Rusty stainless steel cleaner
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.
METHOD 1: Use Baking Soda to Rub Out RustSUPPLIES– Baking soda
– Soft cloth
– Soft bristle brush
– Paper towels
How to Remove Small Rust Spots on Stainless SteelSTEP 1: Mix a baking soda paste.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.
STEP 2: Rub the paste into the grain of the stainless steel.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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How to Get Rust off a Stainless Steel Sink or Any Large AreaSTEP 1: Rinse and coat with baking soda.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.
STEP 2: Let it sit.Let the layer of baking soda sit for between 30 minutes and an hour.
STEP 3: Scrub rust away.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.
STEP 4: Rinse and dry the surface.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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SUPPLIES– Cleaner that contains oxalic acid, such as Bar Keepers Friend
– Soft sponge
STEP 1: Choose and apply an oxalic acid rust remover.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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STEP 2: Rub into the grain of the stainless steel.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.
STEP 3: Rinse and dry.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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Final ThoughtsPrevention 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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FAQs About Removing Rust from Stainless SteelThere 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.
Q. Does toothpaste remove rust?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.
Q. Can lemon remove rust?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.
Q. How do you remove rust without scrubbing?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.
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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.
Stainless steel cleaning methods
Stainless steel is easy to clean. Generally, washing with soap or a mild detergent in warm water followed by a rinse in clean water is sufficient to clean domestic and architectural equipment. If the surface of a stainless steel product is heavily soiled and there are signs of surface corrosion (probably after using the wrong detergent), alternative cleaning methods can be resorted to below.
| Condition
| Recommended cleaning method 1.2 | Comments |
| Daily cleaning of light dirt | Use soap, detergent or 1% ammonia solution in warm, clean water. The cleaning agent can be applied with a clean sponge, soft cloth or brush, followed by rinsing the item in clean water and drying it 6 . | Satisfactory for most surfaces. |
| Fingerprint removal | Cleaning is done with detergent and warm water. In addition, a hydrocarbon solvent can be used. | Branded spray foams are commercially available to clean and minimize the chance of fingerprints. |
| Grease and oil stain removal | Uses hydrocarbon solvents (denatured ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol or acetone) 2 . | Alkaline formulations with added surfactants are also available. An example is the polishing agent D7 1 . |
| Remove heavy stains, streaks, light fading, water marks and small rust stains | Uses soft, non-scratch foam. Apply with a soft cloth or sponge, rinse off residue with clean water, dry the surface 6. | Avoid using cleaning pastes with abrasive additives 3 . Suitable cleaning creams are available with mild calcium carbonate added, such as Cif cream, or with citric acid added, such as ShinySinks 1 . Do not use chloride solutions 8.9 . |
| Removal of individual rust stains caused by contamination of carbon steel | Use proprietary gels or 10% phosphoric acid solution (followed by ammonia and then water rinse) or oxalic acid solution (followed by water rinse) 6 . | Small areas can be abraded with a fine abrasive in hard rubber or plastic. Do not use a carbon steel sponge or sandpaper that was previously used on carbon steel. First you need to inspect the surface to make sure there is no damage to the finish.
|
| Cleaning burnt dishes, removing soot | Soak in hot water with detergent or ammonia solution. | Abrasive scouring powder may scratch polished surfaces. |
| Removal of tannin stains (tea stains) and grease residues in the coffee machine | To remove tannin stains, soak the metal in a hot solution of laundry soda (crystal soda). To remove coffee deposits, soak the metal in a hot solution of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate). | These solutions can also be applied with a soft cloth or sponge. Rinse with clean water. The method is satisfactory for most surfaces. |
| Removal of viscous limescale and splash stains from lime mortar and cement | Apply 10-15% phosphoric acid solution. Then place in warm water, remove deposits with a dilute ammonia solution, rinse with clean water and dry 6 . | There are branded formulations for sale with the addition of surfactants. Take particular care when using hydrochloric acid limescale removers 8.9 . |
| Burning or severe fading | a) Use a non-scratching cream or polish, such as Solvol 9 automotive metal polish0020 1.9 . b) Use a nylon sponge such as scotch brite 3,4,5 | a) Creams are suitable for most finishes, but only Solvol should be used on bright polished surfaces. There may be a few small scratches. b) Use on polished and brushed surfaces along the grain. |
| Very neglected surfaces with deep-seated dirt | Use a good quality automotive refinish abrasive paste, such as T-cut, followed by rinsing with water to remove the paste and dry 1 . | Matte finish surfaces may become lighter. To avoid a non-uniform appearance, it may be necessary to treat the entire surface.
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| Paint, graffiti | Use proprietary solutions to remove alkaline or bituminous paint, depending on the type of paint. Use a soft nylon or bristle brush on printed surfaces. | Use according to manufacturer's instructions. |
| Notes 2. State environmental regulations must permit the use of cleaning agents. In addition, these products should be used in accordance with the manufacturer's or supplier's instructions for safe use. Do not use solvents in confined spaces. 3. Nylon abrasive pads must be suitable for removing deposits. If a more thorough treatment of deep scratches or damage to the surface is required, use the finest abrasive products suitable for working on damaged areas. When working on polished or directional brushed surfaces, consider the primary finish to ensure that the final finish is aesthetically acceptable. You can use silicon carbide products, especially in the last stages of finishing. Avoid using hard objects such as a knife blade or some abrasive or acidic substances as they may cause scuffs and scratches on the surface. Scratches are especially visible on the surface of dish dryers. They are usually shallow and can be removed with a branded stainless steel cleaner or automotive paint restorer such as T-cut. 4. If you are using a wire brush, it should be made from a similar or better grade of stainless steel. Make sure that all abrasive cleaners used are free from sources of contamination, especially ferrous metal and chlorides. 5. When cleaning the surface with any chemical or abrasive, first test on a small, inconspicuous or not very important area of the surface to ensure that the finish matches the original. 6. To avoid water stains, use clean water for rinsing, such as inexpensive drinking water. Blowing or wiping with clean disposable paper towels will help avoid drying spots. 7. It is unlikely that rust stains or streaks on stainless steel are the result of rusting of the steel itself (similar stains also appear on porcelain or plastic sinks). Most likely, these spots appeared due to the carbon steel of the wire wool, particles of which fell on the stainless steel. | ||
7 . 
Remove deposits with a nylon brush and, if necessary, with a cleaning powder. Repeat if necessary. Finish with a normal cleaning. 
Alternatively, you can soak the metal in a 25% vinegar solution and use a nylon brush to remove the deposits. 
T-Cut, and Hammerite Products Ltd. Solvol Auto Metal Polish. 
Taken from the British Stainless Steel Association website www.
bssa.org.uk
Methods for cleaning and restoring stainless steel
Stainless steel products are relatively 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 contaminated and there are signs of corrosion, then you can use the following cleaning methods:
1. Daily cleaning of the surface from light dirt
Various detergents, soap or ammonia solution with a concentration of 1% in warm water are used for cleaning. 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.
2. Remove fingerprints
To remove fingerprints, it is best to use detergent followed by rinsing with warm water. You can also resort to a hydrocarbon solvent. Stains are removed by applying spray foams to clean and reduce the likelihood of subsequent imprints.
3. Removing oil and grease stains
Various hydrocarbon solvents such as acetone, denatured ethyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol can be used for removal.
4. Removal of heavier stains, streaks, fading, water marks and small rust spots formed
It is best to use a soft foam that does not leave scratches. Application can be used with a sponge or soft cloth. Rinse off any residue with water and dry.
5. Removal of rust spots formed by contamination of carbon steel
For cleaning, various gels, oxalic acid solution (washed with water after use) or acid phosphorus solution with a concentration of 10% (after washing with ammonia and water) are used.
6. Removal of severe discoloration or scorching
- Use P3200 car polish or cream to remove, which in turn does not leave scratches.
- A nylon sponge is used - scotch brite.
7. Cleaning a badly damaged, neglected surface with rust and stubborn dirt
Stainless steel abrasive paste is best used for removal.
