Rust is the result of the oxidation of certain iron components, in contact with water or humidity.
This creates red-brown corrosion which can weaken tiles, iron or steel objects.
Fortunately, there are several effective methods for removing rust, whether it appears on iron, a metal object, stainless steel or even tiles.
Discover our tips for removing rust without chemicals.
To discover
February: what vegetables and fruits are in season?
Removing rust from iron or metal
There are fewer and fewer objects made of pure iron, and generally when we talk about rusty iron we are referring to rusty metal.
Also, how do you clean a metal object that has rusted?
With baking soda
Sodium bicarbonate is a formidable natural weapon against rust.
Mix some water and baking soda to form a paste.
Apply this paste on the rusty areas.
Leave it on for a few hours.
Then use a wire brush or an old toothbrush to scrub the rust.
Finally, rinse with water.
With white vinegar
If the rusty object is small, immerse it in a bath of white vinegar.
In a few hours, the product will dissolve the rust and remove it from the metal.
If the object is too large, simply pour a little vinegar on the rusty part and scrub with a brush.
With powdered citric acid
Immerse your rusty object in a basin of lukewarm water and add powdered citric acid.
Mix and leave to act for several hours to give the acid time to dissolve the rust layer.
Scrub the metal part with a brush to remove all residue.
Rinse and dry.
Finally, for very large objects, you can also use a sander or grinder to remove the layer of rust from metal.
Removing rust from stainless steel
Your stainless steel surfaces may sometimes have rust stains.
If the surface to be treated is small, choose cleaning with a paste of baking soda and a little water or lemon juice.
Rub the stain with a cloth and the mixture.
For a larger rusty stainless steel object (a sink, a hood, the faucet, etc.), clean the stained area with clean water, then sprinkle it with baking soda.
Leave the product to act, then rub with a small brush or sponge in the direction of the grain of the steel, until the rust is loosened.
Do not use the abrasive side of the sponge as this could scratch the stainless steel and also avoid any product containing chloride (chlorine, salt, fluorine, bromine, bleach, etc.).
Removing a rust stain from tiles
If you have placed a rusty object on your tiles, it is possible that it has left traces of rust on the tiles.
To remove rust stains from interior or exterior tiles or earthenware, there are several techniques.
In particular, you can:
Sprinkle the rust stain with baking soda, leave for an hour and scrub with a damp abrasive sponge or scraper.
Cut a lemon in half and scrub the tiles with traces of rust with one half.
Add a little coarse salt and scrub with a brush.
Prepare a paste with Meudon white and a little white vinegar that you will apply in a thick layer to the rust.
Let dry then rub with a cloth and rinse.
Attention !
You should not use acidic or abrasive products such as lemon, vinegar or salt on your tiles if they are porous (grey, marble, zellige, terracotta tiles or cement tiles).
In this case, it is best to use Marseille soap and rub the rust stain well.
With these few tips, you should get rid of rust marks!
Whatever product you use to eradicate rust from your objects and surfaces, be sure to wear protective gloves to protect your skin.