How to Remove Rust Stains

In this blog, we are going to tackle a very tricky stain to remove, but it is one that you may come into contact more often than you would think: rust stains. While rust is not typically a stain you might find on your child's clothes, it might be found on your clothes after working out in the garage or cleaning up patio furniture. Purex® shares how to remove rust stains from clothes.

Rust is not a stain that you remove using traditional methods. Laundry detergent or typical stain removers are not going to be very effective, and do not use chlorine bleach! This can make the rust stain permanent.

Gently brush off any solid rust particles that are sitting on the surface of your item of the clothing. Try not to rub the stain as this will push the rush stain farther into the fibers and make it that much harder to remove. The first method of removal that I would recommend is using an off the shelf rust stain remover. You can find one of these in your local hardware store. Apply the stain remover to the rust stain and let it sit for five minutes.

Then launder as usual with Purex® liquid detergent or Purex® Pacs. Purex® laundry Pacs are convenient and easy-to-use so you don't have to measure, just place Pacs directly into the washer drum and then add clothes. Check for the rust stain before placing your clothing item in the dryer as this could set the stain and make it impossible to remove. If the stain is still present, either repeat with the rust stain remover or try another stain removing method mentioned in this blog.

A more non-traditional way to remove a rust stain would be to put some lemon juice on the stain and then sprinkle salt on it. Allow the clothing item to dry flat out in the sun. If you’re concerned about bleaching, test the fabric on the inside seam or inconspicuous spot. With white garments with rust stains, there should not be an issue of bleaching. Rinse the stain with cold water, but do not rub the rust stain, this could be detrimental to the fabric. Repeat the steps above if all of the rust stain was not removed.

Rust is a very difficult stain to remove, so the suggestions in this blog are not a guarantee. Once you are happy with the level of rust stain removal, launder your article of clothing as usual. For an added boost of fragrance, throw in Purex® Crystals. These in-wash scent boosters, in scents like Cherry Blossom & Ginger or Fresh Spring Waters help keep your clothes smelling fresh. As always, check the location of the stain before you place the item in the dryer, as the heat will set the stain.

Happy stain fighting! For other outdoor stains, view how to remove mud stains or how to remove pollen stains.

Purex® offers an array of great products, all at an affordable price. Discover Purex® liquid laundry detergents, Pacs and Purex® Crystals. Purex® products will keep your clothes smelling fresh in a variety of scents while keeping them looking brand new.

We understand that life gets messy and want to make laundry as easy as possible for you. With quality & value continuing to be at the core of our product development, we continue to create highly effective laundry detergent & supplies. We tested some of the toughest stains to keep your clothing looking brand new. View our Stain Lab for our best recommendations to get life's toughest stains out of your clothing.