There are so many things in our home and garden that grow rusty with age. Some items just grow more beautiful with the right patina of rust, on the other hand, some... well, need a helping hand in removing the rust. Ssshhhhhh - I have a little secret, the rusty vintage decor is starting to grow on me. I haven't taken the big leap to bring it into my own home decor yet but it is gradually finding its way into my shops and I am loving the beautiful blend of traditional and vintage decor. I feel that these two decors seem to be a marriage made in heaven and my customers agree.
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola has long been used to get rid of rust and a lot of other different types of build-ups due to its high acidic content and oxidizing nature. (I love Coke, and YES, I know what it must be doing to my stomach!) You can use other types of cola (cheaper varieties) but Coca-Cola is the one that’s been the most tested and so it’s probably best to stay with the one that is tried and true. The citric acid in Coca-Cola has abrasive citric acid and is powerful, so all you have to do is pour the Coca-Cola on the rust. You can also soak a cloth in Cola and rub it vigorously on the rust to remove it. For small items, leave them to soak in the Coca-Cola to get rid of all the rust marks.
Baking Soda
While the acid in Coca-Cola is perfect for getting rid of rust, it may be scary to think that an alkaline substance is just as good at doing the exact same thing. Mix baking soda with a small amount of water so that it is relatively thick and then 'paste' it onto the rusty area. Leave it on the item for a few hours. When you take a scrubbing brush to remove the paste, the loosened rust will brush right away as well.
Lime Juice & Salt
Take your rusty object and sprinkle it with salt. If it’s a large item, take the salt and rub it into the rust (with a scrubbing cloth), then follow this with a plentiful quantity of lime juice. (You may need to have enough salt so that it all doesn't dissolve in the lime juice.) After a few hours, return with your scrubbing cloth or brush and brush away the paste solution (along with the rust).
Vinegar
If you don’t have any of the above in your home, you may want to try using white vinegar. Vinegar is good for so many things and it’s good for rust too! Take your rusty object and put it in a bowl of vinegar that’s been partially diluted with water. This is perfect for small items that you can bundle in at the same time. Within minutes, you’ll start to see the rust flake away but the amount of time that you need to leave it there will depend on how rusty the items are and how long it’s been rusted.
Cream of Tartar & Lemon Juice
As if the above examples were not enough, a great way to remove rust from stainless steel is by mixing lemon juice and cream of tartar on a washcloth. Just like with the Coca-Cola, the lemon contains citric acid and so when it’s added to the cream of tartar it becomes an abrasive device. This method is great because when you use scouring pads to clean stainless steel it can often cause scratches.
A special thank you to Nature Hacks
for these simple remedies and
to my sister for sharing the information with me.
