You love your bathroom, but you hate those rust stains! Besides those, your bathroom feels like a luxurious spa you can escape to, a place that’s clean and welcoming and not at all gross. You’re even proud of how you’ve kept things like mold, limescale, and soap scum under control, which tend to be the primary problems that people struggle with in maintaining their bathroom. But those rust stains…
Even though those rust stains are unsightly, they’re not as difficult to remove as you might think. You can also take steps to prevent them from happening in the future. (And no, you don’t have to rid your bathroom of any metal to avoid rust.)
Let’s start by addressing a few questions:
First, what is it that’s stained?
There are all kinds of surfaces that you have in your bathroom, so it’s helpful to know the material that you’re working with.
Maybe it’s your porcelain toilet, which has rust stains streaking down from where the water enters the bowl.
Or maybe it’s the acrylic-topped vanity around your sink, where you have metal-rimmed soap dispensers and lotion dispensers set out.
Or maybe it’s your enamel tiles that have been stained by water dripping from your showerhead.
Knowing what material has been stained will help you figure out what approach you should take. Some materials will react poorly to certain products. Enamel does not do well with acidic cleaners and could end up damaged. On the other hand, an acrylic surface will not react well to bleach.
Second, determine what it is that’s causing the rust stain.
In order for there to be rust, there needs to be a presence of metal (iron or steel) along with oxygen and water. You know oxygen and water are all around you (bathrooms tend to have a lot of moisture and condensation), but can you pinpoint where the metal is? It might be because you left a metal item up against the stained surface for too long — a disposable razor sitting on the edge of your tub or a can of air freshener sitting on the top of your toilet tank.
If you can’t identify the metal that’s causing the rust, there’s a chance you have galvanized steel plumbing pipes that are bleeding rusty water. There’s also a chance that your water source, usually hard water from a well, is rich in the mineral iron. When iron-rich water dries on a surface, it leaves just enough iron deposits behind to potentially form rust.
Once you’ve figured out these two questions, here are a few methods you can try for removing rust stains:
First, be wary of all rust removal products you find on the market.
There are plenty of cleaners you’ll find at the grocery store or hardware store that tout an ability to oxidize the rust stains and take them away without a lot of effort on your part. You just spray and let the product do its work. This might sound tempting, but bear in mind that many of these products have harsh chemicals that could be harmful to pets or small children, and they can even burn your hands if you come into contact with them. The one exception to this is Bar Keeper’s Friend, which comes in powder and liquid forms. This product does not have harsh chemicals and it is usable on stainless steel, ceramic, acrylic, glass, porcelain, copper, and other surfaces.
Pumice stone:
These all-natural rocks are typically used to remove callouses from your feet and hands, but you can also use them to gently scrub stains off porcelain. Test an inconspicuous area first to make sure it doesn’t scratch; then gently scour the stained area with the stone to take away mineral deposits and rust, as well as similar stains or even limescale.
Vinegar and baking soda:
Sprinkle the area with baking soda, then give it a spritz of white vinegar. Once the vinegar and baking soda start to react chemically, take a ball of aluminum foil and scrub the foam over the stain.
Lemon and salt:
If you don’t have vinegar and baking soda on hand, you can achieve a similar stain-busting effect with lemon juice and salt. Cut a lemon in half and rub the open end of it with salt. Press the salty lemon down on the stain and scrub — the chemical reaction from the citric acid and salt will start to break down the stain. After scrubbing for about two minutes, simply wipe away any remaining residue.
How to Prevent Rust Stains in the Future
Once you’ve removed the rust stains and achieved a sparkling clean bathroom, you want to make sure you don’t see the stains come back. Consider taking the following steps to be preventative in this regard:
Get an iron filter for your water source. These filters cost a few hundred dollars, but they’re worth it because they can be an efficient tool for removing iron from your well water.
Keep all metal away from having direct contact with surfaces for a long period of time. Anything with a metal bottom should not be kept out on your vanity or bathtub ledge. Instead, store these items in a cabinet.
Reduce the amount of condensation in your bathroom by running a fan and/or dehumidifier.
Wipe down any wet surfaces, such as your vanity or your shower walls, to avoid letting any water sit for too long.