Discover the Most Effective Homemade Rust Removers

Rust is the enemy of any items that contain iron. These include not just your favorite tools, or that pricy cast iron cookware, but even stainless steel.

When iron, or iron-containing metals (ferrous metals) are exposed to oxygen and water, a chemical reaction occurs. This flaky, red oxidation doesn’t just discolor but weakens the structural integrity of the metal. And while there are plenty of products sold to remove rust, there are several homemade rust removers that are just as effective. In many cases, they work even better.

Vinegar, the Multi-Purpose Acid

The most popular kitchen ingredient for removing rust is white vinegar, a solution of acetic acid that’s a potent antidote to oxidation. Simply soak rusty items in undiluted vinegar for a minimum of five hours.

Citric acid powder mixed in water is another acidic solution to rust. After soaking rusty items in it for about the same length of time, you should immerse them in clean water and dry them off. It’s a good idea to add baking powder to your rinsing solution to neutralize any remaining acid.

The Potato Method

The versatility of the potato is quite impressive. Not only can it be cooked in many ways, but it also makes a great cleaning implement. That’s because potatoes contain oxalic acid, an ingredient used in many commercial cleaning products.

Cut a potato in half and squirt some dish soap on it, along with a good sprinkling of salt. Then use it to scrub whatever you want to remove the rust from. You may have to make a new cut in the potato adding more salt and soap as you go.

Old Fashioned Elbow Grease

For light areas of rust, some good old elbow grease along with sandpaper or a steel wool pad can do the trick.

Another effective rust remover is aluminum foil. Just crumple up a small piece of foil and scrub lightly to get rid of rusty spots. This works very well on small areas of rust on cast iron cookware. Just be sure to wipe out any tiny pieces of foil that will get left behind. The crumpled foil method also works well in hard-to-reach rusty areas such as a sink drain. Sprinkling salt in the sink and pressing down with the foil to pick some salt up on the scrubbing surface of the foil speeds up the rust-removal process.

For cast-iron cookware that’s become extremely rusted, you may need to combine several rust removal methods. First, soak in an equal measure of vinegar and water for several hours. After the soak, scrub it down with a firm brush or steel wool pad until all the rust is gone. If necessary, you can give the item a repeat vinegar bath. Rinse and dry thoroughly. You will then need to completely reseason your cast iron cookware before use.