Will Hydrogen Peroxide Remove Rust Stains From Clothes

Will Hydrogen Peroxide Remove Rust Stains From Clothes?

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Rust Stains on cloth prove to be very stubborn.  Unlike regular stains, they pertain deep into the fabric and make it challenging to remove it.

You may have heard a lot about using hydrogen peroxide to remove rust stain from the clothes.

Here I want to draw your attention to the fact that usual washing and drying methods will not only make the rust stain mix deep into the fabric. It will make it nearly impossible to remove the rust stains from the clothes.

Will Hydrogen Peroxide Remove Rust Stains From The Clothes?

Hydrogen Peroxide is well known to remove stains from the clothes, brighten white cloths, and ensure proper cleansing.

I recently tried to remove the rust stain from one of my sweaters to see if it works for rust stains on fabrics.

To my surprise, not only did the stain faded away but also it made my sweater brighter and shiner. Therefore, based on my personal experience, I recommend the use of hydrogen peroxide to remove rust stains from clothes.

However, I strongly suggest having some background research to be sure of the type of stain. Moreover, sprinkling a good amount of salt on the stain and then pouring lemon juice over it is always the first choice to remove any type of stain from the clothes.

However, if the stain persists, the shift to hydrogen peroxide method is given in the later section.

Mechanism of Action of Hydrogen Peroxide to Remove Rust Stains from Clothes

Hydrogen Peroxide is an oxidizing agent. Unlike chlorine bleaching agent, it is a mild agent, which reacts with stain particles and dissolves them along with it in water.

The iron in stain particles is oxidized to assume a lesser elemental valency. It then reacts with water to form Fe (OH) 3, ferric hydroxide in water. This compound then is dissolved in water. In this way, rust stain is removed from the clothes.

How You Can Use Hydrogen Peroxide To Remove Rust Stain From the Fabric?

You can use hydrogen peroxide to remove rust stain from the clothes.

Here is a practical method to use hydrogen peroxide to remove rust stains from the clothes.

Ingredients:

  • Lemon-1 Big lemon
  • Salt-1-2 Tablespoons
  • Vinegar-Half a cup
  • Cream Of Tartar-1 Tablespoon
  • Hydrogen Peroxide-Few drops

Procedure:

  1. Know the type of stain on your cloth.
  2. First, try to wash the cloth in the washing machine using a heavy-duty detergent.
  3. See if it works for you.
  4. Do not try to dry the cloth with a hot air dryer. It will make the stain go much deeper and make it persist longer.
  5. Dip the stained part into a diluted vinegar solution.
  6. Now, sprinkle 1-2 tablespoon of salt on the stained part.
  7. Pour lemon juice on it.
  8. Let it sit for 30 minutes.
  9. Wash with cold water.
  10. Now, if you see the stain does not go away, use the hydrogen peroxide method.
  11. Mix a tablespoon of cream of tartar with a few drops of hydrogen peroxide.
  12. Apply this mixture on the part of clothing having stain.
  13. Let it sit for a few minutes.
  14. Wash with tap water.
  15. Dry in the open air or cold air.

Precautions:

  • Do not forget to have a patch test. Apply the hydrogen peroxide mixture on a non-significant part of the same cloth. See if it affects the fabric or Colours.
  • Do not use chlorine as an alternative to hydrogen peroxide.
  • Do no use hot water for washing.
  • Do not dry in hot air dryer.
  • Do not rub a lot. Instead, rub gently with a soft bristle brush.

Will Hydrogen Peroxide Damage Your Clothes?

Hydrogen Peroxide available commercially is adjusted in such a way to make it safe for the use of fabrics.

It is best known to

  • Remove stains
  • Remove rusts on fabric and other surfaces
  • Brighten clothes

However, it is not very safe to spray hydrogen peroxide spray directly on the clothes. Always mix it in double or more portion of cream of tartar.

Never forget to check on the portion of cloth to see if it affects the fabric or fades the colour. It is well documented that hydrogen peroxide has proven benefit over chlorine bleaching agents in removing rust stain.

How To Remove Rust Stain From Non-Washable Fabric

The stain on a non-washable fabric item e.g., carpet proves to be a great challenge.

Here is a complete step-to-step guideline of how to remove rust stain from such items.

Ingredients:

Lemon—2 large

Salt—3 to 4 tablespoon

Vinegar-half of the cup

Cream of Tartar-1-2 tablespoon

Hydrogen Peroxide—5-6 drops

Procedure:

  1. Dip the part of the fabric in the vinegar completely.
  2. Let it sit for 15-30 minutes.
  3. Now pour 2-3 tablespoon of salt on the stain.
  4. Pour lemon juice on this vinegar-wet piece having salt.
  5. Scrub off the rest of salt.
  6. Observe if the stain persists.
  7. Now, mix a few drops of hydrogen peroxide in cream of tartar.
  8. Apply the mixture in the form thin layer on the stained part.
  9. Let it sit for 15-30 minutes.
  10. Remove with a wet cloth.
  11. Let is air dry or look into drying with cold air.
  12. If any stain left, apply hydrogen peroxide solution again and let it rest for 1-2 hours.
  13. Clean with damp cloth afterwards.

Some General Guidelines You Need To Follow If You Get Any Cloth Stain.

  1. If you get any cloth stain
  2. Try to know the type of stain.
  3. Wash it with cold water if to see if the stain fades away.
  4. For blood or rust stain, never use hot water, hot air dryer, and chlorine bleach.
  5. Never use chlorine bleach for coloured clothes. It will fade its colours.
  6. Opt for salt and lemon to remove the stain. It is a first-hand choice in removing the stains from the clothes
  7. You can also look into using vinegar to remove stains. Dip the part of cloth having stain in the vinegar. Let it absorb the stain. Then wash with tap water.
  8. Any products you are using always determine if it is suitable for the fabric and colour of the cloth.
  9. Always do a test on the side or inner side of cloth to know if it affects the colour.
  10. Most of the products fade colour because they work as oxidizing agent thus reacts with colours and shades of clothes.
  11. Do not use chlorine bleach on clothes to remove rust stain or it will cause the rust stain to penetrate a lot more into the fabric fibres.
  12. Hot water or hot air can also cause the rust strain to become more and more stubborn and difficult to impossible to wash it out.

Key Takeaways:

  • Hydrogen peroxide has proven efficacy to remove stains especially persistent stains like rust stains and bloodstains.
  • Always try using lemon juice and salt combination before using any other chemicals on the fabric.
  • Either you use lemon, vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide, never forget to have a brief patch test to see if it affects the fabric.
  • You can also use hydrogen peroxide on non-washable fabrics
  • Always follow the general guidelines to remove stains if you are not sure about the type of stain.