How to remove rust from stainless

How to Remove Rust from Stainless Steel — Advice from Bob Vila

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At its best, a kitchen furnished with shiny stainless steel appliances and surfaces is the picture of a pristine, professional atmosphere. But when the thick, seemingly impenetrable metal making up your kitchen sink, counters, and pots and pans begins to rust, the expensive aesthetic looks worse than it does if it were actually damaged.

Homeowners dealing with these blemishes may ask: Isn’t stainless steel supposed to be, well, stainless? Though its name is somewhat misleading, any appliance made up of the chromium-based metal can easily corrode if not cared for properly. Luckily, the blemishes are easily banished.

If you have accidentally left utensils or frying pans soaking in the kitchen sink longer than you care to admit, don’t throw in the towel on removing unsightly surface stains just yet. In fact, the solutions—yes, there are a few—are so simple that they’re probably staring you right in the face if you happen to be in the kitchen.

Read on for how to remove rust from stainless steel all throughout the kitchen and home.

– Baking soda

– Soft cloth

– Soft bristle brush

– Paper towels

When removing only a few unsightly spots from the side of a pan or the front of your dishwasher, mix a paste of 1 tablespoon of baking soda and 2 cups of water. (For larger rust spots, skip ahead to the next set of steps.)

Baking soda is a very mild abrasive, so you can rest easy knowing that you’re conquering corrosion in a completely chemical-free way that will clean rust off stainless steel without scratching it.

Rub the paste onto your stainless steel surface in the direction of the grain using a soft, clean cloth.

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STEP 3: Rinse and wipe.

Finally, rinse and gently wipe the affected area with a damp paper towel.

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Rinse the larger surface area thoroughly—be it the basin of your sink or a section of your stainless steel counters—to remove any debris and dampen the surface. Immediately after, sprinkle a layer of baking soda over the surface, making sure to coat the entire rusted region.

Let the layer of baking soda sit for between 30 minutes and an hour.

Roll up those sleeves and start scrubbing! You can scrub with a soft bristle brush, or—if you’re fresh out of cleaning brushes—use an old toothbrush that you may have saved for these sorts of cleaning purposes.

Rinse and carefully dry the sink or other stainless steel surface with a paper towel.

If you’ve ever left cast-iron pots in the sink while wet, it is likely you’ve woken up to the menacing sight of rust marring a once perfectly varnished stainless steel sink. This is a forgivable gaffe indeed. But how do you treat it? You may wish to bump up your cleaning ammo by employing a cleaner containing oxalic acid such as Bar Keepers Friend or a powdered form of oxalic acid that can be mixed with water.

It’s true that not all stainless steel behaves the same way. So when a baking soda bath does not do the job to your satisfaction, oxalic acid-based cleaners offer a very effective alternative method for dissolving rust and cleaning stains.

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– Cleaner that contains oxalic acid, such as Bar Keepers Friend

– Soft sponge

Apply a generous amount of cleaner containing oxalic acid onto the affected area, following the package’s instructions.

Appliance manufacturer General Electric recommends Bar Keepers Friend Soft Cleanser (a liquid cleanser free of grit), which you also can pick up at your nearest home improvement store.

Kleen King Stainless Steel and Copper Cleaner is another highly effective, rust-busting cleaner containing this key ingredient; you can find it at your local grocery store.

Avoid using any caustic cleaners that contain chlorides, as the abrasive nature of these products will only further damage the steel’s chromium film (the protective layer).

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Once set, rub the cleaner in the direction of the metal grain lines using a soft, slightly damp sponge. Again, this requires a little bit of elbow grease but is well worth it for the sparkling finish that awaits you.

Finally, rinse clean with fresh water and gently towel dry. If the stain persists, rinse the cleaner using warm water and repeat the process. Don’t leave the cleanser on for more than about a minute; increase elbow grease instead to cut through the remaining stain.

Removing rust from metal requires some scrubbing. However you choose to remove rust from stainless steel, stay far away from steel wool, steel brushes, or any cleaner that contains fluorine, chlorine, bromine, or iodine (to name but a few elements in the chloride family). Remember, chlorides are so abrasive that they’ll mar the “stainless” surface, making it susceptible to corrosion. In addition, rust removers meant for other metals or harsh cleaners and scrubbing pads like steel wool can cause damaging scratches—or worse, leave a pesky remainder of particles that can lead to yet another unpleasant rust encounter.

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Of course, to avoid rust in the future, it’s best to minimize moisture around any stainless steel appliance. Refrigerators are particularly vulnerable if you live in coastal areas with salt-laden air, or if you happen to share the kitchen with plenty of small, impatient fingers that tend to spill liquids into the nooks and crannies of your fridge! If you spot a splash or spill, don’t tell yourself you’ll get to it later—grab a mop or an absorbent paper towel and get to work. Your gleaming stainless steel-enhanced kitchen will thank you later.

For everyday cleaning and upkeep—and to maintain that glowing luster throughout your kitchen—wipe away smudges and fingerprints regularly with warm water mixed with a mild soap or dish detergent. Then give these stainless steel surfaces a quick rinse with a cloth dampened with fresh water, and don’t skimp on the drying.

Remove standing water or leftover droplets with another clean cloth, and you can eliminate moisture before it starts the problematic cycle all over.

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Prevention is the best way to keep stainless steel surfaces rust-free. Likewise, regular maintenance can keep these surfaces in good shape, so a good understanding of how to clean stainless steel is helpful. When rust appears, start with staples like baking soda, vinegar, and a soft cloth. Or grab your stainless steel cleaner and rust remover (with oxalic acid for best results), a soft cloth, and ready your elbow.

When the rust comes off, be sure to rinse the surface with warm water and dry it. You might have to repeat the process if some rust remains. When stripping rust from stainless steel, be sure to use the right cleaners and cloths or scrubbers. Certain chemicals and hard materials (like steel wool) can damage stainless steel. The first step is to check the manufacturer’s recommendations for how to remove rust from stainless steel appliances.

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There are plenty of household products and some easy-to-find specialty cleaners that will remove rust from stainless steel. Below are frequently asked questions about using household items, along with our answers.

You can use vinegar to remove light spots of rust on some stainless steel finishes, and it is a handy starting point, with a caveat: Some stainless steel has an oleophobic, or oil-repellant, coating to resist fingerprints. Do not use vinegar on stainless steel with this finish; the vinegar can strip away the coating.

Also, mix vinegar with baking soda for more effect. Just know that you probably can’t get all the rust off with vinegar, even on stainless surfaces without this coating.

Toothpaste is a handy all-around cleaning solution and might remove some small rust spots, like on stainless steel cutlery, if mixed with baking soda. However, it is not as effective as a commercial cleanser, especially on larger surfaces like stainless steel sinks.

Lemon also can dissolve some rust on stainless steel, especially when poured on top of sprinkled coarse salt or when mixed with vinegar. Lime has similar acidic qualities. Let it sit for an hour or two before rubbing the residue with the lemon rind, then rinsing and drying. However, know that lemon juice that sits too long on stainless steel can damage the surface.

Avoid using bleach on stainless steel. The strong solution can stain and damage the surface. Bleach compromises the outer layer of stainless steel, actually making it more susceptible to rusting or staining.

Scrubbing with abrasive brushes or steel wool can scratch stainless steel, actually making it more susceptible to future rust. The best cure is an ounce of prevention—keeping the surface free of standing water and stains and cleaning it with the proper gentle cleansers and cloths or brushes.

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You can try soaking small items like cutlery in a vinegar or rust-removing solution and rinsing. Sinks and other surfaces likely need a little elbow grease to remove rust spots, however, and scrubbing speeds up the rust-removal process.

How to remove rust from stainless steel: a simple guide |

(Image credit: Mel Yates Interior / Designer: Rosalind Wilson)

Wondering how to remove rust from stainless steel for the best results? It is one of the most popular finishes for kitchen appliances, surfaces and backsplashes, but fingerprints and smears can accumulate as you use stainless steel appliances and compromise the pristine finish, making effective and easy solutions as part of the routine for cleaning stainless steel appliances a must.

Here, we take a look at the cleaning tips and remedies to rust on stainless steel and reveal the tactics the experts use to keep it looking clean and shiny.

How to remove rust from stainless steel

Often used to produce a range of household and industrial appliances and surface, stainless steel, an alloy of iron that contains ten percent chromium, is a resilient material. 

The beauty of stainless steel, often used in chef's kitchens, is its resistance to rust and tarnish due to the chromium film on its surface. However, if this chromium film is removed, the utensil or appliance will begin to rust. 

When the time comes to clean a kitchen, stainless steel pots and pans are easily maintained, so they always look attractive, but corrosion can sometimes be also be caused by changes in atmospheric conditions. In the event that your stainless steel utensils and appliances do have rust on them, follow these instructions to remove rust from stainless steel with relative ease.

(Image credit: Lewis Alderson)

What is the best way to remove rust from steel?

The answer to how to remove rust from stainless steel is that you can do it with store-bought products, or with what you already have at home.

‘There are many brilliant and cost-effective specialist stainless steel rust removers on the market which are great for making your appliances rust and streak-free again,’ says Lucy Searle, global editor-in-chief of Homes & Gardens. 'But there could also be pantry staples that may already lurking in your kitchen cupboards. ' 

This simple solution is one of our favorite tried-and-tested methods for removing rust from stainless steel.

1. Create a solution using pantry staples

Before you begin cleaning rust from stainless, always check the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions. Not all steel finishes are the same.

Mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda in 2 cups of water. Baking soda is wonderful non-abrasive way to remove rust and various other stains and blemishes from surfaces and appliances.

2. Use the solution to remove rust

Start by wiping away any smudges with a clean cloth – you may need to use a little bit of elbow grease. Alternatively, rub the baking soda solution on the rust stain using a toothbrush. Baking soda is non-abrasive and will gently lift the rust stain from the stainless steel. It also will not damage the grain of the stainless steel. 

3. Rinse and wipe away

Rinse and wipe the spot with wet paper towel. You will see the rust on the paper towel.

(Image credit: Franke)

Does white vinegar remove rust from stainless steel?

Skip the store-bought stainless steel cleaners and grab a bottle of vinegar from your pantry instead. White vinegar is another household pantry staple that can be used to remove rust from stainless steel. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which works as a mild corrosive cleaner to chip away at rust, dirt and stains.

Fill a spray bottle with undiluted white vinegar. Using a soft cleaning cloth or paper towel, wipe the vinegar on the surface until it’s dry. Rinse with water. However, be aware that this won't work on stubborn rust.

What is the fastest way to remove rust from metal?

Baking soda is one of the best ways to clean a kitchen due to its reliable cleaning power. Thanks to its mild abrasiveness and cleaning abilities, baking soda is also a wonderful option for cleaning laundry, tile grout and grills.

What to avoid when removing rust from stainless steel?

While it is important to know what to use, it is also crucial that we highlight what you must avoid when removing rust from stainless steel as well. Using the wrong cleaning products can often result in long-lasting damage that will be simply irreparable. 

Never use a metal abrasive, such as steel wool or brushed to clean stainless steel. These abrasive cleaners may scratch the surface, thus exposing your appliance or surface to even more rust. 

We also recommend staying away from cleaners that contain fluorine, iodine, bromine, or any other chloride. Chlorides are far too abrasive and will often lead to dull discolorations on your stainless steel that can corrode and rust.

Jennifer is the Digital Editor at Homes & Gardens. Having worked in the interiors industry for a number of years, spanning many publications, she now hones her digital prowess on the 'best interiors website' in the world. Multi-skilled, Jennifer has worked in PR and marketing, and the occasional dabble in the social media, commercial and e-commerce space. Over the years, she has written about every area of the home, from compiling design houses from some of the best interior designers in the world to sourcing celebrity homes, reviewing appliances and even the odd news story or two.

Methods for cleaning and restoring stainless steel

Stainless steel products are fairly easy to clean. In most cases, it is enough to wash them in soapy water or detergent under warm water with a rinse. If the surface of a stainless steel product is heavily soiled and there are signs of corrosion, then you can use the following cleaning methods:

0002 For cleaning, various detergents, soap or ammonia solution with a concentration of 1% in warm water are used. It is best to apply the cleaner with a soft cloth, sponge or even a brush. After that, the product must be washed in clean water.