5 Homemade Rust Remover Recipes That Work (2024)

By Hadley Maxwell 2 Comments

If you’re looking for a rust remover that’s effective and cheap, then your kitchen has got you covered. These homemade rust remover recipes are proven and natural! And because they are natural, most of the ingredients can be found in your kitchen.

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Easy And Cheap Homemade Rust Remover Recipes

1. Removing Rust With Lemon Juice

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For this method, you’ll need borax and lemon juice. Baking soda is a good alternative if you don’t have borax.

What You Need to Do:

  1. 1. Mix the borax and lemon juice to create a paste.
  2. Apply the paste to the area where there is rust. Let is stay for a minimum of 30 minutes or longer depending on how rusty the object is.
  3. Once the paste dries out spray a little amount of water just to make it wet.
  4. Scrub the paste against the object, use a toothbrush (or any brush available). The rust should come off as you continue scrubbing.
  5. Once done, rinse the object and let it dry thoroughly before using it. If you still see any hints of rust then just repeat this process.

2. Removing Rust With Vinegar

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This homemade rust remover is super easy — with only one ingredient needed — vinegar!

What You Need to Do:

  1. Pour about four cups of undiluted vinegar in a container.
  2. Completely submerge the rusty area in the vinegar.
  3. Once the object is drowned, let it soak for about 30 minutes.
  4. Take the object from the vinegar solution.
  5. Scrape off any remaining rust with an old toothbrush.
  6. Rinse the object and dry thoroughly. If rust spots remain, just repeat the process.

Tips:

  • The amount of vinegar and container varies depending on how big your tool is.
  • For large rusty objects, allow it to soak for at least an hour. Constantly check its progress.
  • Take note that the longer the rusty area is soaked in the vinegar, the easier to scrub off the rust

3. Removing Rust With Washing Soda and Ketchup

One of the ingredients for this rust remover method is too familiar to our tastebuds. And pretty sure you this in your fridge: ketchup! Additionally, washing soda will help in restoring your metal objects back to its original shine.

What You Need to Do:

  1. Mix the water and washing soda.
  2. Pour the mixture into the spray bottle and shake vigorously.
  3. Liberally spray the rusty area with the mixture. Then, top it off with ketchup.
  4. Let the object sit for at least two hours and rinse it off with water.

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4. Removing Rust With Baking Soda and Potato

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Potatoes are not just healthy, they’re also nifty. This homemade rust remover recipe needs one piece of potato (sliced in half) and baking soda.

What You Need to Do:

  1. Put a tablespoon of baking soda on the cut side of the potato.
  2. Rub it against the rusted area. What this recipe is doing is that the acid from the potato lifts rust. Meanwhile, the baking soda helps in scrubbing it off.
  3. Wash and dry the object thoroughly before using it.

Tip: Here’s a great hack for your kitchen knives! Removing rust from your kitchen knives can be easy. All you have to do is plunge them into the potato. Let it stay there for a day and once you remove it, the rust should be wiped off immediately.

5. Removing Rust With Tartar, Baking Soda, and Hydrogen Peroxide

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If you’re someone who loves baking desserts then you probably have cream of tartar in your pantry. Who knew this baking essential can also serve as a homemade rust remover?

What You Need to Do:

  1. Simply put a cream of tartar in a bowl along with the same amount of baking soda.
  2. Slowly add hydrogen peroxide to the mixture. Make sure to mix the ingredients thoroughly until you’ve achieved a paste-like consistency.
  3. Rub the paste in the rusted area and let it stay an hour. If the object is very rusty then it might be necessary to let the paste sit longer.
  4. Wash the object and let it dry before using it.

Helpful Tips To Keep In Mind

  • There might be instances wherein the object soaked in vinegar or lemon juice will turn black. Don’t worry! It’s normal. The color will go back to normal once rinsed off with water.
  • While these rust removers are considerably milder compared to commercial ones, you should still practice caution when using them. Ultimately, it’s up to you whether you would want to use homemade rust removers for antiques and other sentimental items.
  • Proper handling and cleaning of tools can altogether avoid surface rust. Oiling hardware tools before storing, handwashing of kitchen knives, and protecting them from extreme weather can save you all the trouble of having rusted materials.
  • Also, take note that rust spread quickly. If you see an area with rust spots then quickly apply any of the recipes above and scrape the rust off.
  • Always wash your items and completely dry them off before being stored. Otherwise, they’ll just rust again.

This video from SlivkiShow EN will give you more ideas on how to remove rust from ordinary household items:


Homemade rust remover recipes that are safe and budget-friendly. These recipes are a good alternative especially if you want to avoid harsh chemicals. The important thing to observe here is patience.

If rust residues remain with your first try, then just repeat the process. For sure, it’ll come off eventually.

Have you tried any of the rust remover recipes? Which one worked best for you? Let us know in the comments section.

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5 Homemade Rust Remover Recipes That Work (1)

5 Homemade Rust Remover Recipes That Work (2024)
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