10 Lifehacks for Removing Rust

If you need lifehacks for removing rust from metal, there are many different remedies you can try. To remove rust, you can try interesting remedies such as a citric acid, lemon juice, baking soda, and Coca-Cola. Depending on what surface you are trying to remove rust from, different remedies may work better than others. Here are our best solutions to get rust off to keep your metals squeaky clean.

One of the best lifehacks for removing rust is to use vinegar. Take a cloth and dunk it in vinegar, and then scrub the rust spot with it. If it is screws or something removable that is rusted, you can remove the screws and soak them in the vinegar. Some say apple cider vinegar works the best, but white vinegar should work as well. If you can soak the rusty item, soak it for as long as a day to get the rust off. Let the vinegar do its job for as long as it needs to in order to get that rust off the metal.

If you cannot remove a rusty item, such as a screw or nut, one of the easiest ways to remove rust is to use salt and lemons or limes. Take salt and rub it onto the rusty area. Then, squeeze the lemon or lime juice on top of the salty, rusty spot. Next, leave it for a few hours to sit. Finally, use steel wool or some other textured cloth to scrub off the rust. You can also use the rind of the lemon or lime to scrub off the rust, and this should scrub without damaging the metal.

Another one of the hacks you could use to remove rust is Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola can be used to get rid of rust wherever you are, as you might not have any of these other remedies on hand. Soaking the rusty object in Coca-Cola overnight will be the best way to remove rust completely. Coca-Cola breaks down rust because of its acidic properties, and you will want to rinse with cold water once you are finished soaking the stain to remove the Coca-Cola from the area as well.

Baking soda and vinegar science is a modern-day wonder. Baking soda can be mixed with water and formed into a paste to become one of the best ways you've ever utilized for removing rust. Once mixing the baking soda paste, put it on a toothbrush and scrub it on the rust spot to get the rust off. Let the paste sit on the rust spot for a few hours so it has time to set into the rust. Then, scrub some more.

WD-40 can get rid of rust and it is one of the best lifehacks for removing rust from metal. Spray WD-40 on stubborn rust spots, and it can be removed in minutes. This will help remove the stain since WD-40 breaks down the bonds between the metal and rust. WD-40 also works to get out difficult stains in fabrics such as lipstick, grease, and ink. Add that to the list of super surprising lifehacks you can use WD-40 for.

One of the more interesting lifehacks for getting rid of rust is to use a potato and dish soap. To get rid of rust with a potato, cut the potato in half, rub soap on the open end of the potato, and then rub the soapy end of the potato on the rust. Potatoes contain oxalic acid, which breaks down the rust, while the soap helps to moisten up the rust and remove it from the surface. Keep repeating this process, and cut the potato to get a more renewed surface if need be until the rust has loosened.

Citric acid is one of the best applicators for removing rust. If you can soak the piece of rusty metal in citric acid and leave it for a few hours or overnight, this will be the best way to get rid of rust. Another way to remove rust will be to scrub the rust with a cloth that has been dunked in citric acid, although this won’t be as effective as the soak. Citric acid will break down the rust and loosen the bond between the rust and the metal. It should be very effective in making the metal look as good as new.

Steel wool is on the list of products for removing rust because it works well as a tool for removing rust when used in conjunction with the other items on this list. Steel wool can work on its own, but usually steel wool needs something like soap on top of it to remove rust. Steel wool is a tool to remove the rust, and there needs to be an ingredient on the steel wool as well. Steel wool alone can be too dry, so if you get it wet with something, it can loosen the rust from the metal and work very well to scrub the rust off.

Soaking your tools or parts in diesel fuel is one of easiest ways to remove rust. The oil in diesel fuel will lubricate the metal and remove the rust if you soak it long enough. Whether you are soaking a rusty tool, small screws, or other rusty parts, simply put them in a tub of fuel and let them sit until you see the rust come off. After the rust is loose, wipe off the part and wash it with water.

There are plenty of easy toothpaste lifehacks you never knew you needed, and this is one of our favorites. Toothpaste is on the list of the best lifehacks for removing rust because it works well when it is mixed with baking soda. If you mix toothpaste with baking soda to make an even thicker paste, you can effectively remove rust from many surfaces. Simply mix them together, apply to a toothbrush or cloth, and scrub the rust spot until it begins to lift.

All these ingredients and methods are great ways to remove rust. Depending on where your rust spot is located, some of these solutions may be better for soaking or for scrubbing. Hopefully, you find a solution and get rid of your stubborn rust spots quickly!