had disappeared in a few hours. It really does work.

on 8/11/2006 There is a product called Whink rust stain remover. You can buy it some of the smaller hardware stores, or request some from your local hardware store (I've looked at places like Home Depot but was not able to find it there). It costs about $4 and it works like a miracle. I had a rust stain on a white shirt that sat for over 2 years, and when I applied the Whink, the stain literally disappeared before my eyes. Just apply it to the stained area and wash as normal.

on 8/8/2006 Cover rust spot with fresh lemon juice. Rub in table salt. Place garment in full sun. When salt and lemon juice have dried thoroughly, wash garment as usual. This combination of lemon juice and salt can be corrosive, so wash promptly. This worked on a tie-dyed shirt without bleaching the color.

on 7/25/2006 Anything containing oxalic acid (Bar Keepers Friend) works in under a minute. This is surefire.

on 6/30/2006 Y SANO Appliance cleaner, which contains Oxalic acid, worked beautifully on a colored cotton shirt after I tried everything else.

on 3/28/2006 Commercial grade dishwashing detergent. Apply it with a brush and the stains will disappear before your eyes - no scrubbing needed!

on 12/9/2005 1) Bring a teapot of water to a boil.
2) Place a small pile of baking powder (not baking soda) on the stain.
3) Hold the stain over the teapot spout allowing the steam to penetrate the stain from beneath.
4) Continue until baking powder is saturated to a paste.
5) Rinse.

on 11/22/2005 Chemically, acids are the preferred way to remove rust stains. Believe it or not lemon juice (citric acid), or the stronger white vinegar (acetic acid) are mild acids which may resolve the problem. In the corner of an affected area, I would test both acids to determine which one is most effective. Apply the acid with the clean sponge side of a white, nylon scrub pad backed sponge (available at supermarkets). Agitate with the scrub pad side. Rust stains are the result of oxidation. Rinse thoroughly afterward and blot dry.

on 11/22/2005 use Whink Rust Stain Remover - it works like magic

on 11/22/2005 There is a commercial rust stain remover called Wink that I buy at the grocery store.