Karen asked: how to remove rust stain from cotton dress? Also how to removed rust from cargo pants. I washed jeans and the metal toggles that hold the tags from rolled up cotton pants stained the fabric. The dress was a hand-me-down so unsure of how rust got on dress. Many thanks for you help. -Karen.
Rust
stains come from a variety of sources and often go unnoticed until it is too late. Here are a variety of methods with some that work on stains that may have already set. Work your way through the list to find one that works for your particular stain.
Lemon Method
You Will Need:
- Lemon
- Towel
- Sunshine
Steps to Remove the Rust Stain:
This method works best for white clothing. Colored clothing can fade or become discolored when placed in the sun with lemon juice.
- While applying some pressure with your hand, roll the lemon on the counter. This will start to release some of the juices inside.
- Cut the lemon in half.
- Rub the lemon over the rust stain. Squeeze the lemon as needed to thoroughly saturate the stain with lemon juice.
- Take the garment and a towel outside.
- Lay the garment on top of the towel in the direct sunlight.
- Allow it to set in the sunlight until the rust stain has disappeared. The sun and lemon juice together will bleach the stain out of the fabric. Be advised that it might also lightly bleach the fabric too, so check the fabric every hour or two. How long it will take to work depends on how dark the stain was.
- Once the stain is gone, rinse the area thoroughly. Lemon can leave a stain if not rinsed from the fabric.
Rust Remover Method
There are a variety of commercial rust removers available that will remove rust stains from fabrics and upholstery as well. They all have similar (good) reviews online. You can find them in the laundry aisle of supermarkets or at home goods or home improvement stores. Some examples are Rit Rust Remover, Whink Rust Remover, or Goof Off RustAid.
You Will Need:
- Rust remover (available in the laundry aisle or automotive section)
Steps to Remove the Rust Stain:
- Read the label for any precautions prior to use.
- Apply a small amount of rust remover to the stain. Follow any instructions provided on the packaging.
- Allow it to soak if necessary.
- Rinse with clean water.
- Launder the garment as usual.
Rhubarb Method
Though not a common method, rhubarb offers another “green” method to remove rust stains. This works well if the piece has large rust spots that are too difficult to clean individually.
You Will Need:
- Rhubarb
- Water
- Large pot
Steps to Remove the Rust Stain:
- Choose a pot that is large enough to hold water and the affected garment.
- Fill the pot ½ to ¾ full with water.
- Add rhubarb stalks to the water.
- Bring the water to a boil and allow it to cook for 20 minutes.
- Remove the cooked rhubarb, but do not dispose of the water.
- Place the stained garment in the rhubarb water and allow it to soak.
- Once the stain is gone, remove the garment from the water and wash as normal.
Vinegar and Salt Method
You Will Need:
- White vinegar
- Salt
- Water
- Towel
- Sunshine
- Cotton balls or Soft cloths
Steps to Remove the Rust Stain:
Often times, the rust stain is not noticed until after the piece has been washed and dried. Here is a method that can be used on old and new stains.
- Moisten a soft cloth or cotton ball with white vinegar.
- Blot the stained area to moisten it completely.
- Cover the stain with a thin layer of salt.
- Rub the vinegar and salt together onto the stain with your fingers.
- If possible, lay the piece on top of a towel in direct sunlight.
- If there is no sunlight available, allow the two to dry on the piece as it sits.
- Wash the garment as usual.
Additional Tips and Advice
- Don’t dry the garment until the stain is completely removed. The heat from the dryer will set the stain and make it harder to remove.
- For sensitive fabrics, such as wool and silk, it will be best to have the item professionally cleaned to remove the stain. If you attempt the above stain removal methods on a delicate item, be sure to test a small area first.
- Other items that can be used include naval jelly and cream of tartar. Rub naval jelly on the garment or wet it and apply a layer of cream of tartar. Allow the piece to sit and then launder as usual.
- If the stain is simply rust “dust” from brushing up against a rusty surface, it will likely come out with a regular wash.
- Many rust removers are not skin friendly – wear rubber gloves for protection.
I can’t wait to try all of these! My husband wasn’t paying attention and threw his dirty, rusty cloths on top of mine! I loved some of those shirts and really want to try and fix them before throwing them away; I’m going to try everything mentioned on this article. Wish me luck!
What are you to do if you don’t have any sunshine?
Bev,
You could try using a UV light.
How can you remove stains without rusting the buttons?
Lauren,
If the buttons have rusted, it would be easiest to replace them. If you can’t replace them, you will need to remove the rust and coat the metal with sealant to prevent the rust from returning. Once the metal is sealed, you can clean the garment and remove stains as usual. Here is a guide to help with removing the rust: How to Remove Rust and Repair Metal
Remove the buttons, treat the rust stains & then sew the buttons on when the garment is clean & dry.
Thank you for such crucial advice. The lesson I had learnt about rust on clothes is ‘never be attracted by any metal material on any clothing fabric’. Most of these metal parts of clothing cause most rust stains on that particular item of clothing. Recently I bought a very nice and expensive dress with a metal design. On its first wash, I noticed rust spots on the dress. I was so embarrassed upon realizing that the rust came from the metal design. I removed the metal and threw it away, but the damage had been done already. For this I would seek professional services, but would apply the suggested methods above for next occasions. Thank you.
This helps.
Thank you so much for the advice on removing rust from white clothes! I have two blouses and a pair of pants that I love and I was ready to throw them away, but I’m going to try your remedy first. They all three got stained somehow from the washer or the dryer in the apartment that I just moved from and they were some of my favorites. I’m hoping that this works. Thanks again!
I’ll try it. Thanks a lot!
Hello. I just got a pair new white jeans went to the beach got wet and sat on something rusted. It looks like I soiled myself. I’ve tried everything. Now the pants are shrinking. What should I do?
I know you posted this a while ago…anyhow…Iron out is great on whites, just never colored clothing! To keep WHITES bright use Cascade and bleach in your wash cycle. (Cascade can bleach more than actual bleach in my opinion so don’t put colored clothes in this solution). You can soak tennis shoes in Cascade water over night. If you ever need to brighten the whites use RIT White-Wash. Just BOIL the water before you soak the whites and soak them for at least 24 hours. I did ruin a summer top that had a bunch of elastic in the top by using the RIT just so you know. I only use white towels and sheets. My mother’s towels got dingy and her husband wanted to throw all of their towels away! No one would listen to me about the RIT! Well, I used the RIT and they look brand new! Happy New Year!!
Alexia,
Since the pants are white, you can try bleaching them either with OxyClean or with chlorine bleach. Be sure to dilute the chlorine bleach as directed on the label though. Good luck!