Plastic is everywhere, and with the use, plastic often gets some stains either from catching moisture or through contact with water, and it looks hideous. I was curious about getting these rust stains removed, so I researched the matter, and here is my personal experience.
How to remove rust stains from plastic? Select a suitable acid from your households like vinegar, lemon, or soda, and Pour that on a piece of cloth. Next, Rub the cloth gently onto the plastic surface. Use soapy water or scrubber if needed. Use the detergent placed next to your bathtub for stubborn stains, but that’s a strong acid, and caution must be kept in mind.
Whether it be your expensive sports watch or a bucket in your washing room, it catches rust stains due to the accumulation of salts, or sometimes the metal surface in contact with plastic starts rusting.
The stains create an unpleasant experience, and we are in a continuous desire to get rid of them. Let me share all the methods you can use to get rid of them.
Methods to Remove Rust Stains
House Hold Methods to Remove Rust Stains from Plastic.
#1 Water, Brush and Soap
Simply scrubbing the surface of plastic with water and brush can remove most of the stains. The choice of the brush depends on the size of the surface being cleaned.
You can also use cordless drill attachments for covering large surfaces.
You may need a big-size laundry brush or a small-size toothbrush. If the stain is getting hard to remove, add soap to make it easy.
#2 Use of common acids available in home.
We know that acids dissolve rust. Before you drive your car to a specialized store to buy a ton of products, you should know that you have quite useful products sitting in your home that contain enough acid that can be used to remove stains quite easily until they are quite stubborn. Here is a list of items that can be quite handy.
- Vinegar ( Acetic Acid)
- Lemons ( Citric Acid)
- Carbonated Drinks ( Carbonic Acid)
- Your Ketchup ( Acetic Acid )
- Vit – C Tablets (Ascorbic Acid)
- Washroom Detergents ( Hydrochloric Acid)
Take a small amount of vinegar or lemon juice on a cloth piece and start rubbing gently on the rusty surface. Patience is required as stains require some time to interact with acids.
If stains are harder to remove, a brush or scrubber can be used as required. If there is a risk of scratch to the plastic surface, a dish scrubber can avoid it.
Some stains require a lot of time to remove, so they should be kept dipped in acid overnight and cleansed the next day. If the above measures fail to remove a considerable amount of stains, don’t worry. The commode cleaner will come in handy.
It contains strong acid, mainly hydrochloric acid, which is far more superior to weak kitchen acids. You need to take extra care as this is a highly corrosive acid and should be handled with care. Also, avoid using it on expensive plastic items because it may discolor them.
#3 Physically Removing Rust Stains from the Surface.
Some stains are hard to the point that physical force is often required to remove them. They can be scratched right away using some basic tools in a household.
- Knife, Spoons, Forks
- Mesh wire
- Screw Driver
- Keys
Surfaces in danger of scratches can be peeled using old Credit Cards and Plastic Comb.
Best Available Rust Removers
As of today, the market is flooded with thousands of commercially available products that can be used to remove rust stains from plastic. Some are the best budget products, and others are very safe in terms of use. Here is a list of products that you can find in your local hardware store.
#1 CLR PRO Rust Remover is Specifically designed for plastic-based objects as it dissolves Calcium and Lime deposits. It is an industrial-strength rust remover and is nontoxic in nature. Its action is swift. It comes in liquid and sprays formulations. Link to Amazon
For liquid-based formulation, cover the surface completely and allow some time to settle. After that, thoroughly rinse the surface with water. For Spray-based formulation, sprays on the surface evenly and then rub with a cloth or brush for best results.
#2 Evapo – Rust is a safe rust remover and is a water-based solution. It is also biodegradable and is environmentally friendly. It does not need special protective gear for application. Link to Amazon
It has a simple application procedure. You have to take the amount based on object size and immerse it in the solution for 30 min. The object can be kept immerse overnight for hard to remove stains. Rub with a cloth or brush for best results.
#3 Rust-Oleum spray is the best budget available spray in the market. It works instantaneously as it forms a bond with the stain and then can be painted easily. No rubbing is required. But as a disadvantage of a bumpy feeling on the surface. Link to Amazon
#4 Rust Kutter spray is a professional-grade rust remover that prevents rust formation on surfaces besides removing rust. Link to Amazon
The CLR PRO (Link to Amazon) was overall more superior, easy to use, and cost-effective commercially available rust remover for plastic from my personal experimentation.
How to Prevent Rust Stain Formation?
We know that “prevention is better than cure,” there are few simple steps that will help us avoid rust stains on plastics.
Timely Cleaning
Rust stains don’t develop instantaneously. It is a slow process. Cleaning your plastic surfaces timely is the mainstay of preventing stain layer formation. Weekly cleaning of your items is usually enough to prevent stain formation. We recommend so.
keeping Surfaces Dry
When leaving surfaces wet becomes a habit, that has consequences. The water drops you left on your valuables look innocent, but this is not the case. It leaves a lasting impression on the article, and slowly thin layers are formed over one and the other. Wiping the surface dry breaks this perpetual cycle and thus prevent stains formation.
Extra care for metal attachments
Not all but many metals do corrode. Iron, for example, will oxidize to form Rust. Metals attached to plastic surfaces need special care. Regularly drying out metal with a piece of cloth is enough most of the time but may need a garnish of oil. DW 40 spray can be used used to cover metal surfaces with a layer of oil. This will help keep moisture away.
Related Questions
Does Baking Soda Remove Rust Stains?
Does baking soda remove rust stain? The answer is Ambiguous. According to some authors, yes, it removes rust stains. But with my personal experimentation and experience, it does not remove rust.
We often use metal wire or brush with baking soda, which gives us a spurious association but in actuality, this is not the baking soda but the brush and metal wire that are removing the rusty stains.
Does DW 40 Remove Rust Stains?
The Answer is No. Neither do they advertise it as a rust remover, nor It removes rust stains but can actually prevent from developing one.
Although it can soften the rust in some instances to the extent that rust should be removed with little effort.
Does Hydrogen Peroxide Get Rid of Rust?
Hydrogen peroxide is not too good at removing rust. It can help remove mildly rusted stains from articles but fails to remove hard rust.
Moreover, Hydrogen Peroxide can sometimes be corrosive to surfaces, mainly steel or marble tops.
It is therefore not recommended for rust removal. It is a pale blue chemical in color and is mainly used as an antiseptic on surfaces in hospital settings due to its oxidizing property.