Rust is hard to avoid on your countertop. The stain after you cook and the atmosphere around the kitchen is a great influence that makes it appear.
Hence, you have to know how to remove rust stains from the countertop to make the space clean and safe to cook.
How to Remove Rust Stains from Countertop
Removing the rust stains can be confusing because you have to adjust the material you use. Different countertop material means different ways to do it.
Here are some easy ways that are less abrasive and avoid scratching the plastic coating if your countertop has it.
1. Salt and baking soda
If you have an enameled countertop or stainless steel material, you can use a mix of salt and baking soda.
Those two materials are a combo to clean appliances, especially the kitchen area. It is not abrasive; these are the easiest materials to remove rust stains from the kitchen counter.
- Prepare a tablespoon of baking soda, a tablespoon of salt, and two tablespoons of water.
- Mix all of them into pasta. Make sure it is not too watery.
- Spread the pasta into the affected area on your countertop.
- After that, let it work for about an hour.
- Take a towel or tissue, then rub the pasta. The rust would come right off in your towel.
This is a perfect way to remove rust stains from the countertop because the mix of salt and baking soda is neutral.
It won’t affect the color of your countertop too. Whether it’s granite or plastic, the color or pattern will stay the same.
2. Vinegar
Vinegar contains an active material named acetic acid. It works to dissolve iron oxide, the material which will dissolve fast.
However, you might need to take a longer time if you work with this method of removing rust stains from the countertop. Vinegar will dissolve the rust by about two hours.
- Prepare the solution material that’s made from vinegar and salt. If you have borax, it will be better. Borax contains heat that will dissolve the rust faster than salt.
- Spread the solution into the countertop. You can spray it to the rust a few times.
- Since vinegar solution is similar to water material that is easily evaporated, you have to cover the countertop using plastic. Or else, food wrap will work too.
- Let the countertop for about 1-2 hours.
- In an hour, you should take a look at the improvement of this way works. If the rust isn’t dissolved yet, it can be that the concentration of vinegar is little. So, spread or spray the solution more.
- After that, recheck the countertop in the next hour. When the rust completely dissolves, take a sponger and rub the countertop.
- Wipe the countertop until the vinegar and rust stick to the sponge. You shouldn’t use paper because the solution has an abrasive ability to hurt your hand.
- Neutralize the countertop using a dry cloth as the last step of removing rust stains from the countertop using vinegar.
3. Dishwasher solution
Dishwasher soap is a great choice to remove rust stains. However, you have to consider the active material in it.
If you go for this choice, make sure that it contains acid such as lime, lemon, or orange to work better. The acid will help to dissolve the rust stains way better.
This is a choice of removing rust stains from the granite countertop. Using baking soda or vinegar is too harsh.
Some stones except granite will be harmed by baking soda too. Though the dishwasher solution needs to repeat, it’s safe to save the look of your countertop.
- Prepare some materials and tools such as a damp cloth, sponge, dishwasher soap with acid material, a cup of water, and a bowl.
- Mix the water and dishwasher solution into a bowl. Stir it well using a spoon until you see some bubbles in the bowl.
- This how-to removes rust stains from the countertop when you dip the sponge into the solution. Let it absorb the solution, but make sure it’s not too watery.
- Rub the sponge to the countertop. You may need some strength to do it, especially if the rust is quite thick and in many areas of your countertop.
- The rust stains will separate from the countertop and stick to your sponge. Rinse the sponge before you repeat the same step.
- When the whole rust stains vanish from the countertop, use a damp cloth to ensure that the rust isn’t left. The left rust could create another area in the space.
- Use the dry cloth as the last step to ensure that the countertop isn’t moist.
4. Using hydrogen peroxide
The last method that is quite popular for removing rust stains from the countertop is using hydrogen peroxide.
This active material will dissolve the rust stains better than the soapy solution. This is how you remove rust stains from the quartz countertop.
However, you have to choose the best hydrogen peroxide. This material might not be sold as pure material but in the form of a solution.
Check the solution percentage and make sure it has at least 3% of hydrogen peroxide to remove the rust stains well.
- Take two tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide into a glass bowl.
- Mix it using cold water, stir well until it’s mixed.
- Put the solution into a bottle spray to ease you doing the cleaning.
- Spray the solution into your countertop with rust stains.
- Let it sit for about 10 minutes so the hydrogen peroxide will dissolve the rust.
- If the rust is thick, you might need to spray more than once with a 5-10 minute gap of spraying.
- Take a clean sponge and clean the countertop.
- The last step of removing stains from the countertop is wiping the countertop using a dry cloth to make sure the rust isn’t left on the countertop.
Those four methods of removing stains from the countertop are the easiest. The material solution comes from the material you can find in the kitchen.
Do it once a month to prevent the rust from coming back to your beautiful countertop.
