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Protocol
Method steps
- Brush off loose rust Gently brush off any solid rust particles on the surface, and try not to rub the stain (Purex).
- Read the care label Read the care label before any stain removal method, and do not use any product or procedure it prohibits (UGA Extension).
- Test the remover on a hidden area Apply a drop of the rust remover to dampen a hidden area and wait a few minutes before rinsing with water; no colour change means the item is colourfast (Clorox).
- Apply it to the damp stain, then rinse Dampen the stained area with water first, then apply the rust remover; when the stain is no longer visible, rinse with clean water (Clorox).
- Wash, then air dry Machine wash as directed on the care label, and let the item air dry (Clorox).
Never use chlorine bleach on rust: it sets the stain. On white or colourfast washables, use a commercial rust remover after a hidden-area test. Lemon juice, salt and sun is an option, but lemon juice and sunlight can both bleach colours. A dry-clean-only garment goes to a dry cleaner.
Rust stains may be very difficult to remove (UGA Extension (external link)). This page matches a rust mark on clothing to a remover by fabric and care label, with each remover’s limits and hazards. Dye picked up from another garment in the wash is a different problem, covered in colour bleeding in laundry.
Which rust remover each fabric can take
Find your fabric’s row. If a cell says yes, then that remover is an option for that fabric; each cell names its source. Wool, silk, spandex and dry-clean-only items follow their own rows, whatever their colour.
| Fabric and label | Commercial rust remover (spot) | Iron OUT in the wash | Lemon juice, salt and sun | Cream of tartar boil | Chlorine bleach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White cotton or linen | Yes, after the colour test (Texas A&M) | Yes, whites directions (Iron OUT) | Option; sunlight may yellow some whites (UGA; Texas A&M) | Only if safe to boil: generally some cottons and linens (UGA) | Never: it sets rust (UGA) |
| Other washable whites (not wool, silk or spandex) | Yes, after the colour test (Texas A&M) | Yes, whites directions (Iron OUT) | Option; lemon juice may damage texture, sunlight may yellow some whites (UGA; Texas A&M) | Only if safe to boil (UGA) | Never: it sets rust (UGA) |
| Coloured, no change in the colour test (not wool, silk or spandex) | Yes; oxalic-acid removers may change some dyes (Texas A&M) | Colourfast dyes only, one item per wash; may damage colours and embroidered logos (Iron OUT) | Risky: lemon juice and sunlight can both bleach colours (Texas A&M) | Not covered by these sources | Never: it sets rust (UGA) |
| Coloured, changes in the colour test (any fibre) | No: white and colourfast fabrics only (Texas A&M) | No: colourfast dyes only (Iron OUT) | No: lemon juice and sunlight can bleach colours (Texas A&M) | Not covered by these sources | Never: it sets rust (UGA) |
| Washable wool, silk or spandex | No fibre-specific direction in these sources | No fibre-specific direction in these sources | Lemon juice may damage texture or colour (Texas A&M) | No fibre-specific direction in these sources | Never: not for wool, silk or spandex (Texas A&M) |
| Dry clean only | No: take it to a dry cleaner (Clorox) | No: home procedures do not apply (Texas A&M) | No: home procedures do not apply (Texas A&M) | No: home procedures do not apply (Texas A&M) | No: home procedures do not apply (Texas A&M) |
What not to rely on: chlorine bleach or detergent alone
Do not use chlorine bleach on rust: chlorine bleach will set these stains (UGA Extension (external link)). Clorox, which makes bleach, explains why: bleach, or any product that contains sodium hypochlorite, is an oxidiser formulated at an alkaline pH, which provides the conditions to oxidise iron and make a rust stain even worse (Clorox (external link)). A normal wash is not the fix either: laundry detergent or typical stain removers are not going to be very effective on rust (Purex (external link)).
Commercial rust removers: test, apply, rinse
Use a commercial rust remover on white and colourfast fabrics, after testing that the fabric does not change colour (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (external link)). Follow the remover’s label instructions to use it safely, and wear heavy-duty rubber gloves (Clorox (external link)).
1. Brush off loose rust
Gently brush off any solid rust particles on the surface, and try not to rub the stain (Purex (external link)).
2. Read the care label
Read the care label before any stain removal method, and do not use any product or procedure it prohibits (UGA Extension (external link)).
Not sure what the label allows?The decoder reads each symbol on the care label, including the bleach triangle and the dry-clean circle.
Decode the label3. Test the remover on a hidden area
Apply a drop of the rust remover to dampen a hidden area and wait a few minutes before rinsing with water; no colour change means the item is colourfast (Clorox (external link)).
4. Apply it to the damp stain, then rinse
Dampen the stained area with water first, then apply the rust remover; when the stain is no longer visible, rinse with clean water (Clorox (external link)). If the mark remains, repeat the process, following the manufacturer’s directions (UGA Extension (external link)).
5. Wash, then air dry
Machine wash as directed on the care label, and let the item air dry (Clorox (external link)).
Know what is in the bottle
The sources name three kinds of rust remover ingredient:
- Hydrofluoric acid. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension advises against rust removers containing hydrofluoric acid because they are extremely toxic and can burn the skin (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (external link)). Rust-Oleum’s data sheet for Whink Rust Stain Remover lists water, hydrofluoric acid and Bitrex, and the product is not a general purpose rust remover: it is for white sinks and toilets, colourfast fabric and carpets (Rust-Oleum (external link)).
- Oxalic acid. Rust removers based on oxalic acid may change the colour of some dyes; avoid contact with the skin (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (external link)). In its carpet and tile rust instructions, UGA Extension warns that oxalic acid is poisonous: do not let it touch the skin, and wear rubber gloves (UGA Extension (external link)).
- Sulfite-salt powder. Iron OUT Powder’s safety data sheet lists sodium hydrosulfite, sodium metabisulfite, citric acid and sodium sulfite, with a pH of 5.5-6.5 (Summit Brands (external link)).
If you use a hydrofluoric-acid remover anyway
Whink’s data sheet warning reads “DANGER-POISON”: avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing, do not breathe vapours, harmful or fatal if swallowed; in case of contact, flush eyes and skin with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes and get medical attention. Its clothing directions: wear heavy-duty household rubber gloves, test for colourfastness, dampen the stain, apply a few drops, and when the stain is gone rinse the area thoroughly with cold water, then machine launder and dry before wearing; avoid contact with washer and dryer surfaces (Rust-Oleum (external link)).
Iron OUT in the washer: whites, or colourfast items one at a time
For white laundry, the directions for Iron OUT powder↗ are 1/2 cup (US measures: about 118 ml) added to warm water as the washer fills (in a front-loader, in the detergent drawer), a 5-minute soak with the clothes, then detergent and the rest of the wash and rinse (Iron OUT (external link)).
On coloured laundry, Iron OUT says to test all colours first, use it only on colourfast dyes and wash each item separately; the product may irreparably damage colours and embroidered logos (Iron OUT (external link)). Its safety data sheet classifies the powder as causing serious eye damage (wear eye protection) and warns that contact with acids liberates toxic gas (Summit Brands (external link)).
Lemon juice, salt and sun: where the sources disagree
The method: sprinkle salt on the stain, squeeze lemon juice on it and spread the item in the sun to dry; rinse thoroughly and repeat if necessary (UGA Extension (external link)). Texas A&M says lemon juice and salt may be effective on rust (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (external link)). Clorox disagrees: it says vinegar and lemon juice are weak acids and typically are not strong enough to remove rust stains (Clorox (external link)).
Its limits: lemon juice and sunlight can both bleach colours, sunlight may turn some white fabrics yellow, and lemon juice may damage fabric texture or colour (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (external link)).
Cream of tartar boil: boil-safe fabrics only
If it is safe to boil the fabric (generally some cottons and linens), boil the stained item in 4 teaspoons of cream of tartar per 1 pint of water (US measures: about 20 ml in 473 ml) until the stain is removed, then rinse thoroughly (UGA Extension (external link)).
A whole white load with rusty discoloration
For rusty discoloration across a load of white items, UGA’s route is detergent plus one cup (US measure: about 237 ml) of oxygen bleach, soaking the clothes for 10-15 minutes, then laundering; a commercial colour remover may also be used (UGA Extension (external link)). Check each item’s bleach triangle first:
Empty triangle — chlorine and oxygen bleach allowed 
Two oblique lines — oxygen bleach only, no chlorine 
Crossed-out triangle — do not bleach On the care label, a triangle with two oblique lines allows oxygen bleach but not chlorine bleach, an empty triangle allows chlorine and oxygen bleach, and a crossed-out triangle means no bleaching — use only bleach-free detergent (GINETEX (external link)); the fibre-by-fibre chart is in what fabrics can you bleach. Colour removers will remove most dyes: use one when bleaches are not effective and you are willing to re-dye the item (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (external link)).
Wool, silk, spandex and dry-clean-only items
Chlorine bleach is not for wool, silk, spandex, polyurethane foam or blends of these fibres, for embossed or flame-retardant finishes, or for fabrics labelled no chlorine bleach (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (external link)). None of the sources on this page names washable wool, silk or spandex in its rust directions. When in doubt, leave it to a professional dry cleaner and point out the location and type of the stain (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (external link)).
A rust remover is not for a “dry clean only” garment: take it to a dry cleaner and show them the stain (Clorox (external link)). The home procedures in Texas A&M’s guide do not apply to fabrics labelled “dry clean” (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (external link)).
If rust spots appear after every wash
An older washing machine can have rust inside that transfers to laundry, especially if wet clothing is not removed right after the rinse cycle; examine the inside, especially the drain holes in the basket. Clorox says replacing the washer is necessary to eliminate this problem (Clorox (external link)).
The water can be the source too: water that looks clear can still contain iron oxide; a water test kit identifies metals, a softening system works for lower iron levels and filtration for higher concentrations (Clorox (external link)).
Mistakes to avoid
- Drying before checking. The heat could set the stain and make it impossible to remove (Purex).
- Iron OUT with an oxygen or chlorine product. Its laundry directions say not to use peroxide, bleach, bleach-detergents, oxi stain removers or oxi-detergents with it (Iron OUT).
- Whink with another cleaner. Its directions say not to use it with other household cleaners (Rust-Oleum).
- A rust remover on a fabric that changed colour in the test. Texas A&M limits commercial rust removers to white and colourfast fabrics (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension).
Related reading
- Stain removal guides — the hub for every stain type.
- How to remove set-in stains — stains that have already been through the dryer.
- What fabrics can you bleach? — the fibre-by-fibre chlorine and oxygen chart.
- Colour bleeding in laundry — when the mark is dye from another garment.