COIT’s Guide to Rust Stain Removal
Though rust may not be a stain you encounter every day, rust stains have a sneaky way of making their way into your home. To remove rust stains, you can try out a few of COIT’s recommended do-it-yourself techniques.
When you’re attempting to remove any household stain you come across, it’s helpful to know what is actually in the stain. That way you can tackle the stain with the right products.
What is Rust?
Rust is actually made of iron oxides, and is also referred to as “oxidation.” Scientifically speaking, rust occurs when oxygen and iron react in the presence of air moisture, or water. There are a few different kinds of rust that each feature a different chemical makeup.
According to chemicalformula.org, “corrosion of iron readily occurs in the alloy steel. The formation of reddish-brown flakes which loosely adhere to the iron is called rust.”
Household Rust Stains
So how does rust make its way onto your carpet, and how should you approach the question of how to clean rust? One reason rust occurs has to do with the metal legs on your furniture. If your furniture happens to become damp, the legs of the furniture piece can become damp and leave rust stains on your carpet. Yikes!
Ways to Remove Rust Stains
By reading COIT’s guide to rust stain removal, you’ll see that there are multiple ways to answer the question of how to clean rust. Thanks to some ammonia, lemon juice, white vinegar, dish soap, salt, and a few other household items, you don’t have to panic when it comes to rust stain removal in your home.
Before doing anything, it’s important to identify the source of the rust stain. If it’s coming from a piece of furniture, a toy, or a tool, be sure to remove it from the carpet as soon as possible to prevent further stains.
To view step-by-step instructions to help you tackle how to clean rust, visit COIT’s spot center guide.
How to Remove Rust stains from Carpet
COIT’s Guide: How to Get Rust Out of Carpet
Carpets can be full of all kinds of stains that stop you in your tracks. So what should you do when you encounter a rust stain?
With a few tips from COIT’s step-by-step guide, you’ll be able to remove rust from carpet using these fairly simple household procedures.
How to Remove Rust Stain from Carpet – Method # 1
- Upon discovering the rust stain, be sure to remove the source of the rust stain. If the rust stain came from the legs of a piece of furniture, consider moving the furniture to a new place, or placing a darker area rug underneath it to prevent future stains.
- Using a butter knife, scrape up any visible rust from the fibers. This scraping motion will initially help remove rust from carpet. Be careful not to rip the carpet fibers as you’re gently scraping.
- Pour dish soap onto a sponge. Blot the sponge directly onto the stain and let it soak for about 5 minutes.
- Using a white cloth (that you don’t mind disposing of or keeping as a rag) begin to press the rust stain, repeatedly blotting the affected area. The rust stain should gradually transfer directly onto the towel.
- If the rust stain still isn’t disappearing, mix 2 cups of warm water with 1 tablespoon of household ammonia.
- Pour the ammonia and water mixture directly onto the rust stain. Let this sit for about 5 minutes. Blot the stain with a clean portion of the white cloth.
- If the rust stain residue still remains, mix lemon juice, white vinegar and salt together and apply this mixture directly onto the rust stain. Let this sit for a few hours, and then blot with a damp towel. By carrying out the above mentioned steps in order, you won’t have to worry the next time you’re wondering how to get rust out of carpet.
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How to Get Rust Out of Carpet – Method # 2
Here’s another approach the question of how to remove rust stain from carpet:
1. Take a generous amount of lemon juice and salt and apply directly to the rust stain.
2. Let this sit for a few minutes.
3. Pour hot water directly onto the affected area of the carpet. The rust stain should begin to disappear.
Need a stronger solution to answer the question of how to get rust out of carpet? Talk to a COIT carpet cleaning specialist today to learn more about our professional carpet cleaning services and don't forget to checkout our coupons!
Remember to always do a spot removal test on a portion of carpet or upholstery that is normally not visible. These are suggested treatments only and COIT can't be held accountable for any damage sustained by use of the treatments in this spot removal guide.
