How to remove rust stains from carpet

Rust. It’s unsightly and if we’re not careful it can appear in the unlikeliest of places. It’s bad enough when it shows up on our gardening tools and car parts, but when it’s brought into the house and shows up on our carpets, it’s time to draw the line.

When rust appears on our floors, it’s not something we can ignore. It’s to be expected outside, especially in the humid weather when oxidation occurs, but you can’t write off a stain on the rug as a trendy patina. When it comes to your carpet, shabby chic is most definitely a no-no. If you’ve become a victim of rusty carpet syndrome, never fear, help is on the way.

First, you’ll need to identify the source of the rust. If a piece of furniture or toy has left behind a stain, you need to remove the offending piece immediately or risk further damage to your rug. If the damage is coming from a window or other element of the home, some repair work may be necessary. Once the source is extricated, take a butter knife or other scraping tool and gently scrape off whatever surface rust you can. Be gentle because you don’t want to cause any additional wear to the fibers of your carpet. After you scrape away all you can, you’ll need to contend with what’s left behind. This can be done using any number of methods.

A mild detergent, such as dish detergent, (one containing no alkalis) is a good stain remover and is gentle on your carpet. Gently blot into the stain using a sponge or cloth. Don’t frantically rub at the stain as this will only cause the stain to spread and may weaken the fibers to boot. Rinse the sponge and blot with cool clean water.

Here are some inexpensive home remedies that also work for removing rust:
– Lemon juice mixed with a little salt will clean, freshen and brighten. Spray directly onto the carpet and let sit for a few hours. Afterwards, blot with a cool damp cloth.

– Make a paste of cream of tarter and water. Apply directly to the stain and let sit. Clean off with a damp sponge.

– Pour vinegar directly onto the carpet and let sit. After a couple of hours wipe with a damp cloth.

If none of these removal methods work, you have a couple of other options. The first is to go to your hardware store or supermarket and scan the shelves for appropriate rust removal agents. Before purchasing, be sure the product isn’t going to ruin your particular type of carpet. No matter what the label tells you, test some of the product first on a hidden area of your carpet. (Behind a wall unit, a closet floor or under furniture is probably your best bet.) Follow the instructions accordingly.

You can also contact your carpet’s manufacturer who may have a solution as well. If worse comes to worse contact a professional carpet cleaner. Make sure that he or she is aware of the problem prior to making the appointment. The last thing you want is to pay for expensive carpet cleaning only to find out the stain can’t be removed after all.

Don’t let unsightly rust stains ruin your carpet, if you act quickly and follow some simple steps, it will soon look as good as new.

Feel free to call ITT Cleaning Services.